Name _______________________________________________ Score ________

Microorganisms Workbook

The following topics are covered in this workbook: STANDARD V: Students will understand that microorganisms range from simple to complex, are found almost everywhere, and are both helpful and harmful. Objective 1: Observe and summarize information about microorganisms. a. Examine and illustrate size, shape, and structure of organisms found in an environment such

as pond water. b. Compare characteristics common in observed organisms (e.g., color, movement, appendages,

shape) and infer their function (e.g., green color found in organisms that are producers, appendages help movement).

Objective 3: Identify positive and negative effects of microorganisms and how science has developed positive uses for some microorganisms and overcome the negative effects of others. a. Describe in writing how microorganisms serve as decomposers in the environment. b. Identify how microorganisms are used as food or in the production of food (e.g., yeast helps

bread rise, fungi flavor cheese, algae are used in ice cream, bacteria are used to make cheese and yogurt).

c. Identify helpful uses of microorganisms (e.g., clean up oil spills, purify water, digest food in digestive tract, antibiotics) and the role of science in the development of understanding that led to positive uses (i.e., Pasteur established the existence, growth, and control of bacteria; Fleming isolated and developed penicillin).

d. Relate several diseases caused by microorganisms to the organism causing the disease (e.g., athlete’s foot -fungi, streptococcus throat -bacteria, giardia -protozoa).

Some information is this workbook comes from/has been modified from Microorganisms Science Activity

Book by Barbara and Pat Ward

Microorganisms Notes Microorganisms

• Micro – very small • Organism – living thing

o Microorganisms – very small, living things.

Must have a microscope to see them!

Types of Microorganisms

• Bacteria o Found everywhere o Made up of a single cell

• Called single-celled organisms o Shapes

Round • Rod • Spiral

o Some bacteria are consumers (make their own food) Example - Cyanobacteria

o Others are consumers (have to go out and find their food)

• Protozoans o Single-celled organisms

• Found in water o Are both producers and consumers o Types

Amoeba • No set shape • Moves using psuedopods (false feet) • Consumer

o Eats algae, bacteria, other protozoans, dead plant or animal matter

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Euglena • Makes its own food (producer)

o Is green in color from chloroplasts Green sack that produces energy

required by Euglena o Moves using whip-like structure – flagellum

(flagella plural)

Paramecium • Looks like a foot • Moves using cilia

o Little hair-like structures all around the body • Is a consumer

o Eats algae, bacteria, other protozoans, dead plant or animal matter

Spirogyra • Simple plant

o Producer Is green in color from chloroplasts Green sack that produces energy

• Free floating (go-with-the-flow)

• Algae o Plant-like o Producers o Free-floating (go-with-the-flow) o Primary food source for animals living in the water o Can be from single-cell to 100 meters long o Produce over 50% of the oxygen we breathe

• Found in water

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• Fungi o Consumers

Eat by absorbing food • Get food from soil, wood, decaying organic matter, or living

plants and other organisms o Can be from single-cell to some of the largest organisms alive o Can’t move o Fungi are decomposers

Feeds on and breaks down dead organisms o Examples

Mushroom Truffles Lichen Yeast Mold

History of Microorganisms

• Microorganisms not known until 1670’s. • Had to have a microscope first.

o Invented in 1595 by Zacharias Janssen Was considered a toy for the rich.

• Anton Van Leeuwenhoek 1670’s o Improved the microscope so much he’s considered the

father of the microscope. o First looked at water under a microscope o Discovered small animals.

