Episode 7
th
19 March 2013
Activity
Antibiotics
Key Learning
Students will learn about important scientific inventions and the impact that antibiotics have had on people’s
lives.
The Australian Curriculum > Science / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use and influence of science
Content description
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve
problems that directly affect peoples’ lives. Code ACSHE083, ACSHE100
General capabilities
Literacy
Personal and social capability
Critical and creative thinking
Focus Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Discuss the issues raised in the Antibiotics story with another student.
What do antibiotics do?
What impact have antibiotics had on controlling disease?
Who discovered penicillin?
Describe how he discovered penicillin by accident.
What Australian scientist helped turn this discovery into an antibiotic?
In Australia how many antibiotic prescriptions are filled each year?
a. 2 thousand
b. 2 million
c. 22 million
8. Antibiotic resistant superbugs might soon become a serious medical problem. True or false?
9. When taking antibiotics it is important that you.....
10. Can you think of any other scientific inventions that have directly affected people’s lives?
Activities
The science of antibiotics
Ask students to find out more about antibiotics by conducting research using the internet, newspapers and
other sources of information.
Some key questions/issues to consider are:
What are bacteria?
What’s a virus?
What is the difference between bacteria and a virus?
What is an antibiotic and how does an antibiotic work?
What is antibiotic resistance?
©ABC 2013
Word jumble
Can you match the following words to their correct meanings?
Antibiotic
Bacteria
Infection
The smallest of
the microbes –
usually harmful
A drug used to
treat a disease
or injury
A sign of
illness, e.g.
headaches or
fever
A drug used to
take away pain
Medicine
Painkiller
Virus
Symptom
©ABC 2013
Very small
microbe that
can be helpful
or harmful
A disease
caused by a
microbe
Special
medicine to
treat bacterial
infections
Q&A discussion
Facilitate a questions and answers discussion to encourage students to engage with science, particularly in
relation to scientific innovations and inventions. Here are some questions starters:
What is an inventor?
What do they do?
Can anyone be an inventor? Why or why not?
What do you know about the process of inventing?
List some areas that science inventions have impacted on your life.
Innovation and invention – project research
Working in small groups, students list all the science related inventions they can in 1 minute. Students share
their list with the rest of the class.
Students will research in depth an Australian scientific invention. Refer to the Questacon website for a list of
Australian inventions http://www.questacon.edu.au/indepth/clever/100_years_of_innovations.html
How did the invention first come about? Was it intentional or accidental?
What problem or issue does the invention overcome or solve?
Who was the inventor?
When was the object invented?
How does the invention work?
How has it changed or affected people’s lives?
What if the object was never invented?
Further investigation
To take the investigation further, students can design their own invention or make a modification to an
invention (to improve the design or function of a product). Ask students to:
Draw a picture of their invention.
Name their invention.
What problem does it solve?
How does it work?
What materials is it made from?
What is unique about the design?
Students can share their designs with other students in the school.
Further Investigation
Teachers, are you looking to excite your students about science? Then enter the Sleek
Geeks Eureka Prize. Download the teacher notes and lesson plans.
http://eureka.australianmuseum.net.au/teacher
©ABC 2013
The BHP Billiton Science & Engineering Awards are open to primary school kids. The
student awards reward young people who have undertaken practical research projects
which demonstrate innovative approaches and thorough scientific procedures. Learn
more... http://www.scienceawards.org.au/default.asp
Engage your students with open-ended science investigations and technology projects
through the CSIRO CREST program. Learn more...
http://www.csiro.au/Portals/Education/Teachers/Classroom-activities/CREST.aspx
 Related Research Links
ABC Science – Antibiotics
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/antibiotics/default.htm
Powerhouse Museum – Penicillin
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/australia_innovates/?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=1030&article
_id=10033
Public Health England – e-Bug: a place to play games and learn about microbes
http://www.e-bug.eu/
ABC Science – Howard Florey: the story
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/1998/09/24/2114620.htm
Nobelprize.org – Sir Howard Walter Florey: Biography
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1945/florey-bio.html
©ABC 2013