PickyKidPix 7th grade science started off with microbes and how the immune system works. Despite this information, she still doesn’t understand why she needs to get an annual flu shot. I found some great videos and a picture book to help kids understand Flu Season Science!
PickyKidPix’s 7th Grade Science Unit on Micro-Organisms.
How do vaccines work with our immune systems to keep us from getting sick? Watch this 2-minute video from NOVA PBS, Immunity and Vaccines Explained, to learn how germs get killed by our immune system. After you watch this video, see if you can answer the question below.
How cells reproduce from PickyKidPix’s 7th Grade Science Class.
Vaccine Vocabulary for Kids
White blood cells: White blood cells (WBCs), also called leukocytes or leucocytes, are the cells of the immune system that are involved in defending the body against both infectious diseases and foreign invaders.
Flu: Influenza, commonly known as “the flu“, is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus.
Clone: A clone is a group of identical cells that share a common ancestry, meaning they are derived from the same cell.
Antibodies: An antibody (Ab), also known as an immunoglobulin (Ig), is a large Y-shape protein produced by plasma cells that is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses.
What does a vaccine do?
a) Makes us sick
b) Creates memory cells
c) Pre-arms the immune system
d) All of the above
How Does a Virus Attack The Human Body?
When you get the flu, viruses turn your cells into tiny factories that help spread the disease. In this 3-minute animated video, NPR’s Robert Krulwich and medical animator David Bolinsky explain how a flu virus can trick a single cell into making a million more viruses.
Best Way to Protect Against Viruses: Wash Your Hands … but how to dry?!
This 2-minute video is from AsapSCIENCE. This is a great video to remind kids of the importance of washing their hands. Did you know that 80% of infectious diseases are spread by our hands?!
Watch the video and then see if you can answer this question:
When you wash your hands, which is better: Paper Towels vs Hand Dryers?
a) paper towels
b) hand dryers
c) both are good
d) neither is good
Games to Learn About Cell Division
I found a great free game on cell division suitable for 7th grade.
Germ Game from Sid the Science Kid is suitable for ages 5 and up.
Non-Fiction Picture Book on Microbes
Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies
I loved how Tiny Creatures can take something unseen — microbes — and make it real and concrete, even slipping in mathematical concepts like visualizing what a billion looks like. With charming illustrations and a storyline that shows the reader what microbes are and where they exist without freaking them out. Because … you know, “there are more microbes living on your skin than there are people on Earth”!! [picture book, ages 5 and up]
PickyKidPix’s 7th grade science project on the parts of the cell made of cake and candy.
I hope everyone stays well this holiday season! What are you doing to stay healthy? I swear by Odwalla Monster C Juice, exercise, and hand washing!
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Answer Key
Question 1: D All of the Above
Question 2: Paper Towels
p.s. More fun and educational videos for kids:
Fun and Educational Videos with a Matching Book
My Son’s Favorite Fun and Educational Videos
The Kid Should Really See This Videos
Amazing Videos to Share With Your Kid
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Science Fun on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
The Traveling Taco:
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Great post! Understanding the science behind vaccines and hygiene really helps kids cooperate!
Thanks so much MaryAnne,
My kids still hate their annual flu shot but lately they’ve been able to get the nasal kind, which has helped with the fear and dread! 🙂
Great post – it’s so important to find a way to communicate to children in a way that they can understand. It makes it so much easier to get them to take steps towards prevention if they properly get it.
Thanks so much GlobalMouse,
I am hoping that learning about how to stay healthy will help kids do it more enthusiastically knowing why. Ditto for the flu shot but not sure if videos will do the trick LOL!
Thanks for sharing. I will have to share this with my littles, during science.
XOXO
Thanks Mrs. AOK,
I hope this will motivate them to do a good job with hand washing! 🙂
This is a good one. I like the simple way of explaining very complex topics. I think it’s really important these days that kids don’t do things blindly, but can make educated choices. Thanks so much for sharing, Mia.
Hi Lisa,
Glad you like it. I found those videos at about the same time and thought … this is calling out to me to be a post! Flu science lol!