Bacteria and Virus Webquest Process

All students will be responsible for reading and summarizing one newspaper article on-line concerning an infectious disease that has been mentioned in the news lately. The students will then present their current event summary to the class. A discussion on some of the more prominent infectious diseases (HIV and Avian Flu) will follow.

Questions for Discussion:
- What diseases have been in the news lately?
- Who are effected by these diseases and what are the geographical locations of the disease?
- How are these diseases caused?
- Explain the cure and/or treatments for the diseases?
- How are these diseases transmitted?
- Is there a danger of either an epidemic or pandemic occurring? If there is, where , when and why may that occur?
- How well do you think the United States is prepared to handle an epidemic or pandemic if one occurs?
- If treatments are available, who do you believe should be the first to receive them? Defend your answer.

Day Three

This lab activity will demonstrate how diseases are spread across a population.

Procedure

Each student will receive a covered cup with candies inside (M & M's and red hots- which are the infectious disease)

Each student will look at only their own cup of candy, not telling anyone what kind of candy they have.
Students will carefully lift their lids and share their candy with three classmates, recording each students name that they shared with.

After the candy is shared three times, the students will spread their candy out on a napkin and observe the candy, discovering who is infected, who is not infected and determining which student was the starting point. (that student's cup is marked with an X on the bottom).

All students will record their information and complete the questions on the provided lab activity worksheets.

The activity will culminate with a discussion of the results and the path used to transmit the disease.

As a reward for discovering the starting point and path of the disease, the students will be permitted to eat their candy.

Click on microscope picture for lab activity worksheets

Day Four

Before you begin your training as an epidemiologist, each student will need to brush up on their knowledge of bacteria and viruses by conducting initial research, which will be followed by the completion of the worksheets provided. These worksheets can be downloaded and printed out or you may receive them from your teacher.

Students are to label the bacterial structures and complete the following questions utilizing the following Internet resources:

Resources: click on computer picture for resource page

Click here for bacteria worksheet

Day Five

Students are to view the viral structure provided and answer the questions regarding the structures of the virus and their functions utilizing the resources and worksheets provided.

Resources: click on computer picture for resource page

Click here for virus worksheets

Days Six, Seven, and Eight

Students will separate into groups of three to begin the research aspect of their assigned infectious disease. Some diseases will be caused by bacteria while others will be caused by viruses. The students will then utilize the information gathered to design a "Wanted" poster of their infectious disease.

Criteria for the Wanted Poster

To help you organize the information you will gather complete the following questions:

Questions:
- Which organism (bacteria or virus) causes your disease? Use it's scientific name and classification.
- What is the scientific name of your disease?
- What are the symptoms of your disease?
- What organs , if any, are effected?
- Are there any treatments, cures or preventions? Describe them.
- Is your disease still impacting human life today? If it is, in which country or countries does it still occur?

Day Nine

Presentation of the student's "Wanted" posters

Last Updated:03/05/2007