6-12
© 2006-2011 Patrick McKenzie. Bingo cards feature the names of viruses. Teachers call out the names of viruses, or, for more challenge, a clue to the virus.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free trial
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Kids love "games"! Use an incentive like a piece of candy or pencil, etc. and you'll double the attention level. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: The game can be modified by the instructor by giving clues, causes, symptoms, etc. to make the game more challenging. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Perhaps a good activity for younger (elementary school) students. Very simplistic. Rating: Acceptable
5-8
© 2004-2011 Baylor College of Medicine. Through a series of inquiry-based lessons, students explore the world of microorganisms. They learn that microbes can be bacteria, fungi, protists, or viruses, and they create scale models to compare microbes’ relative sizes. Using evidence to determine whether a patient has a cold, flu, or strep infection, students discover the differences between bacterial and viral infections; they explore modes of transmission for infamous diseases, and they are introduced to the human immune system.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min each
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This is a nice resource because it's a complete lesson: pre-assessment, lab activity, and post-assessment. Students should leave this activity being able to say what they learned. The concept map might be a little difficult for students on their own, but could be a good post-discussion activity. NOTE: There are some materials that need to be purchased (Glo kit). Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Great emphasis on critical thinking for diagnosis and importance of distinguishing viral from bacterial infections (e.g., antibiotic over-prescription). Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2009 Andrea Liatis, Emory University and Amanda Lockhart, Decatur High School. Creating Active Student Engagement in the Sciences (CASES Online), Emory University. After reading short scenes aloud, students discuss their observations about bacterial and viral infections and the role of antibiotics in fighting disease. They research the structures and functions of viruses and bacteria as well as the modes of transmission, and they present their findings to the class. Used with permission.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Very accessible lessons for high school students. Peer review of others' work is a good motivator for students and great for generating discussions to follow. I'm not sure of the utility of "Design a Virus," but it may be a fun in-class activity. Rating: Highly recommendedTeacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This lesson puts more responsibility for learning on the student. It would make a good reinforcement for prior learning or good intro activity to see what kids know. Might be hard to keep students' attention. Need to put a time limit on it or more of a specific task. Lesson could be manipulated to meet needs/time limits. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This activity seems to be a good introduction into the difference between bacterial and viral infections, how infections may be transmitted, and how we treat these infections. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
6-12
© 2011 Discovery Education. Students discover how an infectious disease can spread; they then create a plan to contain it.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Quick and simple activity to show how infectious diseases can spread. Not a lot of setup required; however, not as appealing to students as there isn't a lot for them to do. I also see a possible issue with putting kids' names on the board. Kids can be rude and disrespectful, especially in the context of diseases, etc. Just a middle school teacher's perspective. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This activity would be a good introductory activity. Would help explain some concepts, including scientific modeling. There are other activities available on this site that are also useful. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Simple exercise, good for elementary or middle school students. Perhaps combined with epidemiologic study for more advanced students? Rating: Recommended
6-8
© 2004 Montclair State University. Five instructional modules explore specific health-related issues through the science of epidemiology. The modules prepare students to make personal and collective evidence-based health-related decisions. Module 1 consists of six investigations that explore how diseases are geographically distributed. Module 2 consists of ten investigations that explore diseases and their causes.
Activity Duration: 1 hr each
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Seems to be a lot of prep work. Teacher will likely need the aid of a paraprofessional to assist. A lot of reading. Might be difficult in a large classroom setting. A lot of copies need to be produced, but most of it can be reused. Nice problem-solving activity. Going to be difficult to keep kids attending to the task. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: These are what I consider to be 'bulky" activities. They require a lot of time to prep and the PPTs (Power Points) are very basic. Perhaps good for middle level if teacher has a lot of time and not a lot of high-level students. Rating: Not recommended
Virologist comments:
Some minor typographic errors in classroom presentations, but overall a good introduction to Chi Square contingency analysis of risk/benefit. Rating: Recommended
9-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Through an inquiry-based activity, students demonstrate how germs spread. Then, through a WebQuest, students determine the abundance and types of microbes around them.
