The Immune System
Know that the body has an immune system that protects against illness: the skin acts as a barrier, white blood cells identify and destroy germs (bacteria and viruses), and vaccines train the immune system to recognise specific diseases before they cause illness
Teaching approaches
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1 approach
Can your child explain how their body fights off germs — and why getting a vaccine helps protect them from getting sick?
Know that the body has an immune system that protects against illness: the skin acts as a barrier, white blood cells identify and destroy germs (bacteria and viruses), and vaccines train the immune system to recognise specific diseases before they cause illness
Learning resources
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This concept
Check understanding
- Describe the skin as the body's first line of defence against germs
- Explain that white blood cells detect and fight bacteria and viruses inside the body
- Describe how vaccines work: they contain weakened or inactive germs that train the immune system to recognise the real disease
“Can your child explain how their body fights off germs — and why getting a vaccine helps protect them from getting sick?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- The Human Body
- Age range
- Ages 9–11