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What Organism Am I?

What Organism Am I?This presentation contains a sequence of four statements designed to narrow down the identity of a mystery organism. You will need to rely on your scientific knowledge to identify the organism.

Please don’t run.

By using your scientific knowledge you should arrive at the correct final table and earn the undying respect of your science teacher.

Each statement is designed to eliminate one organism. If you are standing at a particular organism when it is eliminated you are out of the game and must sit down.

You will see that at various places in the classroom there are organism names. After each statement you must go to one of the organisms you think could be the mystery organism.

Statement 1

The mystery organism has no legs.

Elephants have legs – so bad luck if you were standing next to the elephant table.

Statement 1

The mystery organism has no legs.

The mystery organism has no backbone – it is an invertebrate.

Statement 2

Green tree pythons are snakes and snakes have backbones – so please take a seat if you were standing next to the green tree python table.

The mystery organism has no backbone – it is an invertebrate.

Statement 2

The mystery organism does not photosynthesize.

Statement 3

Oh dear, oak trees photosynthesize. Please take a seat if you were standing at the oak tree table.

The mystery organism does not photosynthesize.

Statement 3

Statement 4

The mystery organism reproduces by splitting in two and producing an identical copy of itself.

Do jelly fish reproduce by splitting in two? I don’t think so! Better luck next time if you picked jellyfish.

Congratulations if you are standing at the e. coli table. The mystery organism is indeed the upset stomach causing bacteria, escheri coli.

Statement 4

The mystery organism reproduces by splitting in two and producing an identical copy of itself.

The End

Starter Activity -The Wonderful World of Germs

Teachers Notes

This presentation contains a sequence of four statements designed to narrow down the identity of a mystery organism. Students will need to rely on their scientific knowledge in order to identify the organism.

Prior to the lesson make sure that the room is free of trip hazards. Arrange tables so that there are 5 ‘islands’. Each island needs to have a large card with an the name of an organism on it. The organisms to use are – e. coli bacteria, elephant, green tree python, oak tree, jellyfish.

Each statement eliminates one of the organisms. When each new question appears, students can move to the table they think holds the correct organism. Students standing at a particular organism when it is eliminated are out of the game and must sit down.

By responding correctly to each statement they should arrive at the correct final table.

To ensure that this starter activity is used effectively, students must not be told what the subject of the lesson will be prior to its use.

Ensure that students do not run.