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Year 10
Edexcel

The development of magic bullets and antibiotics

I can evaluate the impact of antibiotics on modern medicine.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

The development of magic bullets and antibiotics

I can evaluate the impact of antibiotics on modern medicine.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Magic bullets provided cures for some infections.
  2. Alexander Fleming discovered that penicillin can destroy some bacteria.
  3. Florey and Chain received government support to help develop penicillin into an antibiotic.
  4. There were fewer deaths from infectious diseases in the 20th century.
  5. Antibiotic resistance has increased the modern threat posed by infections.

Keywords

  • Antibiotic - medicine which destroys or limits the growth of bacteria in the body

  • Resistance - in this context, the ability to fight something or not be affected by it

Common misconception

Alexander Fleming developed penicillin as an antibiotic.

Fleming did not believe penicillin would work as an antibiotic. Florey and Chain developed penicillin as an antibiotic.


To help you plan your year 10 history lesson on: The development of magic bullets and antibiotics, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ask pupils what other factors, other than the development of antibiotics, could have contributed to the decline in deaths from infectious diseases between the 20th and 21st centuries. You may prompt pupils to consider methods of prevention which may have also helped.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. is the process of saying what is wrong with someone who is sick.

Correct Answer: Diagnosis, Diagnose

Q2.
What technology is often used to try and identify tumours in the body?

continuous glucose monitors
endoscopes
Correct answer: MRI scans
X-rays

Q3.
What type of samples are taken during a biopsy?

blood
Correct answer: flesh
urine

Q4.
In which decade were MRIs developed?

1890s
1930s
Correct answer: 1970s
2010s

Q5.
What are sphygmomanometers used to measure?

Correct answer: blood pressure
heart rate
temperature

Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following practices into chronological order.

1 - Doctors tasted urine to make diagnoses.
2 - Physicians wore bird-like masks to protect themselves from plague.
3 - Blood tests began for diseases like syphillis.
4 - The first MRI scan took place.
5 - Continuous glucose monitors used to send alerts to smartphones.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Write the missing word. Medicines which destroy or limit the growth of bacteria in the body are known as .

Correct Answer: antibiotics

Q2.
Before Salvarsan 606, what was commonly used to try and treat syphilis infections?

Correct answer: mercury
penicillin
Prontosil
streptomycin

Q3.
Which statement is correct?

Deaths from infectious diseases were higher in 2000 than they were in 1919.
Correct answer: Deaths from infectious diseases were lower in 2000 than they were in 1919.
Deaths from infectious diseases were the same in 2000 as they were in 1919.

Q4.
Write the missing word. MRSA is an example of an antibiotic bacteria.

Correct Answer: resistant

Q5.
Which statement about Alexander Fleming's work on penicillin is incorrect?

He was the first person to discover penicillin could destroy some bacteria.
Correct answer: He developed penicillin into an effective antibiotic.
He shared his findings about penicillin with other scientists.

Q6.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following developments into chronological order.

1 - Salvarsan 606 was discovered as the first magic bullet.
2 - Fleming discovered penicillin can destroy some bacteria.
3 - Prontosil was discovered as another magic bullet.
4 - Florey and Chain began their work on penicillin.
5 - The USA and Britain begin mass producing penicillin.

Additional material

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