Classifying Microorganisms — Interactive Lesson (Year 6)

Can a virus reproduce without a host cell? This 26-slide interactive lesson teaches classifying microorganisms into their major groups and what makes each one different.

Mastering Classifying Microorganisms in Year 6 Science

Pupils learn to classify different types of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, based on their characteristics, understand how microorganisms are grouped by common observable features, and understand their roles in the environment and human health. They learn that bacteria are single-celled organisms that can cause illness, that fungi reproduce using spores and can be unicellular or multicellular, and that viruses cannot reproduce without a host cell, unlike plants, which make their own food through photosynthesis.

What’s Included

• 26-slide interactive lesson on classifying microorganisms
• Learning objectives on classification and roles in health and environment
• Bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa each explained
• True-or-false questions testing key facts
• Multiple-choice questions with instant feedback

Key Benefits for Students

• Builds clear distinctions between four major microorganism groups
• Links each group to real facts about health and the environment
• Challenges common confusions, such as viruses and reproduction
• Instant feedback on answer questions

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — ready for whole-class teaching on an interactive whiteboard
• A structured lesson that can be split across sessions
• Self-marking questions support independent practice
• Suits teaching, revision and homework
• A dependable companion to classifying plants

Love this? You’ll love…

• Classifying Plants — Interactive Lesson (Year 6)
• Vertebrates and Invertebrates — Flashcards (Ages 7–11)

A dependable addition to a Year 6 science topic, giving pupils a clear route into classifying the microscopic world around them. This pairs naturally with classifying plants for a well-rounded classification topic before KS3 biology.

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FAQs

What year group is this for?
Year 6 (ages 10–11), KS2.

Does it cover the roles of microorganisms in health?
Yes — alongside their environmental roles.

Is it self-marking?
Yes, with instant feedback on the questions.