Called them “animalcules” (small animals) • Probably were bacteria

• Edward Jenner 1790’s o Developed the first vaccine o Noticed that milk maids who had cowpox

did not get smallpox Injected cowpox in volunteers

• They did not get smallpox • Ignaz Semmelweis and Oliver Wendell Holmes 1840’s

o Women were dying after giving birth from Child Bed Fever

o Semmelweis and Holmes suggested washing hands between patients

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o When hands were washed between patients, Child Bed Fever almost vanished

• Joseph Lister 1860’s o Many patients got sick and died after operations o Lister proposed disinfecting operating room and instruments between

operations • Louis Pasteur 1860’s

o People believed life arose “spontaneously” Mice came from grain bags

o Pasteur proved that life had to come from existing life o Proposed that germs caused disease o Develop pasteurization

Rapidly heating something to kill germs

• Robert Koch 1880’s o Germs cause disease

• Sir Alexander Fleming 1928

o Discovered the “miracle drug” penicillin Uses of Microorganisms

• Roles in our world o Degrades waste o Photosynthesis (produces 02 [oxygen]) o Changes chemicals so they can be used by other organisms o Normal flora (bacteria on your body) help prevent diseases o Produce useful chemicals (antibiotics, enzymes, alcohol, organic acids) o Food production o Clean-up oil spills o Purify water o Digest food o Some cause diseases

• By studying microorganisms, we:

o Improve sanitation o Discover disinfectants and antiseptics o Develop and use vaccines o Develop and use antibiotics

• Specific uses for bacteria: o Provides nitrogen for plants

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o Get minerals from ores o Used in making plastics and laundry detergents o Food production

Yogurt Sauerkraut Pickles Olives Chocolate Cheese Soy sauce Curing meats

• Specific uses for fungi: o Make chemicals used in manufacturing o Production of antibiotics (penicillin) o Clean the environment (used instead of pesticides) o Food production

Cheese Mushrooms Yeast Truffles Soy sauce

• Specific uses for algae: o Livestock feed o Cosmetics o Prescription Drug production o Used to identify possible environmental problems o Food Production

Sushi Ice cream Pudding Salad dressing Syrup Pie filling

Problems with Microorganisms

Bacteria o Cause disease

<1% of bacteria actually cause diseases Three ways to get disease

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• Through air • Touch • Food

Examples of bacterial caused diseases • Dental caries (cavities) • Strep throat • Salmonella • Typhoid fever

• Causes diseases in farm animals • Causes metal to rust and corrode • Called single-celled organisms (wear away)

o How do we treat disease? Vaccinations Antibiotics

Fungi o Cause 70% of all crop diseases o Disease in humans

Respiratory diseases Athlete’s foot Ring worm

Protozoan o Cause disease

• Giardia "Doctor, doctor, will I be able to play the violin after the operation?" "Yes, of course..." "Great! I never could before!"

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Microorganisms Vocabulary Here are the terms you should know and use! Algae (AL jee) - Plant-like Protists that live in water and contain chlorophyll. They produce oxygen and their own food. Bacteria (bac TEER ee a) – Microscopic single-celled organisms that exist everywhere. Conclusion -The summary of an experiment, based on data. Control – A part of the experiment that is unchanged. Culture – To grow microorganisms in a specially prepared nutrient medium i.e. growing mold on bread, your bread is your nutrient medium. Decomposer -An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter. experiment – A series of steps to find the answer to a question. Fungi (FUN ji or FUN guy) – Organisms that are neither plant nor animals, but have characteristics of both and absorb food from whatever they are growing on. Hypothesis (hy PAW thuh suhs) – An idea or question that can be tested. Investigation – A process designed to answer a question. Microorganism – A living thing that can only be seen with the aid of magnification. Organism - Any living thing. Protozoan (PRO to zo uhn) - A single-celled animal-like organism that often lives in ponds. Producer – A living thing, like a green plant, that makes its food from simple substances and sunlight. Single-celled organism – Any organism that has only one cell, the smallest unit of life. Variable – A part of an experiment that is changed.

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Doctor: Did you take the patient's temperature? Nurse: No. Is it missing? Doctor: Does it hurt when you do this? Patient: Yes. Doctor: Well, don't do that. Nurse: Doctor, there is an invisible man in your waiting room. Doctor: Tell him I can't see him now. Next.

