Attack of the Microbes

Project Description

The aim of our unit is to increase awareness and educate young people about a common human antagonist- disease. The unit includes a five-week intensive study of infectious diseases including information about their sources, mechanisms of their action, prevention ideas, and treatment methods. During the five-week’s time, the students will have the opportunity to participate in class discussions, interactive activities, lectures, wet labs, computer simulations, demonstrations, collaborative group work, and research projects utilizing internet and library resources. For the project, students will be provided with an opportunity to research about a certain disease of their choice for which they would have to follow a specific rubric including information about the disease, its source, symptoms, action mechanisms, human body’s defense mechanisms, and prevention and treatment methods.
Driving Question
How can we, as humans, identify, prevent, and treat infectious diseases?
Goals
Increase student interest in biology/science through project based unit that covers the impact of human infectious disease on each student and the world
Project Objectives
- Increase student awareness of human infectious diseases and the impact of those diseases on student’s lives
- Educate students on the agents that cause these diseases, as well as their identification, prevention, and treatment
- Improve student skill in working in laboratory settings including safety procedures, aseptic technique, technical writing, and analytical skillsRationale
In the United States in 2001, people spent 4.1 trillion dollars on heath care (http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml). Whether people are taking trips to the hospital or trips to the health club, maintaining bodily soundness is a major concern for Americans. Teenagers are no exception to this phenomenon. Students miss school for colds, flu, food poisoning, and sometimes more serious illnesses like meningitis. Teens are also the group of people that are on the brink of dealing with a serious health hazard in the form of sexually transmitted diseases.
By educating teens about how disease occurs and how it is prevented and treated, we can produce a group of young adults that are equipped to make smarter choices- from washing their hands to care in their dating lives- that will protect themselves and others around them. We can also spark their interest in biology by spending time on a topic that is extremely interesting and pertinent to them, perhaps even inspiring some to pursue various medical careers.
While students learn about disease to some extent in currently existing biology courses, the information is often vague and the material is covered so quickly that the students forget what little they learned or even learn nothing at all. During our unit, we will slow down a bit and spend time covering the biological agents that cause disease, their mechanisms, how the body responds, how we can prevent/treat the diseases, and then look at disease from a community perspective.
While this unit will not solve the global problem of disease, it is important for us as a community to take early steps to educate our children about different illnesses and their possibly devastating effects. In doing this, small steps can be taken to improve community life and allow these teens to live more responsible and productive lives.
Background
The driving question of our project focuses on the concept of identifying, preventing, and curing infectious diseases. The major culprits of infectious diseases include microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Many of us have never viewed the emergence of an epidemic and our thinking that everything is curable makes it impossible to understand the consequences of severe infectious diseases. In our project we try to cover main concepts about infectious diseases which include the roles of bacteria and viruses, role of immune system, and methods of prevention.
Bacteria:
Bacteria are single celled organisms with three basic shapes including bacilli, cocci, and spirilla. The lessons on bacteria will cover the main characteristics of bacteria such as their shapes, sizes, modes of reproduction, places of survival, and harmful and beneficial characteristics of bacteria. This concept is very important for the students to learn as it will give them an introduction to bacteria and later on help them understand the contribution of bacteria in causing infectious diseases. Students will also learn about antibiotic resistance and use the disc technique to determine whether bacteria are sensitive or resistant to an antibiotic. Antibiotic is a compound used to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Bacteria have grown to become resistant to antibiotics by developing new strains. Antibiotics should be taken with care because they can target the killing of any kind of bacteria. Students will be able to actually experiment with the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance by using two different kinds of antibiotic discs on a bacterial lawn. Zone of Inhibition will be observed. ZOI is a clear area around bacteria which represents that bacteria have been killed in that area. With this kind of test students will be able to observe the resistance or sensitivity of bacteria. Just as bacteria can be harmful, they can be beneficial as well because many bacteria are used in preparation of different foods, in nitrogen fixation, and also play important role as decomposers.
