1. Visualizing microbes beyond Gia & Gerry
The Troublesome Germs
Visualizing microbes beyond
Gia & Gerry

2. Types of germs
Germs, also called microbes, are found all over the world, in all kinds of places. They can invade plants, animals, and people and sometimes they make us sick. The four major types of germs are:
Viruses
Fungi
Protozoa
Bacteria
Note to instructors: the content on microbes in this presentation is adapted from a Kids’ Health article: “What Are Germs,” last updated January 2015, retrieved from

3. Virus Viruses live inside the cells of a plant, animal or person
They can cause chickenpox, measles, flu and many other diseases
Image: Fine Art America (

4. Fungus
Fungi are plant-like organisms made of many cells that get nutrition from plants, people and animals. They love living in damp, warm places.
Many fungi are not dangerous in healthy people
Some fungi can cause some problems – like athlete's foot, an itchy rash between the toes
Images: North American Myological Association (

5. Protozoa
Protozoa are one-cell organisms. Like fungus, they love moisture. Uniquely, they often spread diseases through water
Some protozoa cause intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea and belly pain
Image: MoonMed.com (

6. Bacteria
Like protozoa, bacteria are tiny, once-cell creatures. They live in environments that can provide nutrients
Some bacteria cause infections, such as strep throat, sepsis, cavities and pneumonia
Other bacteria help maintain balance in the body. For example, bacteria living in our intestines help to digest foods
Image: CK12 Foundation (

7. Quick review Which type of microbe is just one cell large?
Which type of microbe can cause the infection called sepsis?
Think back to the story
What type of microbe were Gia and Gerry?
What is one strategy to prevent sickness from this kind of microbe?
Answers
Which type of microbe is just one cell large? – both bacteria and protozoa are single-celled organisms
Which type of microbe can cause the infection called sepsis? – both bacteria and protozoa can cause infections. Bacteria is the culprit behind sepsis
What type of microbe were Gia and Gerry? – bacteria (all their family members were also bacteria!)
What is one strategy to prevent sickness from this kind of microbe? – to prevent sickness from bacterial microbes …
Washing hands with soap and warm water
Clean and bandage our cuts and scrapes
Cough and sneeze into our elbows and not hands

8. Art challenge!
Choose one moment of Gia and Gerry’s journey to illustrate; imagine that the classroom looks like ours
Additionally, try to realistically show germs. (For this project, your pictures of germs should be unrealistically large so we can see them in motion!)
Instructors
Consider whether students will be assigned a moment in the story or will have the opportunity to choose
Hand out art supplies, such as paper and colored pencils or paint