Student Activities
To launch this unit, an image of a sneeze will be shared with students from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. They will be asked what they believe the image to be and what they believe our unit to be about. In the image you can see a human sneezing with a firework-like shower of liquid droplets and clouds of moist gases coming from the nose and mouth. Through analysis and discussion of the photo, students can distinguish that this is a sneeze. Further analysis of the photo will be conducted to infer the spread of pathogens. Using this photo allows for multiple interpretations but will be relative to the sequencing activities in this unit, which will permit various revisits to the photo as a model of a sneeze.
Understanding the respiratory system activity. Through the use of balloons, string, and a ruler; students independently explore assorted volumes of air that move in and out of the lungs. As described by Steven S. Segal, this lab demonstrates how the capacity of the lungs change based on differing conditions. The conditions include; A) normal full volume; B) respiratory reserve volume; C) expiratory reserve volume, and D) total lung volume, as measured while sitting. The last condition E) reflects the effects of standing on assisting the progress of filling and emptying the lungs with air. For each condition students breathe into a balloon and measure the circumferences with string, recording and comparing their results with peers, to determine the average for the whole class. This activity permits every student to have a personal engagement to understanding the lungs function to the respiratory system, please note students with asthma or other respiratory difficulties should refrain participating. In the conclusion of the activity, students answer a series of analysis questions in their science interactive notebooks. With this activity, students research the different structures (organs) and functions of the respiratory system to build their understanding of how the respiratory operates as a whole.
Viruses and their construction for replication activity. When trying to understand viruses, there are a few concepts students must explore; are they living or not; level of danger they evoke; virus structure(s); possible hosts; and the replication process. In this two-part activity, multiple resources (videos, texts, and diagrams) are presented to students to provide them an ample background of the concepts. Once research has been discussed, students create a three-dimensional (3D) model of an icosahedral virus—a biological nanomachine. The icosahedral shape is very common and includes viruses such as the polio virus, common cold (adenovirus), and the virus that causes hepatitis A. This allows for student understanding of a virus structure. After construction has been completed, students use the 3D virus to record the virus’ replication process within a host cell to demonstrate its’ function using a stop-motion animation app on an iPad. Though the use of the animation, students are provided the opportunity to be creative in their explanation or story of how a virus can infect one cell and spread throughout the body.
The immune system’s recognition function will be explored in an activity, adapted from Regenerative Medicine Partnership in Education and Duquesne University’s lesson. Prior to completing the following activity, students would have completed a guided research activity, a Webquest, to determine how the different structures of the immune system function. From there students further explore the function of white blood cells. They will specifically determine the role of shape has in cells, particularly B and T cells, to identify the difference of what belongs to the body and what is destructive to the body. These two types of white blood cells have this ability because they have special receptors on their surfaces that match to a single, very specific target (antigen). By using salt-clay, students will cast clay “receptors” to fit a detailed object, or “antigen” (like a Lego or other small object) - this is the target for the receptor. The next day, these “receptors” and their “antigens” are mixed up and redistributed. Through hunting and matching, they attempt to fit receptors with the correct target, students will either make “true fits” or “false fits” with their receptor. When students make a true fit, each pair will use a hand clapper noisemaker and say, “Flawless Fit!” The shapes of some targets will have very intricate and unique shapes making it easy to tell them apart from other targets. These types of targets will make the best fits with their receptors because it is certain that it is the true target. The shapes of other targets might be less detailed and easily mistaken for another target. These make false fits with their receptors because students cannot be sure if the target is the true one. Through this activity, student continue to build their understanding of how viruses affect the body and in turn, how the body reacts to the invasive virus.
Simulating an infectious disease through sharing cups activity. Often times students will ask each other for a sip of their friends’ juice, sometimes you will hear the owner say, “don’t put your lips on it,” and the barrower will waterfall drink the juice. With this unit focusing on the common cold and how is spreads, this idea of sharing drinks will sure resonate with students. To begin this activity, the question, can you contract HIV from sharing your bestie’s cup at the park? Students will simulate the transmission of a “virus” in a community through sharing (not drinking) water in a cup with their peers. In a select few cups, they are tainted with the virus, sodium carbonate (which is clear). Once students have shared their drinks with everyone, they will test to see who’s cup test positive for the virus. By using phenolphthalein, an indicator, will determine where the virus (sodium carbonate) has spread to. Yikes! Students work together to try determining which of their classmates were originally infected with the virus.