Activity Duration: 6 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Having students exposed to agar and other laboratory materials used in microbiology is important to attract kids to this field. It could and should be used during a scientific-method unit or a great intro unit in microbiology. The PDF file is extremely well done, with links to all the teacher supplies needed. This is a perfect model for how Web sites should be used to help teachers with a specific curriculum. This site also provides links to a WebQuest activity, so it could be used as part of a larger unit. I love the activity but it may be hard to complete due to its length. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a very ambitious activity, but it can be modified for the target age group. I very much like the activities directed toward learning the scientific method. If this activity were divided into two activities, I would give high marks to the first half. Some information about the different types of microbes is not totally accurate. Rating: Acceptable
9-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). By stepping into the role of a public health officer, students learn about epidemiology and get an overview of the disease transmission cycle. A guide for Science Olympiad participants describes the steps of an outbreak investigation and how epidemiologists evaluate and test hypotheses.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: At the middle level, I haven't seen much done in epidemiology. This activity seems a little long for the attention span of a middle-level student. Some of the thought processes/problem solving might be too advanced for the middle-level student. Rating: Questionable
High school teacher: These activities are good for high-level 9-12th graders. The explanations are valid but require abstract thinking. The vocabulary level is quite high for students, e.g., aseptic meningitis, cohort, cluster of, etc. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Hepatitis B, tuberculosis, and meningitis as examples may be effective for capturing the interest of high school students. Although the introductory page suggests methods for engaging students (e.g., selection of students to play roles as facilitator, recorder, and reporter), the exercises are dry--it is up to the instructor to convince students to become engaged. Rating: Recommended
4-7
© 2008 Hall of Health. Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Oakland; Health & Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community. Students better understand communicable diseases as they create models of germs, act out the response of the immune system, watch germs spread, solve epidemiological mysteries, and test methods for killing germs.
Activity Duration: 5 x 1 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Elementary School teacher: This is a very user-friendly and organized Web site for teachers. This activity is more related to the health curriculum than to science standards. Rating: Recommended
Middle School teacher: This is a nice resource because it is complete: summary, lesson plans, and student worksheets. Each lesson can stand alone or be used with others. The lesson plans include extensions and references. The worksheets are student-friendly and easy to reproduce. Students should leave this activity being able to explain key concepts about how infectious diseases are spread. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This activity has lots of good concepts and provides much opportunity for discussion. It leads up nicely to Lesson 5 on antigens and antibodies. Rating: Highly recommended
4
Division of Vector Borne Diseases (DVBD), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCZID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A series of 5 lessons introduces students to the life cycle and behavior of mosquitoes and how they transmit disease. A discussion of the prevention of La Crosse Encephalitis is relevant to other mosquito-borne diseases.
Activity Duration: 5 x 1 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Elementary school teacher: The objectives and materials were well stated, but the lesson itself was long. The actual lesson steps were not stated. It did not seem to be a lesson plan for students but rather a lesson for the teachers on mosquitoes. This is not a teacher-friendly Web site. The homework projects were much clearer. There is a lot of material here. Rating: Questionable
Virologist comments:
This activity is very well done and can be adapted to a large number of age groups. Many important topics are covered. The role of mosquitoes in viral transmission is very clear. The movie and the slides are excellent. The Teacher's Guide is very good. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
©1999 by the BSCS and Videodiscovery, National Institutes of Health. Students explore the relationship between basic biomedical research and the improvement of personal and public health. They classify diseases as emerging, re-emerging, or endemic and assume the roles of public health experts to investigate the cause of a mystery disease. They give examples of how infectious agents can be transmitted to humans and explain how environmental changes can result in the emergence of infectious diseases.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Well-organized, easily accessible materials. Materials well constructed and clear with appropriate reading level. Easy for teachers to use. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Great examples of organizational approaches and critical thinking for examination of current concerns. Rating: Highly recommended
6-8
© 2011 by AAAS. Students simulate the spread of a disease with tap water and NaOH and try to determine the original source. Using disease cards, which include descriptions of symptoms, students act out different diseases for the class to identify. Internet resources are used to understand how viruses infect humans and interfere with normal body functions, and how infectious diseases can be treated or prevented.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: A good activity that involves "chemistry" and "science tools." Fun problem-solving activity. This activity involves a lot of reading (the setup and extensions). Might be tough for certain populations. The activity can be modified, or used as a class activity. NOTE: Have headphones available for students for the Podcast. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Great content, but I'd like to see a more obvious discussion of how viral infections can be treated--that antibiotic prescription is not indicated. Rating: Recommended
7-12
Columbia University’s Summer Research Program for Science Teachers. This lesson plan encourages students to explore how viruses and bacteria spread, how the body defends against pathogens, and how to identify white blood cells.
