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Odyssey of Life, Part II -- The Unknown World
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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Microorganisms help decompose dead plants and animals into
substances that can be used again. Ask students what they know
about the role microorganisms play in this important process and
what role this process plays in the life cycles of the earth. As
they watch the program, have students note various life
processes carried out by the microorganisms.
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This show deals with organisms too small to be seen with the
unaided eye. To give students a sense of how small mites are,
have them calculate the number of hair follicle mites that would
fit across the width of an average thumbnail (1 mite = .1 mm, or
1/250th inch), the number of thumbnail widths it would take to
equal the length of an average pen, and then the number of mites
that would equal the length of that pen.
After Watching
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Have students refer to their notes for a discussion of some of
the processes carried out by microorganisms. Where are some of
the places they live? What kinds of food do they eat? What would
our lives be like without them?
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