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Classroom Resources | Activities for Episode
Three 
Episode Two: Keepers of the Biosphere
Activity 2: Lights, Camera, Action!
Grades 6-12
Objectives:
- Students will use research skills to gain information about the role
of microbes.
- Students will develop and perform a creative and informative dramatization
to teach younger students about microbes.
Ties to Broadcast and Web Sites:
- Intimate Strangers: Keepers of the Biosphere
Excerpt about bread decomposing, with time-lapse photos of microbial
action (approximately 18:50 to 19:30).
- Murray the
Bacterium
A humorous and educational website devoted to learning all about Murray
the Bacterium.
- Bugs
in the News!
Web site with an extensive index of information about microbiology topics.
- Cells Alive!
Interesting articles, pictures, and information about many topics.
- The Rise
of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
Food and Drug Administration website-article about The Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant
Infections
- Information
about Microbes: Invisible Invaders…Amazing Allies
Traveling exhibit about microbes, animated features provide basic microbe
information, dictionary, Meet a Microbe, microbe quiz, Our Hero, Microbe-Man
- Microbe
World
Basic information about microbes.
Procedure for Classroom Activity:
- Begin this science/art activity by posting the following light-hearted
poem by Jonathan Swift on the board for students to read and discuss.
How could this poem relate to microbes?
So, naturalists observe, a flea
Hath smaller fleas that on him prey;
And these have smaller to bite 'em;
And do proceed ad infinitum. |
- Announce to students that the purpose of this activity is to use creativity
and research skills to develop a variety of short dramatizations to
perform for younger students to teach them basic information about microbes.
Brainstorm with the students the kinds of theatrical styles there are
(plays, skits, documentaries, musicals, drama, comedies, tragedies,
soap-operas, mysteries, puppet-shows, television sit-coms, interview
programs, etc.)
- Brainstorm possible topics for the students to develop into performances.
Use the web resources listed above and information from Intimate
Strangers and other resources to develop topics. (Possible topics
could be microbes that help humans, harmful microbes, oil-degrading
microbes, yeast, diseases, microbes as decomposers, etc.) Each group
of students should select one topic to develop into a dramatization.
Students will need to prepare any props and scenery for their skits
also. Instead of costumes, large colored drawings of microbes could
be held by the student actors.
- Perform the dramatizations for younger students. If desired, ask students
to develop a fun, short True-False Quiz to give the audience members
after the skits have been shown to reinforce their learning about the
role of microbes in the world.
Classroom Resources | Activities for Episode
Three
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