Activity Duration: 2 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Good intro to how disease is spread. Activity involves some preparation--making a solution--and requires phenolphthalein. Supports the health curriculum. Good ideas for research, creating portfolios, and projects to be done outside of class time. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: The lesson is very interesting, although a 7th grade teacher may not have the supplies for it and 7th graders may miss the indicator analogy. The site deals with binding, then moves to inflammatory responses, then to immune-system responses. This would be a great lesson for high school microbiology. The site is boring and not attractive. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
The exercises were designed using the National Academy of Sciences Standards for Science Education for assessment. However, the exercises are only briefly described for the educator and there are no classroom materials included to assist in structuring the activity for students. Therefore, it is best suited for elementary-level students. Rating: Questionable
11-12
Columbia University’s Summer Research Program for Science Teachers. This lesson plan simulates an infectious disease outbreak based on an actual outbreak in 2005 in Angola. Students work in teams as Special Pathogen Agents to gather information about blood and pathogens to formulate a diagnosis. They explore molecular genetics and immunology to identify the true pathogen and the cause of the outbreak.
Activity Duration: 2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Unattractive site, but an interesting activity. For the most part the lesson is appropriate, but I feel the learner may have to make too many assumptions since an entire case study is being based mainly on one Web site. The special pathogens unit is a very interesting field and will excite a lot of kids, but I am not sure they can get all the teacher wants from the one site. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent problem-based learning activity. It is well structured. The role of each group of students is well defined. The references are excellent. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2011 Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah. This activity demonstrates the specificity of viral vectors for target cells in gene therapy delivery methods using two approaches: 1) Styrofoam models demonstrate viral ligand binding to receptor proteins on the surface of target cells; 2) Students use paper models of viruses and cells to find the appropriate match between viral ligands and cell receptors.
Activity Duration: 15 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This activity seems best suited for upper-level genetics students who want a hands-on type of activity. The target cell activity can be used in cell specialization in middle-level classrooms. Not sure if the prep work involved is an efficient way of demonstrating the material. Rating: Questionable
High school teacher: Good materials and useful activity. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Clear demonstration and hands-on approach to understanding "recognition." Rating: Highly recommended
2-4
© 2008-2012 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved. Science & Health Education Partnership. Students learn about different classes of germs via a book and discussion. Students first assign germ names to stuffed “microbe” animals, then they describe the symptoms and modes of contracting germs. Finally, they try to wash “GLO Germ” off their hands to reinforce the importance of personal hygiene.
Activity Duration: 2-3 hr
Cost: $55 per GlitterBug kit
$15 per book
$7 per stuffed "microbe"
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Elementary school teacher: Good hands-on activities for students and concrete examples for three different types of germs. Most supplies, however, would need to be purchased. Rating: Acceptable
Middle School teacher: The Glo Germ would be a great way to introduce viruses and bacteria, but Glo Germ and the black light are expensive. The vocabulary fits with 7th Grade life science topics. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This activity is very age appropriate. Sounds like fun! Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2011 Discovery Education. Students learn the basics about viruses, recognizing their occurrence in plants as well as animals and that some viruses are helpful to humans. Students imagine they are part of a team of scientists assigned to stop a local weed epidemic by genetically engineering a virus that will target the weed. They sketch the weed they would like to target, and then they sketch a virus they have designed to attack the weed.
