Catch It. Bin It. Kill It.

Lots of teachers and homeschoolers around the world are suddenly teaching lessons on microbes! Here are a few suggestions and my favorite resources.

Classroom poster from the National Health Service in England:
Catch It. Bin It. Kill It. (PDF)

Book & microsope resources, activity suggestions:

Do Not Lick This Book
by Idan Ben-Barak

picture book, best for younger audiences or a shorter lesson
follow with Glitter Germs activity

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly

historical fiction chapter book which takes place in Texas in 1899
John Newbery medal honor winner 2010
vivid discription of her first look at pond water under a microscope
read excerpt from Chapter 8 "Microscopy" (pp.102-106)
follow with one-on-one microscope lessons, microscope test, licenses

All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World
by Lori Alexander

short chapter book biography of van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)
Robert Sibert information book award honor winner 2020
best as a series of read alouds, ten short chapters, two per day
or to give to interested students for follow-up reading
nice to follow this with illustrations from Robert Hooke's Micrographia

We have lots of microscopes in our classroom (none of which I have given lessons on or established student license procedures for this school year) including those with batteries and those where you have to angle the mirror to catch the sunlight. Of course, that's what Calpurnia had to do! We also recently received a donation of a USB Digital Microscope, which I think I would like to begin with as a whole class experience. From there we can go to miscroscope lessons (which really must be one-on-one) and a test and license (receiving a license then allows the student to work with the microscope and glass slides during Choice Time without me being nearby).

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