Summer SAVY 2016 (Session 1, Day 2) – The Unseen World of Microorganisms

Posted by hallep on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 in Grade K, SAVY.

Tuesday was another energizing day of microbiology for these SAVY kids! We learned that there are some microbes called “ARCHAEA” that can live in volcanoes, hot springs (like the ones at Yellowstone National Park) and deep see thermal vents. We also learned about the many microbes that live in your body and keep you healthy. Did you know many bacteria live in your tummy and help you digest your food and make vitamins? We also learned that some microbes can make you sick like the bacterium Streptococcus or “STREP” and respiratory viruses such as “THE COLD” and “THE FLU”. We also learned about worms that can live in your body, including pin worms! Ask your child to draw you a picture of Strep, a virus or a worm and tell you about it! Or you can go to GOOGLE IMAGES and search for pictures of these microbes and talk about their important features with your little one! Next, we talked about what microbes need to live, and how they pretty much have the same requirements that we do! They need food, water, vitamins, rest, love/hugs, communication and shelter just like people do. Ask your kindergartener about the mushroom houses that bacteria make called, “BIOFILMS”. Also, we learned that microbes can get viral infections just like we do. Ask your child to draw or describe these PHAGE viruses, and don’t be surprised if you hear them describe them as “rocket ships” or “spiders”. Finally, the SAVY students learned how we grow microbes in the laboratory using plates that are very similar to jello. We used these plates to culture microbes from soil, and from our bodies. Then, we took a look at the microbes under the microscope. As always, continue to encourage them to keep discovering at home, and to always “draw what you see!”.