Activity Duration: 4 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Objectives are clearly stated. It's a research project using Internet sources. You would have to find some sources you want students to use and have your media specialist assist with written books from the library. This would take some time when you first do the research. Students have a "real world" problem to solve in their research. Students work in cooperative groups to solve the problem. A rubric is included for grading. Good ideas for extensions of the activity. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: The Web site presents a creative lesson for students, but the burden is still on the classroom teacher, as the site doesn't give much information nor good links for obtaining virus information. The site touches on most virus content found in high school microbiology. Not a very pretty site, but useful enough. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
The stated objectives of this exercise are good; however, there is not much guidance. The exercise assumes that students and teachers have some familiarity with viruses. The instructor will need to be very well informed. The idea of releasing a genetically engineered virus for a "weed epidemic" is questionable. The references provided are very general. Rating: Acceptable
4-8
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. This activity introduces students to the world of microbes, explores how we are protected by our immune system, and discusses how vaccines help fight disease.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent resource for students to reinforce infectious diseases. The Immune Platoon comic is a great way to engage kids in reading passages that can actually come to life. The other parts of the CDC Web site are also a great resource; they could allow for follow-up, or a more in-depth activity. NOTE: Have students find the "sound off" button, or have headphones in a lab setting. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Virologist 1: This is a great use of comics to explain the immune system, although it is not a story. Descriptions of the case files are very good. Most are about viruses: Mumps, Measles, Rubella, Influenza, Varicella, and Hepatitis B. Rating: Recommended
Virologist 2: Not a lot of information but good explanations of immune platoon and flu krew. The case studies have to be downloaded, which is a bit of a pain. It would be easier if there were links to the pages through the Internet. Rating: Highly recommended
3-9
© 2009 by Capstone Press, a Capstone Publisher Company. Students follow the adventures of Max Axiom as he explains the science behind viruses.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: $8.00 to $22.00
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent! Readability is perfect for the middle-level student. Well laid out with a table of contents, full color comic, extensions following, glossary, and index. I think this would also fit in a middle-level reading program as well as a science class. A great way to include reading in a science class! Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: This is a well-constructed comic that explains viruses. It has good logical progression of ideas, clear graphics, and a nice glossary and index. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Well-organized comic with table of contents of 4 units: basic microbiology, compare and contrast between bacteria and viruses, how viruses cause diseases, and how to stay healthy. Pop-up explanations are helpful for readers at this grade level. It is completed with glossary, index, and scientific references. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2011, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. Students discover how the ocean virus, Emiliania huxleyi virus (EhV), saves the world by keeping Emiliania huxleyi algae in check and bringing balance to the oceans.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent idea to fuse a comic with curriculum. That aspect of it will make it really appealing to middle-level students. A lot of the vocabulary is over and above the typical 7th grade science vocabulary. I suppose that is the point--to introduce them to scientific vocabulary? I think this would be a great supplemental activity that could be used in a reading class in conjunction with a science class. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Really good explanation of ocean virus and connections with ecology and evolution. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Great comic story, especially as an educational tool about the benefit of viruses to the environment. Excellent graphic quality. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 2007 National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The Science Reflector, Summer 2007, Volume 36, Number 2. The North Carolina Science Teachers Association (NCSTA). In this investigation, students create an icosahedral virus model and consider how virus structure and behavior could be mimicked in nanotechnology applications. Students describe the structure of a virus, how viruses function as nanomachines, and how viruses self-replicate.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Kids love to "build things." This activity is a great way to reinforce the structure and function of a virus. The models the students build will not only give them something they can hold/take home; they can also be used in other classroom activities or displayed in the classroom and/or school. Setup and prep is appropriate. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: This activity is a good starting point for a virus unit. Can be flexible for content level, and is well explained. It deals only with icosahedral viruses, so care must be taken to explain not all viruses have this structure. Activity materials are easy to duplicate and inexpensive. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Great directions for assembly of icosahedral head structure. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 2011 Discovery Education. In this activity, students create a larger-than-life model of one of six different viruses and then compare their completed models to see differences in virus types.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: A good virus model activity. This activity might be a little difficult or hard to manage, as there isn't a "cutout" to base the structure on. There is room for students to make their own interpretations of the model (good and bad). Materials list can be somewhat difficult or expensive to obtain. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Good virus pictures, nice comparison chart of metric measurement. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
I am not certain how students are supposed to model their constructs. No obvious template is provided. Rating: Questionable
6-12
