Objective
Observe and summarize information about microorganisms.
· Research and report on a microorganism’s requirements (i.e., food, water, air, waste disposal, temperature of environment, reproduction).
Name ______
Kid’s Discover Microbes Worksheet
Get Set to Read
What do you know about microbes? In the column “Before Reading,” write “true” if you think the statement is true. Write “false” if you think the statement is false. After reading the magazine, check your answers and see if you were correct. Write the correct answer and the page number where you found it.
Before Reading / Question / After Reading* / Page #(Letter)**
1. You have billions of microbes on your body right now. / 1. / 11.
2. One kind of microbe is fungus. / 2. / 12.
3. It is unhealthy to eat food containing microbes. / 3. / 13.
4. Microbes cannot live in extreme heat or cold. / 4. / 14.
5. Bacteria make up about 1% of your body weight. / 5. / 15.
6. Microbes produce some of the oxygen we breathe. / 6. / 16.
7. The best protection against infection by microbes is vaccines. / 7. / 17.
8. Antibiotics kill viruses. / 8. / 18.
9. Microbes in cookie dough with raw eggs can make you ill. / 9. / 19.
10. The bubonic plague microbe was responsible for killing 1/3 of the population in Europe. / 10. / 20.
*For questions #1-#10 (True/False), select:
a. True b. False
**For questions #11-#20 (page number), select one of the following choices:
a. 2-3 e. 10-11
b. 4-5 f. 12-13
c. 6-7 g. 14-15
d. 8-9 h. 16-17
Pgs. 2-3
21. Who was the first person to look at microbes through a microscope?
a. Zacharias Janssen c. Joseph Lister
b. Robert Koch d. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
22. Name one microorganism van Leeuwenhoek looked at and what disease it causes.
a. E. coli – causes dysentery.
b. B. acidopholis – causes athlete’s foot.
c. H. pylori – causes ulcers.
d. P. notatus – causes botulism.
Pgs. 4-5
Identify which of the following statements about bacteria are true or false.
_____ 23. Over 14,000 species are known._____ 24. They cause diseases.
_____ 25. They can be produces, consumers, or decomposers.
_____ 26. They only have one shape, round. / A. True
B. False
Identify which of the following statements about protists are true or false.
_____ 27. They do not have a nucleus._____ 28. There are at least 200,000 species.
_____ 29. Algae and slime molds are not protists. / A. True
B. False
Pgs. 6-7
Identify which of the following statements about bacteria are true or false.
_____ 30. Fungi absorb nutrients from dead or decaying life forms._____ 31. There are less than 90,000 species.
_____ 32. They have a nucleus.
_____ 33. Mushrooms, yeast, mold, and mildew are fungi. / A. True
B. False
34. Foods that can be pickled include meats, fish, vegetables, sauerkraut, olives, and pickles.
a. True b. False
35. How many cheese are made with microbes?
a. 1,000 c. 3,000
b. 2,000 d. 4,000
Using the diagram on pages 10 – 11, identify the microbes found in the parts of the body.
Name ______
Kids Discover Microbes Worksheet, the Sequel
Pgs. 10-11
1. The best way to prevent athlete’s foot is probably …
a. not wearing shoes. c. keeping your socks and shoes dry.
b. not wearing socks. d. using antifungal medicine.
Pgs. 14-15
Match the accomplishment with the scientist that accomplished it.
_____ 2. Edward Jenner_____ 3. Ignatz Semmelweis
_____ 4. Louis Pasteur
_____ 5. Joseph Lister
_____ 6. Robert Koch
_____ 7. Sir Alexander Fleming
_____ 8. Jonas Salk / A. Discovered the bacteria that cause cholera and tuberculosis.
B. Ordered strict hand-washing procedures to stop infection at hospitals.
C. Developed a vaccine against polio.
D. Developed antiseptic methods of surgery to prevent the infection of wounds.
E. Discovered a mold called Penicillium kills bacteria paving the way for the use of antibiotics.
F. Invented a smallpox vaccine using a milder microbe called cowpox.
G. Proved the “germ theory of disease.”
9. ______burgers can contain dangerous microbes that can make you sick.
a. Well done c. Pink
b. Burnt d. Cheese
10. Cookie dough can make you sick because it contains …
a. unprepared flour. c. unprocessed baking soda.
b. Raw eggs. d. all of the above.
