Fighting infection: reducing infection – unit plan

We all get sick from time to time, especially over the winter months. The classroom, in particular, seems to be a breeding ground for coughs, colds and flu. How do we get sick? Why do a number of people get sick at the same time? Can we prevent this from happening? Our content on fighting infection assists teachers to get across important science ideas about infection and how we can reduce or stop diseases from spreading.

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Sick child

We all get sick from time to time and don’t feel too good. At this time, our bodies are busy working to make us well.

Overarching learning outcomes of this teacher resource integrate:

• understandings about how infection spreads and that our bodies work to fight infection (scientific knowledge)
• investigation into how we can help to fight and reduce specific diseases (scientific practice)
• understanding that scientific knowledge can be used to help people (nature of science)

Students will meet these learning outcomes by:

• identifying and classifying microorganisms
• researching information on infection and vaccination
• experimenting to see how diseases spread and how they can be reduced
• exploring Māori medicine (rongoa Māori)
• debating ethical issues related to vaccination.

Download the unit plan (see link below).