A Visit to the Microbe Zoo To get to the Microbe Zoo, click on Start, My Computer, scommon, Hill folder, and then select the Microbe Zoo icon. Welcome to the Microbe Zoo. Here you’ll have a chance to learn more about the microbes in our world. All the information you need to answer the questions is found in each part of the Microbe Zoo. This means you need carefully read the information in each Section. Have fun learning about the Microbe Zoo. Let’s start our visit at Dirtland. To get there, click on the Dirtland sign. 1. How many microbes are there in one gram of dirt? 2. How many different species are found in that gram of dirt? Click on Ag Acres

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3. There are five different diseases listed that are caused by fungus, viruses, and bacteria. List these diseases, what microorganism causes it, and what it does to the plant.

Disease Microorganism What it does

Under Microbial Fertilizer, select Root Cellar. 4. Define symbiosis. 5. What two things are gathered by Mycorrhizal fungi that help plants? a. b. Go back to Ag Acres

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6. What bacterium kills which insects?

Bacterium Insects (flies, beetles, etc.)

Go back to Dirtland and select Compost Pile 7. The microbes that are heat lovers are called ___________________________. 8. Fungi live on ____________ and _____________ in the compost pile. 9. Are there any Styrofoam™ eating microbes? Go back to Dirtland. Select Home Sweet Home 10. What creatures lurk in your couch and what do they eat? 11. What is growing on your shower curtain? Go back to Dirtland. Select House of Horrors 12. This bacterium sucks the life juices (cytoplasm) out of another bacterium called Chromatium (don't worry, it won't attack you). 13. The Strangler Fungus catches and kills _____________________________. Go to the top of the page and select Snack Bar

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14. List the four foods made by microbes listed in the first sentence. a. b. c. d. 15. ________________ is used in making bread. 16. _______________________ is the bacterium that produces an acid that helps to eat away the seed pod of chocolate beans. 17. This dairy product is made from fermented milk. Lactobacillus bacteria give it a slightly sour taste. At the top of the page, select Animal Pavilion and then Habitat on Humanity 18. You have more bacterial cells in or on your body than you have human cells. a. True b. False 19. What is the acid formed by Streptococcus bacteria (Streptococcus mutans is the main culprit!) (this is the acid that causes cavities)? 20. Why are there very few microbes in your stomach? 21. Each gram (about a thimble-full) from the large intestine contains up to how many microbes? 22. What vitamin is made in your intestines? 23. _______________________________ is the bacteria that cause people to fart.

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24. List the two bacteria that live on the skin.

a. b.

Go back to Animal Pavilion and select Poo Corner 25. How many pound of poop is produced each day? 26. Microbes recycle poop into _________________________________. 27. How many disease causing microbes are carried in poop? 28. S. typhi can cause food poisoning. How many S. typhi bacteria are there in a gram of poop?

Congratulations! You have finished your visit to the Microbe Zoo!

Kid’s Discover Worksheet Microbes Get Set to Read

What do you know about microbes? In the column “Before Reading,” write “true” if you think the statement is true. Write “false” if you think the statement is false. After reading the magazine, check your answers and see if you were correct. Write the correct answer and the page number where you found it. If you got the answer correct, you still need to write the page number where the answer is found.

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Before Reading Question After Reading Page Number 1. You have billions of microbes

on your body right now.

2. One kind of microbe is fungus.

3. It is unhealthy to eat food containing microbes.

4. Microbes cannot live in extreme heat or cold.

5. Bacteria make up about 1% of your body weight.

6. Microbes produce some of the oxygen we breathe.

7. The best protection against infection by microbes is vaccines.

8. Antibiotics kill viruses.

9. Microbes in cookie dough with raw eggs can make you ill.

10. The bubonic plague microbe was responsible for killing 1/3 of the population in Europe.

As you read the Microbes magazine, answer the following questions: 1. Who was the first person to look at microbes through a microscope? 2. Why do you need a microscope to see a microbe? 3. Name one microorganism van Leeuwenhoek looked at and what disease it causes. 4. How does the scanning electron microscope work and what is its magnification?