11. The process of heating milk during processing is called ….
a. homogenization. c. normalization.
b. pasteurization. d. filtering.
12. You cannot become ill by drinking untreated water.
a. True b. False
13. Vaccines keep you from getting a disease by …
a. keeping germs from multiplying.
b. helping your body produce antibodies.
c. making you allergic to certain germs.
d. flushing harmful germs from your system.
14. These add more germs to the air you breathe. (There are two answers to this question.)
a. Coughing c. Not washing hands
b. Sneezing d. Picking your nose
15. What gives germs an open route into the bloodstream?
a. Dirty dog c. Open wounds
b. Airplane Air d. All of the above
16. What should you do after you have had direct contact with your pet?
a. Eat a meal c. Take a nap
b. Wash your hands d. Do your homework
17. The best advice for preventing diseases caused by microbes is probably to …
a. ask your doctor to prescribe antibiotics frequently.
b. make sure the foods you eat are cooked properly.
c. learn about and avoid things that contain many germs.
d. not worry about them because germs are everywhere.
Pgs. 16-17
18. Microbes are responsible for the growth of the flax plant. Using materials made from flax fibers, people were able to explore the seas. This is because flax fibers were used to make …
a. clothing. c. baggage.
b. medicine. d. sails.
19. The most important lesson taught by the bubonic plague in Europe is that …
a. filthy conditions can help spread disease.
b. the world no longer has diseases that wipe out so many people.
c. traveling between countries is dangerous.
d. bacteria cause serious diseases.
e. you shouldn’t kill cats that eat rats and kill the fleas! (not really a choice!)
Kid’s Discover Microbes Worksheet - Key
1. A2. A
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. B
9. A
10. A / 11. A
12. B
13. C
14. D
15. E
16. B
17. G
18. G
19. G
20. H
1-10 (2 Choices) 11-20 (8 Choices)
21. Who was the first person to look at microbes through a microscope?
d. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
22. Name one microorganism van Leeuwenhoek looked at and what disease it causes.
a. E. coli – causes dysentery.
23. Over 14,000 species are known. B
24. They cause diseases. A
25. They can be producers, consumers, or decomposers. A
26. They only have one shape, round. B
27. They do not have a nucleus. B
28. There are at least 200,000 species. A
29. Algae are not protists. B
30. Fungi absorb nutrients from dead or decaying life forms. A
31. There are less than 90,000 species. B
32. They have a nucleus. A
33. Mushrooms, yeast, mold, and mildew are fungi. A
34. Foods that can be pickled include meats, fish, vegetables, sauerkraut, olives, and pickles.
a. True
35. How many cheese are made with microbes?
b. 2,000
36. A
37. D
38. C
39. B
40. E
Kids Discover Microbes Worksheet, the Sequel
1. The best way to prevent athlete’s foot is probably …
c. keeping your socks and shoes dry.
2-8 – 7 Choices
2. Edward Jenner F
3. Ignatz Semmelweis B
4. Louis Pasteur G
5. Joseph Lister D
6. Robert Koch A
7. Sir Alexander Fleming E
8. Jonas Salk C
9. ______burgers can contain dangerous microbes that can make you sick.
c. Pink
10. Cookie dough can make you sick because it contains …
b. Raw eggs.
11. The process of heating milk during processing is called ….
b. pasteurization.
12. You cannot become ill by drinking untreated water.
b. False
13. Vaccines keep you from getting a disease by …
b. helping your body produce antibodies.
14. These add more germs to the air you breathe. (There are two answers to this question.)
a. Coughing & b. Sneezing
15. What gives germs an open route into the bloodstream?
c. Open wounds
16. What should you do after you have had direct contact with your pet?
b. Wash your hands
17. The best advice for preventing diseases caused by microbes is probably to …
b. make sure the foods you eat are cooked properly.
18. Microbes are responsible for the growth of the flax plant. Using materials made from flax fibers, people were able to explore the seas. This is because flax fibers were used to make …
d. sails.
19. The most important lesson taught by the bubonic plague in Europe is that …
a. filthy conditions can help spread disease.
11