Immunity and vaccination
I can describe what a vaccine is and how a vaccination works to create immunity.
Immunity and vaccination
I can describe what a vaccine is and how a vaccination works to create immunity.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- After exposure to a pathogen, memory cells remain in the body to provide immunity.
- Vaccination creates immunity by injecting a small amount of a dead or inactivated pathogen in a vaccine into the body.
- White blood cells mount an immune response by producing antibodies against the pathogen in the vaccine.
- Some of the white blood cells stay in the body as memory cells to provide immunity to the pathogen in the vaccine.
- Upon reinfection by the pathogen, memory cells respond by rapidly making antibodies against the pathogen.
Keywords
Immunity - Immunity is established after the body is first exposed to a pathogen's antigens, and enables white blood cells to respond quickly to the antigen when the body is re-exposed to it.
Antibodies - Proteins produced by white blood cells against specific pathogens.
Memory cells - White blood cells that remain in the blood and give lasting immunity to certain pathogens.
Vaccine - A formulation that contains an inactive pathogen, or parts of it.
Vaccination - The process of administering a vaccine to an individual to create immunity to a pathogen.
Common misconception
Antibodies remain in the blood for years, which makes a person immune to a disease.
Antibodies don't stay in the body longer term, the memory cells do and they provide long lasting immunity against a pathogen.
To help you plan your year 11 biology lesson on: Immunity and vaccination, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 biology lesson on: Immunity and vaccination, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 biology lessons from the Defences against pathogens, the human immune system and vaccination unit, dive into the full secondary biology curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
None required.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
6 Questions
produced by white blood cells to neutralise harmful chemicals
produced by some pathogens and make us feel unwell
molecule found on the surface of all cells
produced by white blood cells and causes pathogens to clump together
can engulf and digest pathogens
can make specific antibodies that bind to antigens
infects the body and causes symptoms of illness
Exit quiz
6 Questions