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5. List the four types of microbes. a) b) c) d) 6. What happened to the first microbes when they died? 7. Describe bacteria. 8. Describe protists. 9. Describe fungi? 10. What job that microbes do “stinks?” 11. How do bacteria help make chocolate? 12. What are foods that use microbes to “pickle?”

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14. Explain how cheese-makers use microbes to make their cheese. 15. How many cheese are made with microbes? 16. What are extreme microbes? 17. Where are they found? 18. Why did the author title the article on diatoms “More Like Jewels?” 19. Identify the six microbe menace “warning signs.” a. b. c. d. e. f. 20. Define “superbug.” 21. What role did mosquitos play in history?

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Using the diagram on pages 10 – 11, identify the microbes found in the parts of the body.

Where are bacteria found on the head? Why do you close

your eyes when you sneeze?

Why do your Why do so few armpits smell bad? microbes live in your lungs?

What “jobs” do microbes perform

in your intestines?

Even if you wash your hands, where do microbes survive?

Why do microbes like your feet?

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It’s So Simple: Kingdom Monera (Bacteria) Scientists put all living things into five kingdoms: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. (We’ll look at Monera, Protista, and Fungi). Let’s look at Monerans.

Cell Structure Monerans cells do not have a nucleus (brain). They are called prokaryotes, which means “before a nucleus.” They also don’t have any organelles (“little organs”) to help with life processes. They do have cell membranes and some of the also have cell walls. Some kinds of Monerans have chlorophyll, as well (this makes them producers).

Number of Cells Monerans are the simplest kinds of organisms. They have only one cell (single-celled organism).

Kinds of Movement Some kinds of Monerans are able to move on their own. They use simple structures that look like whips. These are called flagella. Others cannot move.

Nutrition Some Monerans are producers. Others are consumers.

Is it Moneran or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Moneran. If it doesn’t

have these characteristics, it’s not a Moneran.

1. I have recently found a new organism. I need to classify it. I think it should be classified as a Moneran. Look at the following characteristics and see if you agree with me. (Circle your answer). a. My new organisms are very tiny. When I see it in the microscope, I notice it is only one cell.

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Could this be a Moneran? Yes No b. When I look closely inside the cell, I notice there is no nucleus. I don’t notice any organelles inside the cell. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No c. This cell does not seem to be able to move. I do not notice any structures on or I the cell that would help it move. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No d. This cell has a cell wall and chlorophyll. It is able to use the Sun’s energy to make its own food. It does not have any cell structures that would allow it to use other organisms for food. Could this be a Moneran? Yes No

Is this organism a Moneran? Yes No

Bacteria Can Be Good You have learned some basics about bacteria. Let’s look at how they are good for us. Have you ever seen an animal lying along the side of the road? Maybe it was hit by a truck or car. After a while, you might notice that the dead body starts to decay. Eventually, all that’s left are a few bones. Nature has a wonderful way of keeping things in balance. Every day, organisms are born and others die. The dead organisms are broken down and nutrients are recycled to be used by other organisms. Nature even has special organisms that help break down the dead material. They are called saprophytes, and bacteria are important members of this group. Without these special bacteria, what would happen to all the dead organisms? The air we breathe is a mixture of different gases. We use oxygen from the air just to stay alive. We exhale carbon dioxide back into the air, and producers use that gas to photosynthesize, or make their own food. Nitrogen is another important gas in the air. Plants need nitrogen to help them grow, but they have a problem. They cannot