© 2011 Nasco. This model was designed to introduce students to the structure of a virus. It illustrates the major components with removable pieces. The model is constructed of resilient, nontoxic EVA foam. A teacher’s guide includes inquiry-based lab activities, reproducible worksheets, background information, and assessment ideas.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: $72.50
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: I like the large size of this. Can be used as a demo or a small-group project. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: Very nice-looking model, easy to assemble. Very expensive and I question the durability of the foam material. Single-use model (only shows one type of virus), but could be used to teach virus structure. Great if you have lots of dollars and space. Rating: Not recommended
Virologist comments:
Great three-dimensional representation of HIV; however, a model with this level of detail should contain a legend that indicates the identity of the pieces. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
©RCSB Protein Data Bank. Students learn about viral infection and immunity. Students also build 3-D preprinted paper models of icosahedral viruses in order to understand the use of symmetry in virus assembly.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This activity seems like something that could be used in a high-level microbiology class. It basically provides a number of modeling activities for higher-level microbiology students. Most 9th graders will not take microbiology, so this may not be applicable for that age. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This activity is of high quality. The materials are clear and useful for educators, and are excellent resources. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© Science Kit & Boreal Laboratories. Groups of students build their own models of 5 different viruses: tobacco mosaic, mumps, influenza, potato X, and a bacteriophage. They discover the structural diversity of different viruses and realize that animals, plants, and bacteria are all susceptible to viruses. The activity provides an excellent lead into lessons on the lytic and lysogenic cycles of viruses.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: $59.99
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The opportunity to have a hands-on activity is great. However, I'm afraid of all the "little pieces." Not sure how this will hold up. This would probably work well in a small-group setting or possibly a mentored or diff (gifted) program. Probably a better fit for a high school classroom in an overall sense. It does cover structure/naming/cycles, etc. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This is a nice way to begin this building activity and replenish supplies as you go. Offers different virus morphologies--probably worth the dollars. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
The exercises are very useful for understanding virus structure. I particularly enjoyed the adenovirus assembly exercise--great way for students to understand an icosahedral virus structure. Rating: Highly recommended
3-8
© 2004-2011 Baylor College of Medicine. This Web-based magazine introduces students to basic concepts in microbiology including: healthy and unhealthy microbes and how they spread, past epidemics, the human immune system and vaccines, and HIV/AIDS.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Elementary school teacher: A very colorful, well-laid-out magazine for upper elementary students. There are quick assessments within the magazine that could be done as it is read or used as a final assessment at the end. The HIV/AIDS topic toward the end is very appropriate for 3rd - 5th grade students. Students would be very attracted to the modern-looking, colorful media. Rating: Highly recommended
Middle school teacher: Very creative, fun book for middle school students. The color and pictures should capture their attention. There are mini activities for students to answer. It is a great way to include reading within science. Internet sites for additional research are provided. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This excellent activity covers a lot of important concepts in a very clear manner. It would be useful for a wide range of age groups. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2012 National Academy of Sciences. Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. Through videos and text, this online interactive site allows students to explore: viruses, their evolution and distribution; the role of vaccines and the human immune system; the HIV pandemic; and malaria. Students choose different control measures for several diseases and see the outcomes of their choices.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Good site but a little hard to navigate. It would require some prep time by the teacher to establish some clear instructions for the students to follow. Can be used to explore or gather information for research. Great graphics and information. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This is probably the best informational site I have seen. There are eight well-defined sections that deal with the modern issues having to do with viruses. This site is probably inappropriate for any age below 9th grade because the material is more complicated. It would be a great resource for a high school microbiology class, as it deals with virus propagation, world-wide health issues, and remediation. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is an impressive Web site. The interactive animations are very useful for understanding the challenges of some global diseases, antibiotic resistance, and vaccines. The resources listed at the bottom of the menu are excellent. Rating: Highly recommended
5-12
© 2011 Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah. Use a scroll bar to understand the relative sizes of cells, including a coffee bean, a skin cell, E. coli bacterium, HIV, and a carbon atom.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Love this site! The clarity of the images all through the zoom is excellent. This is a great way to differentiate between macro- and micro-organisms. This site can be used in many different aspects of science. The write-ups that follow may not be suited to certain grade levels, but you can use the activity as it pertains to your audience. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: This is a multifunctional Web site that shows biological scale and can be a concept explanation for the metric system. Very useful to show students order of size and metric measurement! Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Lesson provides useful scale and references to familiar items (grain of rice, sesame seed). Sliding scale bar is easy to manipulate and allows students to "zoom in." The metric conversion chart is a very important tool and shows the relationships between units while students view the increasingly smaller items in the scale window. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2001 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) NOVA ONLINE. Students learn about the role smallpox played in the development of vaccines and learn the difference between live and non-live vaccines. An interactive animation walks students through the steps of various techniques used to make six different vaccines in a virtual laboratory.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Awesome activity for middle school students--super visuals and display of information. The site is easy to navigate. Students will love to make the vaccines. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: Great activity to teach vaccination, and it has a built-in attention getter with the bioterror title. Instead of learning about the manufacture of vaccines through a book, students get to see a visual representation, which is great. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent program. The links at the bottom lead to associated programs that, when combined, present much good information about bioterrorism. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
Copyright 2004-2012 Dark Realm Studios. This Web-based game is a simulation of a deadly virus that is released on the world. The objective is to ‘evolve’ different traits of the disease so that it spreads around the world and kills as many humans as possible before humans develop a cure. It discusses virus lethality, transmissions, types of viruses, and virus defense mechanisms.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Presentation is great for kids; it meets microbiology standards. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Pandemic II presents an attractive game format with detailed information about the symptoms, transmission, and durability characteristics of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. I was impressed with the way the creators showed the potential for movement of infectious agents around the globe. The game requires players to try different combinations of pathogen characteristics in order to achieve the ultimate goal of "killing everyone." My only criticism is that the player is not allowed to simply check out the results of different pathogen characteristics--one must wait until sufficient "evolution points" are accrued before buying or selling an option for a given trait. Rating: Recommended
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore how an ocean virus, Emiliania huxleyi virus (EhV), battles algae in order to maintain ecological balance in Earth’s oceans. Embedded in this graphic story are interactive learning activities that explore the numbers of viruses in the ocean relative to icebergs, jellyfish, etc. Explore an algal bloom up close. Open the virus to see inside and learn about the parts. The app includes an essay and a 30-minute radio documentary.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: free from the App Store
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Interesting reading, listening, and decoding images. This is a setoff activity that combines a creative use of animation and navigation of a view from space into the interior of a virus. Students will see how a virus helps maintain the balance of an ecosystem essential to Earth's ecology. Engaging and accessible to a wide spectrum of abilities. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: I liked the analogy of the virus hunt being like using a goat as bait to lure a tiger. Great ecology details; the nutrient-release function of viruses and the message that stuff we think is yucky is crucial. Nice info about common ancestors, the idea that viruses differentiate from common ancestors. Great job of playing into Darwin's theories--the natural selection at a microbial level was clear and easy to understand. I liked the idea that one of the key roles of viruses is transferring genes between organisms. When we talk about the idea that self-replicating molecules may have preceded the development of cells on Earth, it makes more sense when you think about viruses evolving. Would be really useful when discussing population growth and limiting factors in an ecology unit or class. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This activity provides students with a balanced perspective of the diversity of viruses - particularly the fact that viruses can be good, if not essential, for the health of certain ecosystems. The "game" is not very informative, and doesn't add much in my opinion, but the comic, essay, and radio documentary were useful and entertaining. Rating: Highly recommended
8-10
© 2011 Morgridge Institute for Research, Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. This action-and-strategy game focuses on complex interactions in biological systems. Players experience what it takes to infect a cell, replicate, and escape to infect other cells.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The game was very insightful, if a little simple. It did teach content about various immune-system agents in an interesting way that is very visual and easy enough that middle school students can comprehend and upper-level students can still enjoy. The game had to have a special plugin to work, which could become a problem in schools. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This game is good and challenging. It is likely that children who are accustomed to playing video games will learn quickly how to advance to each level of the game. I would recommend this for middle school students, but the cell biology concepts are at a sufficiently high level so that high school students could benefit as well. Rating: Highly recommended
6-8
© 2001-2010 Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning, Rice University. MedMyst is a problem-based adventure game provided in two versions. The original version engages the player in the role of a scientist/historian/detective who discovers infectious agents and transmission pathways. In the new reloaded version, students choose to work as an epidemiologist, microbiologist, or veterinarian to solve mysteries. Teacher materials and activities are provided. Available in Spanish.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min each
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: WOW! Excellent resource. A lot of time and effort has been put into this! This needs to be used by students. This interactive game has everything. Students will have fun navigating through the different challenges. Headphones might be helpful in a lab setting. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
The game is a little bit long; players can't get out of it until the game is complete. BUT, very good graphics and great explanations. Plus it is a game scenario, so kids learn as they complete the game. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
©1994 to 2011, Quill Graphics. This site describes the difference between viruses and bacteria and how the virus infects E. coli. A short time-lapse animation shows what a population of E. coli looks like as it is wiped out by the bacteriophage.