Vaccinating against the measles activity. After learning about the structures and functions of the respiratory and immune systems, the structure and rapid reproduction of a virus and how infectious diseases spread, students explore how vaccines keep a community safe. Students will read an article about the United States having approximately fifteen states recording cases of the measles and the importance of immunization through vaccines. While reading the article, students are able interact with the online simulation demonstrating ten different communities with varying levels of immunity. Through this activity, students can argue the importance of vaccinations, that when a child is vaccinated they are not just keeping themselves safe but the whole community. After reading about the importance of community immunization, students use the FRED Public Health simulator to analyze the outbreak of measles in Chicago, IL over a thirty-day period between different vaccination rates of school-aged children. Through this side-by-side analysis student will be able to map and develop public service announcements for the importance that every child is vaccinated across their city. Posters will be projected on the school-wide televisions, posted in the neighborhood community and on the class blog.
Student Resources
Destroy the Invaders. ClassZone. Accessed July 14, 2017. http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/bio_09/resources/htmls/animated_biology/unit9/bio_ch31_0965_ab_invaders.html.
Harris, Rich, Nadja Popovich, Kenton Powell, and Guardian US Interactive Team. Watch how the measles outbreak spreads when kids get vaccinated – and when they don't. The Guardian. Accessed July 29, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2015/feb/05/-sp-watch-how-measles-outbreak-spreads-when-kids-get-vaccinated.
Watch how the measles outbreak spreads when kids get vaccinated – and when they don't, is an article and corresponding simulation providing varying levels of vaccinations in communities. This resource truly allows students to interact with the text in a new way to aid their understanding of vaccinations.
Stiles, Shannon. Cell vs. virus: A battle for health. April 17, 2014. Accessed June 25, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqGuJhOeMek.
This animation does a great job of introducing the cell and its’ arsenal of weapons to fend off invading viruses, allows students to have a visual analogy of the interactions between cells and viruses.
Vaccine & Active Immunity. ClassZone. Accessed August 14, 2017. http://www.classzone.com/cz/books/bio_09/resources/htmls/animated_biology/unit9/bio_ch31_0956_ab_vaccine.html.
Teacher Resources
Bourouiba, Lydia. The Anatomy of a Sneeze. Digital image. BioInteractive. https://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/anatomy-sneeze.
This image was taken with a high-speed camera, capturing the different components of a sneeze. It is a great visualization of a way germs can be spread.
DeWitt, Tyler. Hey science teachers -- make it fun | TED Talk. Accessed July 10, 2017. https://www.ted.com/talks/tyler_dewitt_hey_science_teachers_make_it_fun.
Tyler DeWitt’s TED Talk references how to increase engagement that allows for a great student understanding. This talk is wonderful to see how a dense concept like invading viruses can be taught in a non-conventional teaching strategy to allow for a greater understanding by students.
Fisher, Patrick. Immunology Module. Course of the immune response. Accessed July 18, 2017. http://missinglink.ucsf.edu/lm/immunology_module/prologue/objectives/obj08.html.
This module is an excellent way to understand how the immune system responds to pathogens.
Jones, M. Gail, Michael R. Falvo, Amy R. Taylor, and Bethany P. Broadwell. "Nanoscale Science." http://static.nsta.org/files/PB210Xweb.pdf.
Nanoscale Science provides great activities for students with substantial background information for teachers around viruses and scale.
Measles Outbreak. FRED Epidemic Simulator. 2015. Accessed July 16, 2017. http://fred.publichealth.pitt.edu/proj/measles/index.php#locselect.
This is a great simulation to share with students to visualize the outbreak of measles in a city closest to you. Measles Outbreak simulation allows for a comparison between a population that is vaccinated and not vaccinated.
Regenerative Medicine Partnership in Education. 2006. Accessed July 27, 2017. http://www.sepa.duq.edu/education/modules-immunology.html.
The immunology modules developed for students are well thought out and provide a wealth of background information with full lesson plans strategically developed sequentially. It also provides all components for lessons.
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