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use the nitrogen directly from the air. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium radicicola help out. They are able to change the nitrogen to a form that plants can use. Animals also need nitrogen to stay healthy. They are able to get their nitrogen from the plants they eat. Speaking of eating, we all like food! We eat at least three times a day and sometimes more often then that! Some of the foods we eat are made with bacteria. Do you like cheese and yogurt? Without bacteria, you couldn’t eat them! Do you like pickles? Do you use vinegar? How about a little sauerkraut? All these foods are available to use because of bacteria. Inside our bodies, bacteria are also important. We have symbiotic bacteria on our skin and in our digestive systems. Symbiotic bacteria are able to live in or on plant or animal tissue. They do not harm the tissue; often they even help out. In our digestive systems, symbiotic bacteria help brake down foods that have lots of fiber in them. They also help make vitamins, which are important for maintaining a healthy body. Bacteria help us in our lives in other ways. Some medicines are made from bacteria. Some of the cleaners we use and many of our adhesives (that’s a fancy word for glue) are made using bacteria. Bacteria are important in the process of tanning leather to make shoes, belts, purses, wallets, jackets, and so on. Bacteria have been able to help us clean up some big messes. Some kinds of bacteria are able to digest oil. When there was a huge oil spill off the coast of Alaska, bacteria were used to help clean up the mess. Oil-eating bacteria have also been used to clean up oil spills in Texas and California. Bacteria are part of nature’s clean-up squad, so they help the environment. They can help plants and animals by changing nitrogen to a form they can use. They provide us with some good foods, and they are also very important in our bodies, keeping us healthy. Bacteria heave helped us clean up our messes, too. Bacteria are an important part of our world. Questions 2. Organisms that help break down dead material are called ___________________. 3. Rhizobium radicicola is a bacterium that helps plants use ____________________ from the air.

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4. Three foods made with bacteria are _______________________________, ___________________________, and _________________________________. 5. Bacteria that live in or on plant or animal tissue without harming the tissue are known as ____________________________. 6. When there were oil spills in Alaska, California, and Texas, _________________ bacteria were used to help clean up the mess.

Bacteria Can Be Bad You’ve read how bacteria can be good for us and the environment. Now, let’s see why we might not want to have all of them around us. Some of them are quite harmful! Let’s start by taking a look inside your refrigerator. Way in the back is some food that has been in the refrigerator for TOO LONG! What color is it? It is not a pretty pink anymore. Now it is a grayish brown color. How does it smell? Ahh, that is certainly not perfume! Why have these changes taken place? You guessed it – bacteria are responsible. Remember when we said that bacteria are consumers because they use other organisms for their food? Well, the ground beef in the refrigerator makes good hamburgers for us when it is fresh. It also makes good food for bacteria if it is left there too long. Let’s not forget that we also said that bacteria can live almost anywhere. Some of them can survive the cold temperatures inside your refrigerator, eating away at your dinner before you get to it! Take a look at the milk carton in your refrigerator. You should see a date on the outside of the carton. That is the expiration date of the milk. Stores cannot sell the milk after that date. You really should not drink the milk more than a day or two after that date, either. That is the time when harmful bacteria may become active enough to spoil the milk. Other dairy products have dates on them, too. Take a look at buttermilk, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Bacteria can spoil all of these foods. Take one last look in the vegetable drawer in the bottom of the fridge. Maybe you have some celery that is turning brown or some carrots that are getting soft. Bacteria may be starting to spoil these foods, too.

