Question & Explore with Scientist Crystal

🌟 Introduction to Bacteria

Duration: 5 Sessions
Subject: Science

Main Objective: Students will understand what bacteria are, their characteristics, where they are found, and their roles (both helpful and harmful).

🧪 DAY 1: What Are Bacteria?

Objectives:

• • Understand that bacteria are tiny living things (microorganisms).
  • Recognize that bacteria come in different shapes and sizes.

Activities:

1. 1. Intro Video: Watch a kid-friendly video about bacteria
   2. Discussion: What are bacteria? Can we see them? Are they alive?
   3. Bacteria Shape Drawing: Observe bacteria under the microscope and draw your own.

🔍 DAY 2: Where Do We Find Bacteria?

Objectives:

• • Understand that bacteria are everywhere.
  • Observe how bacteria live on surfaces around us.

Activities:

1. 1. Swab the environment:
   • Students swab desks, door handles, or hands
   1. Prediction Map It Out:
   • Create a bacteria "hotspot" map of the classroom using stickers or dots.

🦠 DAY 3: Good vs. Bad Bacteria and How Do We Stay Healthy?

Objectives:

• • Differentiate between helpful and harmful bacteria.
  • Learn how bacteria help in digestion, making food, and decomposing.
  • Learn how bacteria spread and how to protect ourselves.
  • Understand the importance of hygiene and handwashing

Activities:

1. 1. Bacteria Heroes and Villains: Read a short story or watch a video.
   2. Sort Game:
   • Use cards with pictures (e.g., yogurt, strep throat, compost) and have students sort into “Good” and “Bad” bacteria columns.
   1. Handwashing Experiment

🧫 Day 4: “E. Coli vs. Staph – Know Your Bacteria”

Objectives

• • Identify E. coli and Staph as common bacteria
  • Compare where they are found, how they spread, and what illnesses they cause

Activities:

Hook – "Guess the Germ":

• • Examine E. coli and Staph under a microscope.
  • Ask: “Which one might be on your skin?” “Which one might be on raw meat?”

   E. Coli vs. Staph Basics:
discuss:

Video–video explaining these germs

Wrap-up Discussion

What surprised you about these bacteria?

             Which one do you think is easier to avoid?

🎨 DAY 5: Bacteria Detective

Objectives:

• • Review what we learned about bacteria.
  • Demonstrate understanding through art and identifying bacteria.

Activities:

Bacteria Comic Strip or Poster:

• • Students create a comic or poster showing “A Day in the Life of a Bacterium.”

Detective:

• • Identify an unknown bacterium through gram staining and observing under the microscopic. Plus, facts about where you can find it.