Viruses:
Viruses are different from bacteria in the sense that they are NOT alive. They depend on the host cell’s machinery for replication while bacteria can multiply/reproduce on their own. Viruses actually have to infect a cell, either integrate its DNA or RNA in the host cell’s genetic information or use the host cell system to reproduce and make copies. Viruses have two different ways of reproduction which include the lytic and lysogenic cycles. Viruses can not be treated with antibiotics because they are not alive and cannot reproduce on their own. Students will learn what viruses are, what they are made of and how they are similar to and different from living organisms. They will also learn how viruses cause disease and examples of these diseases.
Immune system:
It is the immune system which serves as our first and best method for combating diseases. The immune system is able to detect any kind of foreign agent in the system and works to destroy it or control it. White blood cells play the most important role in the immune system. Different cells including neutrophils, basophils, macrophages, mast cells, etc work in coordination to eliminate the foreign agent. Our immune system is very specific and is able to recognize the difference between self and non self proteins. Students will understand that just because a person is exposed to a harmful microbe does not mean that they will become sick. Our body has multiple lines of defense against microbial invaders. The roles of skin and mucus membranes, white blood cells, and lymphocytes in preventing and fighting infections are very important. The discussion of immune system will allow the students to describe the causes and effects of several diseases or disorders on the immune system i.e. Allergies, AIDS and Autoimmune disease. This will help students to understand the role of the immune system in helping the body to maintain a well-balanced health state.
Simulation on Infectious disease spread:
After covering the basic concepts about bacteria and viruses, the mechanism and spread of infectious diseases will be explored. 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. The simulation can be found at http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=379&CFID=695896&CFTOKEN=56551020. The idea of most effective ways to control infectious diseases will be discussed.
REFERENCES:
1. Website: http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/bacteria/
2. Textbook:
Miller, Kenneth, and Joseph Levine. Prentice Hall: Biology.
Pearson Prentice Hall. New Jersey and Massachusetts
3. Book:
Otto, Towle, & Otto. Biology Investigations: Teacher’s edition. Holt, Rinehart and
Winston Publishers, 1977.
4. Simulation Website:
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=379&CFID=695896&CFTOKEN=56551020
TEKS
(b) Introduction.
(1) In Biology, students conduct field and laboratory investigations, use scientific methods during investigations, and make informed decisions using critical-thinking and scientific problem-solving. Students in Biology study a variety of topics that include: structures and functions of cells and viruses; growth and development of organisms; cells, tissues, and organs; nucleic acids and genetics; biological evolution; taxonomy; metabolism and energy transfers in living organisms; living systems; homeostasis; ecosystems; and plants and the environment.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Scientific processes. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations; and
4) Science concepts. The student knows that cells are the basic structures of all living things and have specialized parts that perform specific functions, and that viruses are different from cells and have different properties and functions. The student is expected to:
(C) compare the structures and functions of viruses to cells and describe the role of viruses in causing diseases and conditions such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome, common colds, smallpox, influenza, and warts; and
(D) identify and describe the role of bacteria in maintaining health such as in digestion and in causing diseases such as in streptococcus infections and diphtheria.
National Standards
CONTENT STANDARD A: SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
A1. Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry:
Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications.
A2. Understanding about scientific inquiry:
Scientists rely on technology to enhance the gathering and manipulation of data.Assessments
Our unit will include a wide variety of assessments. Formative assessment will include teacher monitoring of student progress, both during lecture and on work and lab days through questions and answer and observation. Summative assessments will come in the form of lab reports, quizzes, concept maps, one-sentence summaries, pro/con grids, learning logs, documented problem solutions, content/form/function outlines, and a large final assessment which includes a poster or power point presentation that includes information on what their disease is, its history, how it is identified, what steps can be taken to prevent this disease, how it is treated once contracted, and how their disease has effected their community, nation, and the world.