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Not all harmful bacteria attack food. Some of them produce diseases. They are known as pathogens. Some scientists believe there are as many as 200 species of pathogenic bacteria. Perhaps you have suffered from one or more of the disease that affect humans: strep throat, pneumonia, anthrax, diphtheria, tetanus, or whooping cough. In recent years, we have heard a lot about a problem called Lyme Disease. This disease is transmitted to people by a tiny animal called a deer tick. The tick carries bacteria known as Borella burgdorferi. It can give Lyme Disease to humans. We become very sick when it is in our blood. It is important to wear protective clothing in the woods and in fields when you are in an area that might have deer ticks. Some harmful bacterial produce toxins. Toxins are poisons. When bacterial spoil food, they may produce toxins. If you eat the spoiled food containing the toxin, you may become very ill. Many people enjoy having a garden and raising their own vegetables. Clostridium botulinum is found in soil. It grown in fruits and vegetables. Clostridium botulinum grows well where there is no oxygen, such as in home-canned jars of fruits and vegetables. If you eat spoiled food containing these bacteria, you may get a disease called botulism. It can affect the nervous system and can even kill you if it is not treated quickly. The good news is that this bacteria can be killed by boiling food or cooking it a high temperatures for about thirty minutes. It is very important to follow all the right steps when you are canning foods at home and remember not to eat anything you think might be spoiled. Now you have seen the good side and bad side of bacteria. They are important in our world, but we have to remember that they can be dangerous. Let’s see how we can control some of these harmful bacteria and keep ourselves safe.

Keep it Under Control! Stopping Harmful Bacteria

What can we do to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in our lives? First, we can try to kill some of the harmful bacteria. Each different kind of bacteria has special needs that must be met to keep it alive. One of those needs is the proper temperature. Many harmful bacteria cannot survive in very high temperatures for long periods of time. Sterilization uses high temperatures for long periods of time to kill harmful organisms. It is important to use hot water when you are washing dishes so you can reduce the number of harmful bacteria in your kitchen.

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Many harmful bacteria cannot survive in very low temperatures for long periods of time, either. Freezing and refrigeration are processes that may kill harmful bacteria, or at least slow them down. In 1865, a French chemist named Louis Pasteur invented a process for killing harmful bacteria in liquids. The liquids are healed to very high temperatures for fairly long periods of time. Then, they are cooled very quickly and kept at cool temperatures. The process of pasteurization has made a big difference in our lives. You may have noticed that your milk is labeled as pasteurized milk. It is safer to drink, thanks to Mr. Pasteur. Remember, though, there is an expiration date on your milk because the process may not kill ALL of the bacteria. Other liquids may be pasteurized, too. Many fruit juices are pasteurized. Dehydration is the removal of water. Look at spaghetti noodles. When they were made, they were dried before they were packaged. Most bacteria need some moisture to survive. Dry noodles are not a good food source for them. When you cook them, the moisture added to the noodles made the spaghetti a good place for harmful bacteria to grow. Some food is vacuum packed. For example, beef jerky. When it is made, it was properly cooked to kill off as many harmful bacteria as possible. Then, the manufacturer put it in a plastic container. All the air was removed and the container was sealed. After being cooked and then put in an oxygen-free environment, the bacteria did not stand a chance and you can enjoy a great snack. Harmful bacteria are all around us. They live almost everywhere. We can try to kill them using special chemicals called disinfectant. You may have seen your mother spraying Lysol™ in the bathroom. She may have cleaned up the kitchen counter with Soft Scrub™, which contains bleach. She may have told you to be sure to wash you hands with soap. There are all examples of common disinfectants. Suppose you are playing outside and you fall and cut your knee. You might be exposed to some harmful bacteria. You really don’t want your mother to use Lysol™ or bleach to clean your cut. Instead, you want to use an antiseptic. Antiseptics are disinfectants that can be used on people. Your mother might get out a brown bottle of hydrogen peroxide and put it on your cut. She might clean it with alcohol or use some Neosporin™. These are all examples of antiseptics. It is a good idea to cover the wound with a Band-Aid™ before you go back out so that no more harmful bacterial can get into the wound.

