Science

1. CLASS: Integrated Science Form 4
TOPIC OF LESSON: Benefits of Microbes
MODULE / SECTION: Cells & Unicellular Organisms

2. OBJECTIVES
SYLLABUS OBJECTIVE(S) [OBJETIVO DE SYLLABUS]
Candidate should be able to:
● Discuss the importance of selected microbes;
El candidato debe ser capaz de:
● Discuta la importancia de los microbios seleccionados;

3. OBJECTIVES
LESSON OBJECTIVE(S) [OBJETIVOS DE LA LECCIÓN]
By the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
● describe several ways in which microbes benefit human beings and the greater
environment.
Al final de esta lección, el estudiante debe ser capaz de:
● Describe varias formas en que los microbios benefician a los seres humanos y al medio
ambiente.

4. GLOSSARY [will fit better in platform]
ENGLISH SPANISH
aerobic aerobio
alcoholic alcohólico
anaerobic anaeróbica
another otro
beer cerveza
bread un pan
breakdown Descompostura
bubbles burbujas
by breaking down descomponiendo
crop yield rendimiento de los cultivos
curdles cuaja
dead muerto
dead matter materia inanimada
decomposer descomponedor

5. KeyWords
Look out for the Key Words. They are new words that will be in the
Glossary above.
They will be highlighted like this:
Key Word

6. INTRODUCTION
Watch the video below and answer the following questions:
1. Name two (2) food products that yeast helps us to make?
2. Which pathway is oxygen-independent: aerobic or anaerobic?
3. What is another word for the anaerobic pathway?
4. Why is bread not alcoholic?
5. Which gas makes bubbles in bread and champagne?
6. Which pathway is used to make wine: aerobic or anaerobic?
7. What sugar is used by bacteria in milk?
8. The curdles in milk is used to make…
9. What gives Swiss cheese its holes?
10. Name 3 foods that are produced with the help of microbes.

7. INTRODUCTION
Click the triangle
and watch the
video.
Use the video to
answer the
questions above.

8. Microbes can be very useful to
humans.
In this lesson we will look at
some benefits, in addition to
making food.

9. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
➢ Bacteria & fungi are decomposers. They maintain a
healthy environment by breaking down dead &
waste matter such as faeces. The breakdown
releases nutrients back into the environment, for
use by other living things. In this way, they recycle
these wastes & dead matter into the environment.
➢ Some species of bacteria are the ONLY living
things that can ‘fix’ nitrogen in plants. (‘Fixing’
nitrogen is converting nitrogen gas from the air to
nitrates, which can then be used by plants and
animals).
➢ Some viruses have been found to provide heat
resistance to grasses in arid locations.

10. FOOD PRODUCTION
➢ Some species of bacteria &
fungi can be used to increase
the fertility of the soil and
increase crop yields.
➢ They are necessary for the
making of beer & cheese
➢ Probiotic foods such as yoghurt
deliver helpful microbes to our
digestive systems.

11. HEALTH BENEFITS
➢ Gut flora are microbes that live in
our intestines & help us digest food.
They also regulate the production of
vitamins & other nutrients essential
to keeping our bodies strong &
healthy.
➢ Some bacteria in our bodies produce
natural antibiotics that repel harmful
microorganisms.
➢ Many people also have helpful
viruses that slow the spread of
harmful viruses.

12. MEDICAL BENEFITS
➢ Bacteria & viruses are the key components of
the vaccines that prevent the spread of once-
deadly diseases such as smallpox.
➢ Microbes are used to manufacture helpful
substances such as human insulin (humulin) and
human growth hormone.
➢ Reprogrammed viruses are now being used to
deliver drugs into the body’s cells.

13. SUMMARY
● Microorganisms are not just pathogens that cause disease. Many types of viruses, bacteria
and fungi are useful to humans and their surroundings.
● Benefits can be classified as Environmental, Health, Medical etc…
● A major environmental benefit of bacteria and fungi is their role as decomposers in the
environment. They break down dead and waste matter and recycle nutrients.
● A major health benefit is the gut flora, which are bacteria in the intestines that aid
digestion.
● A major medical benefit is the role of some bacteria in the production of important
biochemicals, such as human insulin for diabetics.

14. Now Let’s See if You Understand...
Click on the link below. It will take you to an online pdf of a worksheet.
Print the document and fill it out by hand. Bring it to class with you to share with teacher and
classmates.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yPB3PFUXhdSW3GRP7qEGOubjacScScTn

15. FURTHER READING (OTRAS LECTURAS)
Do you want to learn more about how microbes help us?
Then here are some articles you can read, plus a video.
➢ https://blog.ted.com/6-great-things-microbes-do-for-us/
➢ https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/gsl/microbes/
➢ https://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_eisen_meet_your_microbes

16. REFERENCES
Blake Fluornoy, 11th April 2018, Five Beneficial Effects of Microorganisms, viewed on 18th July 2019,
<https://sciencing.com/five-beneficial-effects-microorganisms-10010404.html>
LJNovaScotia from Pixabay, (Intestines Gut Flora), viewed on 22nd July 2019,
<https://pixabay.com/vectors/intestines-gut-flora-gut-bacteria-1468807/>
pelambung from Pixabay, 13th May 2013, (Yoghurt Fruit Fresh), viewed on 22nd July 2019,
<https://pixabay.com/photos/yogurt-food-fresh-dessert-diet-763372/>
Scot Nelson, 9th June 2011, Slime mold, viewed on 22nd July 2019,
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/scotnelson/5816371092>
TED-Ed, 19th Jan 2016, The beneficial bacteria that make delicious food - Erez Garty, viewed on 18th July
2019, <https://youtu.be/eksagPy5tmQ>
Wesalius via Wikimedia Commons, 15th May 2018, File: Human insulin 100IU-ml vial yellow background.
Jpg, viewed on 22nd July 2019, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Human_insulin_100IU-
ml_vial_yellow_background.jpg>