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Some germs can make us ill. Your body has a team of defenders, called the immune system, that fights them.

A vaccine is like a practice for your defenders. It shows them what a germ looks like, without making you ill with that germ.

Your body then makes antibodies. They help catch that one kind of germ.

Your body remembers. If the real germ comes along later, your defenders can fight it faster and harder.

Experiment: Which key fits the germ?

1. Look at the germ cards. Each germ has a different shape on its edge.
2. Mix up the antibody cards on the tray. Your teacher shows you one germ.
3. Find the antibody whose shape fits that germ exactly, like a key in a lock. Time how long it takes.
4. Now put that antibody to one side: your body has 'remembered' it.
5. Your teacher shows the same germ again. Use the remembered antibody. Was it faster the second time?

Germ	Time 1st try	Time 2nd try
Triangle germ	Will the second try be faster or slower?
Square germ	Will the second try be faster or slower?
Zigzag germ	Will the second try be faster or slower?

Questions

1. Draw the germ and the antibody that fits it, like a key in a lock.

   🍎

2. What does your body make after a vaccine?

3. The second try in the game was faster / slower.

   faster / slower

4. Why does it help other people when lots of us have vaccines?

Sources for every fact on this sheet: echoesof.science/school/vaccines/sources/

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