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Sometimes we are not careful enough, and harmful bacteria are able to enter our bodies. We have to figure out some way to get rid of them. Your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic for you. An antibiotic is a substance made of one organism to kill another organism. The doctor figures out the right antibiotic to give you. When you take that medicine, the antibiotic goes to work to kill the harmful bacteria making you sick. Penicillin is a good example of an antibiotic that you may have used. Penicillin attacks harmful bacteria and does not let them survive. The bacteria dies, and you start to feel better. Remember to take all of the medicine the doctor gives you to be sure you have killed off ALL of the pathogenic bacteria. Doctors have figured out a way to prevent you from getting some diseases caused by harmful bacteria. You have all been vaccinated. Vaccines are weak or deal bacteria that are put into your body. Your blood makes antibodies to fight off the bacteria. The antibodies stay in your blood. If a strong or healthy bacteria tries to enter your body, your blood has the antibodies ready to fight it off! You need to be vaccinated several different times because each different kind of bacteria is fought off by a different kind of antibody. Questions

7. Organisms that cause disease are called __________________________. 8. Borella burgdorferi is the bacteria responsible for

_______________________ disease. 9. Botulism is a disease caused by the bacteria known as ______________________ ____________________________. 10. Milk products have a(n) ___________________________ date on them to let us know when the stores can still safely sell them. 11. When bacteria spoil food, they produce poisons that are called _______________. 12. Five methods for controlling bacterial growth in foods are _________________, ___________________________, ________________________, ___________________________, and ________________________. 13. Hospitals must be kept clean, so they use a lot of ________________________.

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14. Two things you should do when you cut yourself are _______________________ and _________________________. 15. A medicine that is made by one organism to kill another kind of organism is called a(n) ___________________________. 16. Children are protected from many dangerous diseases when they have their ___________________________.

It’s Still Pretty Simple: Kingdom Protista (Protozoan)

Cell Structure Protozoans do have a nucleus and it’s surrounded by a nuclear membrane. They are called eukaryotes, which means “true nucleus.” They also have cell organelles that help the nucleus perform all the life processes.

Number of Cells

Most Protozoans are single-celled organisms. A few are made up of two or more cells.

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Kinds of Movement

Some Protozoans do not move at all, but many of them are able to move. Some Protists use psuedopods, or false feet. The cell in this type of Protists is able to change its shape. It is able to extend some of the cytoplasm to make a fake foot or

two. The feet are able to push or pull the cell along.

Other Protists move using tiny, hairlike structures called cilia. The cilia are found on the outside of the cell. They are able to move very quickly back and forth, moving the Protists along through water or another liquid. Finally, some Protists move using flagella. These are simple, whiplike structures that propel the protist through its environment.

Nutrition Some Protists are producers and have chloroplasts and chlorophyll. Others are consumers.

Is it Protista or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Protista. If it doesn’t

have these characteristics, it’s not a Protista. 17. Guess what? I have found some more new organisms. I think they should be classified as either Moneran or Protist, but I’m not sure. Look at the following characteristics and see if you can decide which kingdom they should be in. a. When I look at one of the organisms in the microscope, I notice a tiny nucleus inside the cell. A membrane surrounds the nucleus. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist b. When I look at the next organism, I notice it has more than one cell. I don’t see any tissues or organs, but the group of cells seems to be one organism, not a colony. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist c. This organism is moving. I notice that it is a single cell, with a flagellum. This organism has a nucleus. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist d. This is a simple organism with chloroplasts in its cell. It makes its own food. This organism should be classified as a Moneran Protist

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What is this organism: Moneran Protist

For the Last Time, It’s Simple: Kingdom Fungi (Fungus)

Cell Structure Fungi cells have a nucleus that is surrounded by a nuclear membrane. Like Protists, they are called eukaryotes. Fungi have cell organelles that help the nucleus perform all life processes.

Number of Cells Some fungi are single-celled organisms. Many of the members of this kingdom are many celled.

Kinds of Movement Fungi can’t move on their own.

Nutrition Fungi do not have any chlorophyll. They are unable to make their own food; therefore, they are not considered producers. They are not able to actually eat other organisms, either. Instead, fungi are able to absorb nutrients from any other organisms. Most fungi get their nutrition from dead or dying matter, so they are classified as saprophytes.

