Name: Molly Hartzler
Title of lesson: Infectious Disease!
Date of lesson:Length of lesson:
Name of course: Biology
Grade level: 9
Honors or regular: Either
Source of the lesson: http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=379&CFID=695896&CFTOKEN=56551020TEKS
addressed:
(b) Introduction.
4) Investigations are used to learn about the natural world. Students should understand
that certain types of questions can be answered by investigations, and that methods,
models, and conclusions built from these investigations change as new observations
are made. Models of objects and events are tools for understanding the natural
world and can show how systems work. They have limitations and based on new discoveries
are constantly being modified to more closely reflect the natural world.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and
laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:
B) collect data and make measurements with precision;
(C) organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data;
and
(D) communicate valid conclusions. Overview : In this lesson students will use
a computer simulation to analyze the ways that disease can spread through a population.
They will consider each factor as they test different scenarios, graph them, and
make predictions.
II. Performance or learner outcomes:
SWBAT:
- Manipulate the simulation to create a variety of scenarios for disease spread
- List the different ways that diseases can be transmitted
- Describe how different conditions impact the rate of disease spread
- Graph and compare data from different simulations to draw conclusions about
the spread of disease
III. Resources, materials and supplies needed
Computers (1 per 2 or 3 students if possible)
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=379&CFID=695896&CFTOKEN=56551020IV.
Supplementary materials, handouts.
Direction sheet, questions for students
Five-E Organization
Teacher Does Probing Questions Student Does
Engage:
Learning Experience(s) Critical questions that will establish prior knowledge
and create a need to know Expected Student
Responses/Misconceptions
Have students read a short exert from The Hot Zone about the Ebola virus’
effects on parts of Africa. What happened to this population of people? Why did
this virus spread so quickly? How did they keep it under control? Could it have
been prevented? The students could say that the virus spread so quickly because
of primitive conditions, crowding, or other things. They may say that medical
technology helped to control it and that measures like sanitation would have helped
prevent its spread.
Explore:
Have students pair off and go to a computer. Students will follow directions.
Students will open up the simulation of disease spread and follow the general
directions that they are given. The directions will be as follows: Open the simulation
and play around with the controls to make different scenarios. Take notes on what
you are doing and keep track of the graphing feature, possibly sketching out what
they look like as you go. Try to identify patterns in what you are seeing. By
the end of the allotted time, you should be able to make some predictions about
how diseases spread. The students will open the web site and start to play around.
They will probably think it is cool, and at first haphazardly create conditions
for disease spread. Hopefully, they will then begin to methodically change the
conditions to try to detect patterns in what they are doing. They will sketch
series of graphs to compare and make tables that track how many people were present,
how the disease was spread, how hot it was and how long it took for all people
to catch it.
What conditions caused disease to spread the fastest? Was one method of transmission
faster than the others? What was a greater factor- population size, transmissibility,
or disease activity? Students will answer with their observations.
Explain:
The class will reconvene to discuss what they found. Pairs/groups will present
their findings to the above questions. Students may have found that when single
activities were used, person-to-person was the fastest spreader of disease, but
that transmissibility was a key factor and multiple activities spread fastest
of all. They will probably also notice that the more people present the faster
the disease spreads.
Elaboration:
Discuss as a class:
Based on what we found, what do you think are the most effective ways to control
infectious diseases? The class will make a list of ideas and discuss which they
think are the best.
Evaluation: Teacher will evaluate by circulating the room and making sure students
are on track. They will also pick up and look over the questions, graphs, and
tables made by the students.
Infection Directions
Open up your internet browser and go to explorelearning.com.
Scroll to the middle of the page and where it says “browse” go to
Science and human biology, anatomy, and health.
Click the link that says “Disease Spread”
Once you are there you will notice a box with some little people in it, along
the top are some tabs.
Go to the tab that says “Controls” and play with the simulation.
Change up the controls and see what happens.Your mission is to figure out how
diseases spread. To do this you will need to create a variety of scenarios with
the people and see what happens. Keep track of what you are doing with notes,
graphs, and charts. When you feel satisfied (like you understand what is going
on, and can make predictions about what will happen when you change things)
move on to the questions below.Questions
1. What conditions caused disease to spread the fastest?
2. Was one disease activity faster than the others?
3. Which was a greater factor in your opinion- population size, disease activity,
or transmissibility?
Summarize your conclusions