Secondary School Curriculum Materials

Plant Doctor:

This activity introduces microorganisms: fungi, bacteria and viruses. It discusses the importance of plants, what makes plant get sick, why plant diseases are important and demonstrates the damage microorganisms can do to plants and crops. The activity is suitable for KS 2 or 3 pupils. Please note that some of the pdf files are quite large and may take a while to download.

• Plant Doctor Handbook (PDF) and Activity Sheet (PDF)
• Key Facts: Fungi (PDF), Bacteria (PDF), Viruses (PDF)
• Teaching Notes (PDF)

Save our Plants

This activity is designed to help teach students about the various issues surrounding food production and the control of plant diseases. It looks at the benefits and risks associated with three different methods for controlling plant diseases: use of pesticides, bio-control agents and genetically modified crops. Students debate the benefits and risks of these methods and then come to a group decision about how best to ‘Save our Plants’. 

The activity is aimed at KS3 and links to the ‘Health, disease and the development of medicines’ section of the GCSE curriculum and ‘Sustainability and Interdependence’ section of the Scottish Higher curriculum. 

• Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Introduction Power Point
• Introduction Poster (A4), (A3)
• Bio-Control Poster (A4), (A3)
• GM Poster (A4), (A3)
• Pesticides (A4), (A3)

Save your Spuds

This activity introduces plant diseases and the different types of microorganisms that infect plants. The activity focuses on potato late blight disease; its importance and the difficulties farmers face in controlling the disease.

The main activity is the ‘Save your Spuds’ board game, where students play out the benefits and costs of growing blight resistant versus susceptible potatoes, and spraying fungicides to protect against potato blight disease.

The activity is aimed at KS3 and links to the ‘Health, disease and the development of medicines’ section of the GCSE curriculum, ‘Life of Earth’ section of the Scottish Science National 5 Curriculum and ‘Sustainability and Interdependence’ section of the Scottish Higher curriculum.

• Teaching Notes (PDF)
• Introduction Power Point
• Potato Late Blight Information Sheet (PDF)
• Game Information Sheets (PDF)
• Calculations Table (PDF)
• Weather Wheel (PDF)
• Yield Loss Table (PDF)

Other:

• Science and Plants for Schools: Deadly diseases and plant pathology and CSI Trees – investigating plant pathogens.
• STEMNet: Save our conkers.
• Science and Plants for Schools: Deadly diseases and plant pathology
• The American Phytopathological Society: Who Done It? Or what’s that brown fuzzy stuff on my plum?
• The American Phytopathological Society: Plant Pathology: Past, Present to Future (Illustrated Storybook).
• The Grain Chain: Science Resources.
• The Forestry Commission: Top tree pests and diseases.
• The British Mycological Society: Foraying for fungi.

YouTube videos:

Leafy Murder Mystery

Can you solve the Leafy Murder Mysteries using these clues. These videos were created for 2013 BSPP Outreach event:Leafy Murder Mystery and feature Steve England.

UK Fungus Day

Find out about the: Uses of Fungi and what happens When Fungi Attack Tees. These videos were created for the UK Fungus Day 2013 event by BSPP Outreach and feature Steve England. 

American Phytopathological Society

Watch these videos by the American Phytopathological Society for insights into why plant pathology is so important: Plant Pathology: Taking you further than you ever imagined and these videos on: Healthy Plants for a Healthy Future.