Is it Fungi or Not? Any organism that has these specific characteristics is a Fungus. If it doesn’t

have these characteristics, it’s not a Fungus. 18. Read each of the following statements. If the statement is true for a fungus, write “T” on the line. If it is not true, write “F” on the line. a. _____ It may have many cells. b. _____ It has a cell membrane. c. _____ It may have only one cell.

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d. _____ It is a eukaryote. e. _____ It is a producer. f. _____ It can move voluntarily. g. _____ It is a saprophyte. h. _____ It is a prokaryote. i. _____ It has organelles. j. _____ It has chlorophyll and can photosynthesize.

The Amoeba (modified from The Biology Corner – Worksheets and Lessons)

The amoeba is a protozoan that belongs to the Kingdom Protista. The name amoeba comes from the Greek word amoibe, which means change. Protists are microscopic one-celled organisms that don't fit into the other kingdoms. The amoeba is an animal-like protist because it moves and consumes its food (consumer). The amoeba has an unusual way of creeping along by stretching its cytoplasm into fingerlike extensions called pseudopodia. (The word "pseudopodia" means "false foot".) Its cell membrane is very flexible and allows for the amoeba to change shape. Amoeba live in ponds or puddles, and can even live inside people. By pushing the cytoplasm toward the cell membrane, the amoeba causes its body to extend and creep along. It is also by this method that the amoeba consumes its food. The pseudopodia extend out and wrap around a food particle in a process call phagocytosis. The food is then engulfed into the amoeba and digested. As the food is digested, it exists in a structure called a food vacuole. Amoebas can cause disease. A common disease caused by the amoeba is called Amoebic Dysentery. A person becomes infected by drinking contaminated water. The amoeba then upsets the person's digestive system and causes cramps and diarrhea. A person is most likely to be infected in countries where the water is not filtered or purified. Questions

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Questions 19. Fingerlike extensions of the amoeba's cytoplasm are called...?

21. What disease is caused by the amoeba?

22. To what Kingdom does the amoeba belong?

The Euglena (modified from The Biology Corner – Worksheets and Lessons)

Euglena are one-celled organisms classified into the Kingdom Protista. All Euglena have chloroplasts and can make their own food (they are producers). Euglena can also absorb food from their environment; Euglena usually live in quiet ponds or puddles. Euglena move by a flagellum (plural ‚ flagella), which is a long whip-like structure that acts like a little motor. The flagellum is located on the front end, and twirls in such a way as to pull the cell through the water. Color the reservoir grey and the flagellum black. Chloroplasts within the Euglena trap sunlight that is used for photosynthesis, and can be seen as several rod-like structures throughout the cell. Color the chloroplasts green. Euglena also have an eyespot at the front end that detects light. This helps the Euglena find bright areas to gather sunlight to make their food. Color the eyespot red. Euglena can also gain nutrients by absorbing them across their cell membrane. The Euglena has a stiff pellicle outside the cell membrane that helps it keep its shape, though the pellicle is somewhat flexible and some Euglena can be observed scrunching up and moving in an inchworm type fashion. Color the pellicle blue. In the center of the cell is the nucleus, which contains the cell’s DNA and controls the cell’s activities. The nucleolus can be seen within the nucleus. Color the nucleus purple, and the nucleolus pink. The interior of the cell contains a jelly-like fluid substance called cytoplasm. Color the cytoplasm yellow. Toward the back of the cell is a star-like structure: the contractile vacuole. This organelle helps the cell remove excess water, and without it, the Euglena could take in some much water due to osmosis that the cell would explode. Color the contractile vacuole orange.

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Color the Euglena according to the directions. Organelles can be identified based on their descriptions and locations.

Pellicle

Nucleolus

Contractile Vacuole

Eyespot

Nucleus

Chloroplast

Cytoplasm

Reservoir

Flagellum

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