Begin with a captivating quote from Sir Alexander Fleming to spark curiosity: “One sometimes finds what one is not looking for. When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn’t plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world’s first antibiotic, or bacteria killer. But I suppose that was exactly what I did.”
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In the Field – Sir Alexander Fleming
Learning Objectives
- Understand the significance of Sir Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin and its impact on medicine.
- Describe the process through which Fleming discovered the antibiotic properties of penicillin.
- Explain how penicillin is used to treat bacterial infections.
- Recognize the role of chance and observation in scientific discoveries, as demonstrated by Fleming's work.
- Identify the importance of scientific awards such as the Nobel Prize in recognizing groundbreaking contributions to science.
Introduction and Hook
Discuss the significance of Fleming's discovery of penicillin and its impact on modern medicine, setting the stage for the lesson's objectives.
Direct Instruction
Explain the process through which Fleming discovered penicillin, emphasizing the role of chance and observation in scientific discoveries.
Describe how penicillin is used to treat bacterial infections, highlighting its importance in medical history.
Guided Exploration
Explore the concept of antibiotics and their role in treating bacterial infections through interactive discussions and examples.
Discuss the Nobel Prize and its significance in recognizing groundbreaking contributions to science, using Fleming's award as a case study.
Hands-On Activity
Engage students in a simulation of Fleming's experiment by using bread mold and petri dishes to observe bacterial growth inhibition.
Independent Practice
Assign students to research another scientific discovery that involved chance and observation, and present their findings to the class.
Check for Understanding
Use the 'What Are Organisms?' assessment to evaluate students' understanding of organisms and their characteristics, reinforcing observation and reasoning skills.
Review and Reflection
Reflect on the lesson by discussing how scientific discoveries can change the world, using Fleming's work as an example.
Assessment and Extension
Administer the 'Review – Diversity of Life' assessment to reinforce students' understanding of the diversity of life and the role of cells.
Encourage students to take the unit quiz to test their comprehension of the entire unit on Diversity of Life.
Try the Quiz
