Learning objective
Knowledge
- To describe and classify micro-organisms.
Working scientifically
- To use a classification key to classify bacteria.
Success criteria
Knowledge
- I can define
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National curriculum
Science
Living things and their habitats
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Cross-curricular links
English
Writing – composition
Pupils should be
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Before the lesson
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Lesson plan
Recap and recall
Arrange the children into groups of four and hand out a whiteboard and pen to each group. Challenge each group to spend one minute (four minutes in total) noting down everything they remember about each of the plant groups (mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants). Bring the class back together and discuss the following questions:
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Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support
Could pick only three keywords when writing their poem about bacteria; could structure their poem as a ‘What am I?’ riddle and focus on creating clues using the keywords; could use the Knowledge organiser to help them answer the questions in the Recap and recall.
Pupils working at greater depth
Should include most of the poem keywords; should illustrate their poem with a diagram of a bacteria; could choose an extension activity relating to micro-organisms from the Resource: Stretch and challenge: Classifying big and small.
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Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: defining a micro-organism
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Knowledge outcomes
- I can define a micro-organism as a living thing that is too small to be viewed by the naked eye.
- I can name some examples of micro-organisms including bacteria, protists and fungi.
- I can classify bacteria according to their shape (spherical, rod, spiral, corkscrew and comma) using a classification key.
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Vocabulary definitions
-
micro-organism
A microscopic living thing (e.g. bacteria, protists and some fungi).
-
microscopic
Smaller than the eye can see.
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Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 10th January, 2026
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