Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
View my library
0
Teachers
Pupils
New
New

    Immunity and vaccination

    I can describe what a vaccine is and how a vaccination works to create immunity.

    Download all
    New
    New

      Immunity and vaccination

      I can describe what a vaccine is and how a vaccination works to create immunity.

      Download all

      These resources were made for remote use during the pandemic, not classroom teaching.

      Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

      View new resources

      Lesson details

      Key learning points

      1. After exposure to a pathogen, memory cells remain in the body to provide immunity.
      2. Vaccination creates immunity by injecting a small amount of a dead or inactivated pathogen in a vaccine into the body.
      3. White blood cells mount an immune response by producing antibodies against the pathogen in the vaccine.
      4. Some of the white blood cells stay in the body as memory cells to provide immunity to the pathogen in the vaccine.
      5. 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.

      Students may ask about the safety of the MMR vaccine. It is not linked with autism - the study that suggested this was fundamentally flawed and no link has ever been made since. Risks and benefits of vaccination are evaluated in the next lesson.
      Teacher tip

      Equipment

      None required.

      Content guidance

      • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

      Supervision

      Adult supervision recommended

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

      Skip lesson video

      Loading...

      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      Download quiz pdf

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match each word to its meaning.

      Correct Answer:antitoxin,produced by white blood cells to neutralise harmful chemicals

      produced by white blood cells to neutralise harmful chemicals

      Correct Answer:toxin,produced by some pathogens and make us feel unwell

      produced by some pathogens and make us feel unwell

      Correct Answer:antigen,molecule found on the surface of all cells

      molecule found on the surface of all cells

      Correct Answer:antibody,produced by white blood cells and causes pathogens to clump together

      produced by white blood cells and causes pathogens to clump together

      Q2.
      Which of the following is a key part of the immune system?

      brain
      red blood cells
      liver
      Correct answer: white blood cells
      heart

      Q3.
      Which of these do not help to protect us against pathogens?

      lymphocytes
      phagocytes
      platelets
      Correct answer: red blood cells

      Q4.
      Match each cell to what it does.

      Correct Answer:phagocyte,can engulf and digest pathogens

      can engulf and digest pathogens

      Correct Answer:lymphocyte,can make specific antibodies that bind to antigens

      can make specific antibodies that bind to antigens

      Correct Answer:pathogen,infects the body and causes symptoms of illness

      infects the body and causes symptoms of illness

      Q5.
      True or false? Antibodies are proteins.

      Correct answer: true
      false

      Q6.
      Put these steps in order to explain how the body can remove harmful pathogens.

      1 - Antigens on the cell surface of a pathogen are detected.
      2 - Lymphocytes produce antibodies.
      3 - Antibodies attach to the antigen on the surface of the pathogen.
      4 - Pathogens are clumped together.
      5 - Phagocytes engulf pathogens.
      6 - Pathogens are digested by enzymes.

      Assessment exit quiz

      Download quiz pdf

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is immunity?

      The ability to recognise an antigen the first time the body is exposed to it.
      Correct answer: The ability to respond quickly to an antigen when the body is re-exposed to it.
      The ability to engulf and digest a pathogen.

      Q2.
      Put these steps in the correct order to explain how a vaccine works.

      1 - A dead or inactive form of the pathogen, or parts of it, are given as a vaccine.
      2 - Lymphocytes make antibodies that are complementary to the pathogen's antigens.
      3 - Phagocytes then destroy the inactive pathogen.
      4 - Memory cells remain in the blood, providing immunity to the pathogen.

      Q3.
      Which type of blood cell remains in the blood after the first exposure to an antigen and provides immunity?

      Correct answer: memory cell
      phagocyte
      bacterial cell
      red blood cell

      Q4.
      What happens if a person is reinfected with the pathogen they were vaccinated against?

      Memory cells are able to quickly produce a mutation.
      Correct answer: Memory cells are able to quickly produce antibodies.
      Memory cells are able to quickly produce antigens.

      Q5.
      True or false? Memory cells are lymphocytes.

      Correct answer: true
      false

      Q6.
      Why is it difficult to make a single vaccine against influenza?

      White blood cells mutate regularly so they no longer recognise influenza.
      Correct answer: Antigens on the pathogen mutate regularly so memory cells can't respond as well.
      Antibodies mutate when they encounter influenza and become harmful to the body.

      Lesson appears in

      UnitBiology / Defences against pathogens, the human immune system and vaccination

      AQABiology

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit

      EdexcelBiology

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit

      OCRBiology

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit

      UnitCombined science / Defences against pathogens, the human immune system and vaccination

      AQACombined science

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit

      EdexcelCombined science

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit

      OCRCombined science

      Show Foundation unit
      Show Higher unit