Engineering of Global Health

Classroom Activities

Sample Lesson 1

Learning Objectives: identify and describe four types of matter and their properties

Opening:  QuickWrite in Science Notebook

What is everything made of?

• Write
• Table groups share responses
• Share out
• Chart answers

Work Time:  Exploration of the 3 states of water:  liquid, solid and vapor.

• Fill sets of 3 balloons to the same size (one set per table group), one with water and frozen, one with liquid water, one with breath.
• Use a mirror to demonstrate that our breath contains water vapor; the steam seen when breathing outside in cold weather or on the bathroom mirror shows the water vapor in one’s breath.
• Have table groups carefully handle and explore the 3 balloons.

Closing:  Exit Ticket in Science Notebook

Students make the chart below in science notebooks. Record observations.

• Class discussion
• Chart insightful responses

Sample Lesson 2

Learning Objectives:  identify and explain the properties of abiotic and biotic matter

Opening:  QuickWrite in Science Notebook

What does it mean to be living?

• Write
• Table groups share responses
• Share out
• Chart answers

Work Time:  Introduce terms abiotic and biotic

• Give each table group an assortment of small items (sticks, leaves, paperclips, pebbles, legos, mushrooms, fruit, pictures of animals, etc.).
• Students sort the items into an Abiotic Group and a Biotic Group.

Closing:  In Science Notebooks students answer the question, How can you tell the difference between living and nonliving things?

• Class discussion
• Chart insightful responses

Sample Lesson 3

Learning objective:  demonstrate how human behavior influences the spread of bacteria

Opening:  QuickWrite in Science Notebook

How can humans help limit the spread of illness?

• Write
• Table groups share responses
• Share out
• Chart answers

Work Time:  Use Glo Germ Gel^© and a blacklight (available on Amazon) to demonstrate the effort needed to eliminate bacteria when washing food.

• Show how bacteria spreads by cross-contamination by using an unwashed head of lettuce and Glo Germ™ powder to thoroughly coat the lettuce in 'germs,'' between the leaves and on the outside. Spread the powder around and show students the lettuce and your hands with a blacklight.
• Tear the lettuce apart then rinse the pieces as you would when making a salad. Towel dry the lettuce and put in a bowl.

Use the blacklight to explore the salad and the area where you made it. Little spots of glowing germs will be all over the objects you used to make the salad. Not only is it important to wash your hands, it is important to wash fruits and vegetables carefully. Throw away the lettuce after the demonstration and clean the entire area thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Closing:  Exit Ticket in Science Notebook

What have you learned about getting things clean?

• Class discussion
• Chart insightful responses

Sample Lesson 4

Culminating Research Assignment:  Conduct research on careers related to any of the areas of science addressed throughout the lessons and develop a way to present career options to the class

Teacher-created Rubric and timeline for research will be provided.

Presentation Options:

• Poster
• Info graphic
• Detailed tattoo design
• Comic Strip: A day in the life of a…
• PowerPoint
• Written essay
• Speech

Activity: Students present their research to the class. While they are presenting, classmates record the name of the career and take notes.

Closing: Class discussion of the careers they learned about, which careers sound most interesting to them, and why.