Year 11 Microorganisms links

All were active on 15/11/11

General information

• CELLS alive - A general microbes information website.
• Microbes and food - Information and illustrations about a variety of microbes and their interactions with food, in producing food, spoiling it and causing food poisoning.
• Infectious diseases – Pathogens - Good overview with structures and functions of microbes and other info. Includes Bacteria, Fungi (yeast), Viruses; (skip Protozoa and Parasites); How pathogens are spread; How pathogens cause disease; Growth of pathogen populations. Has a quiz at the end.

Decomposition and nutrient cycles

• Decay – bacteria and fungi - How decomposers decay things, and how it can be prevented to preserve foods. Info and a Test Bite
• Biological compounds activity - Interactive animation on the carbon, oxygen and nitrogen cycles (after an overview of what is in the organic molecules of proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Supported by the text revision and test here.

Fighting disease

• Infectious diseases – Immunity - Text resource supported by simple animations showing how various components of the immune system work, and also how vaccines work.Sections include: White blood cells / response to infection; Immune memory; Vaccination; (you can safely ignore Monoclonal antibodies). A quiz at the end.
• Defending against infection - Mostly text on bacteria and viruses and fighting disease. Includes a couple of great CG animations on p4 and p5 on how bacteria are fought off by the immune system cells and how vaccination works. Also a bit on antibiotics.
• Infectious diseases and their treatment - This interactive e-source about how the body copes with disease allows you to complete summary sheets to check you progress as you go. Pretty thorough and relevant!
  There are 10 sections in this e-source: Introduction; Pathogens cause disease; Immunity; A bacterial disease – Meningitis; A fungal disease – Candidiasis; A viral disease – SARS; (A protozoic disease – Malaria; you don't need to do this one); Modern medicines of the world; Appendix of diseases; Quiz
• Human immune system - This interactive e-source about the immune system allows you to complete summary sheets to check your progress as you go.
  There are 11 pages in this e-source: Introduction; Pathogens and disease; Barriers to infection; Acquired immunity; Immunisation; Medicines and the immune system; Vaccinations in the UK; Antibiotics; Immune system causes problems; HIV/AIDS; Quiz
• See HIV in action - A huge animation file about how AIDS infects the body, showing the “life” sycle of the HIV virus. Possibly slow to load.
• Making vaccines - An interactive where you follow the instructions to make 6 different types of vaccines. Wicked!
• Fighting back - An interactive animation in which you, playing the role of the immune system, try to figure out how to overcome and infection of the mumps. Also details why AIDS is so devastating.

For interest only: 

• AIDS:The Modern Pandemic - A resource-filled CBS news site detailing the worldwide prevalence of AIDS. Includes some statistics, an animation of how AIDS affects the body, the history of the disease, a photo essay on its youngest victims and much, much more! A fair bit off-topic though. 
• How Herd Immunity Works - Why it is important for everyone who can to be vaccinated. A 10 minute video.