Literacy in immunology

Literacy is an important part of the curriculum. Students need to have good reading and writing skills to be able to adequately address other areas of the curriculum such as science. In this activity, students use the medium of literacy to further explore and consolidate ideas about the immune system and immune response.

Some mind maps, poems and stories from year 5–6 students are included as examples.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

• draw a mind map showing the interrelatedness and function of some of the immune cells

• write a poem about immune cells and their function

• write a fictional story using scientific knowledge of the immune system and immune response

Download the Word file (see below) for:

• introduction/background notes

• what you need

• what to do.

Related content

These articles help provide a basic knowledge and understanding of some ideas and concepts of our immune system:

• The body’s first line of defence

• The body’s second line of defence

• Microorganisms – friend or foe?

• Infection

• Cells

Related activities

Additional activities to support learning about the immune sustem.

• Inside a cell

• Drama with microbes

• The wars within

Check out the unit plans: Fighting infection – the immune system and Fighting infection – reducing infection.