Year 6 - Science
Micro-organisms are living things
Why we group and classify living things
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit covers the classification of living things, including micro-organisms, plants, and animals, based on observable characteristics. It explores reasons for classification and focuses on planning scientific enquiries, recording data, presenting findings, and evaluating scientific evidence.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe what micro-organisms are, and know that they are living things.
Key Notes
- Micro-organisms are tiny living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
- Micro-organisms are commonly known as germs, bugs or microbes.
- Micro-organisms can be viewed using a microscope.
- Micro-organisms are found everywhere, in soil, air, water, on your skin and in your digestive system.
Vocabulary To Learn
- living thing: Something that is living is alive. It can grow, reproduce, move, feed and get rid of waste material.
- organism: An organism is a living thing.
- micro-organism: A micro-organism is a very tiny living thing.
- microbe: Microbe is another name for a micro-organism.
- microscope: A microscope is a piece of equipment that magnifies very tiny objects.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that micro-organisms are very tiny animals or that they are not living things. Pupils may think that all micro-organisms are harmful germs.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Micro-organisms are tiny living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Micro-organisms are commonly known as germs, bugs or microbes.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'living thing'
Something that is living is alive. It can grow, reproduce, move, feed and get rid of waste material. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that micro-organisms are very tiny animals or that they are not living things. Pupils may think that all micro-organisms are harmful germs. Correction: Explain that micro-organisms are living things as they carry out the same processes as other living things, but they aren't animals because they have a simpler structure than animals. Explain that some helpful micro-organisms live inside our bodies.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Carl Linnaeus and classification Study Guide
- Comparing characteristics of living things Study Guide
- Discovering and naming new species Study Guide
- Grouping micro-organisms Study Guide
- Growing yeast: do and review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Growing yeast: plan (non-statutory) Study Guide
- How and why we group animals Study Guide
- How and why we group plants Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: plan and do (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Micro-organisms living on food: review (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Microorganisms that help us (non-statutory) Study Guide
- The 5 Rs (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability) Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Science guide library.