Activity Duration: <15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a good, short tutorial in virus scale. Be aware that some of the links need to be purchased. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Good content. I'm not certain about the usefulness of the 800x-speed video (low resolution) of a phage killing E. coli cells. Rating: Acceptable
6-9
© Copyright Science upd8, UK. Students learn of Vietnamese villages that are disease free thanks to local children and scientists using biological and environmental controls without the use of insecticides. This poster-making activity reinforces students’ understanding of food chains as they work out how the Vietnamese children eliminated the virus and explain why the strategy works.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Interesting information, but not very exciting. Not a lot of science involved. Students make and share posters about controlling mosquitoes. NOTE: The video clip is not narrated in English (but it's still neat to watch). Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This is fundamentally a good activity, but the posters are both in color (for student handouts) and not real clear as to their intent. The short video appears to be narrated in Vietnamese. Assumes substantial pre-teaching time. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
Good introduction to prevention of mosquito-borne viruses. Students will benefit from the discussion of simple measures we can take to keep the environment free of mosquitoes. Also good basic information about dengue. Rating: Recommended
10-12
Resource for Biocomputing, Visualization, and Informatics (RBVI), University of California – San Francisco. Students construct three-dimensional icosahedral models by cutting and folding preprinted figures of the dengue virus that shows the arrangement of proteins in the virus capsid.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The activity is interesting and could be used as a supplemental activity for an afterschool club or a microbiology class. It probably is only relevant curriculum-wise if the more common shapes are made, but for advanced students the whole spectrum of shapes could be made. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
I love this! This is a terrific and fun activity for kids to make the virus by themselves from the template. It gives them an appreciation of the virus shape and introduces proteins and RNA. The exercise for high school students is also very good. The Virus Particle Explorer is a great resource. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
©RCSB Protein Data Bank. Using preprinted paper, students construct a three-dimensional paper model of the dengue virus.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The model of DNA is a good intro to DNA structure. The Web site is easy to work through. Objectives are not stated, but the activity could be useful for a 9th-10th grade biology teacher. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Very nice paper-folding model of dengue virus. The Protein Data Bank of Dengue virus is very well done. Rating: Highly recommended
7+
© 1995 – 2011 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). NOVA Teachers. Using strips of green and white paper, students simulate and trace the spread of a virus.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Nice group activity. Not too overwhelming or confusing. Not a lot of expensive supplies to buy. Items can be reused. Perfect middle- level activity! Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: This activity is easy to assemble and has clear application to the subject matter. My students were very engaged in the activity. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Rating: Acceptable
6-12
© 1995 – 2011 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). NOVA Teachers. Learn how disease specialists traced the origins of an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, which swept through Zaire in 1995. The specialists compiled a complete “chain of death” of the epidemic; they explain why they fear a mutation of Ebola will emerge that is even more difficult to contain.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: $19.95
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The video has very sobering material--an excellent production, but may be very concerning (scary) to younger middle school students.
7-12
© 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. In this comic book, students read about the different types of the foot and mouth disease virus. The virus characters are prisoners at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. Through the graphic story, readers learn how the foot and mouth disease virus is spread and what is being done to control it.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: A comic book is very appealing to middle school students. This has great graphics and use of color. It is easy to read and would be great as a supplement. It was a little hard to follow, as the viruses were listed as prisoners. This may have to be explained to middle school students, but not to high school students. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This comic book is particularly appealing for agricultural regions. It puts FMD in the perspective of fairly current livestock loss and examines the phenomena of disease transmission, spread, and prevention. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: A very attractive comic, well done with great analogies. I fear there may need to be some prior knowledge laid down before this comic can be used. Students without knowledge of viruses may be very confused. A teacher may want to read the comic out loud with 7th graders. Otherwise, this lesson really should be an important component of any virus curriculum. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
The graphic novel tells an accurate story of the recent history of foot and mouth disease and worldwide efforts to contain the virus. This is a terrific way to introduce viruses to young people. It is very creative and the graphics are terrific. The portrayal of the viruses as criminals with intent to generate chaos and disruption is creative and makes this science interesting to youth. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore the biology of the foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) through a graphic story. Different types of FMDV are portrayed as prisoners in a high-security laboratory on Plum Island. Learn about the impact of FMDV on the environment and how deadly the virus can be. The FMDV “prisoners” are plotting their escape while researchers seek to understand how to prevent the next wave of infection. Embedded in this graphic story are interactive activities that help the reader learn where in the world FMD outbreaks have occurred recently. Open the virus to see inside and learn about the parts. This app includes an essay and 30-minute radio documentary.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: free from the App Store
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a very good introduction to the topics of virus research and containment. The explanations of FMDV effects and the history of the virus is well explored in the essay (Terror on the Farm) and the Traveling Types of FMDV activity. This is engaging, informative, and offers a multimedia approach good for different learning styles. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: I like the cross-curricular aspects (economic, etc.). This might make it more relevant to non-farm kids. Great point regarding "one health" - interconnectivity of the health of humans, animals, and the environment. I'd like to see some discussion aspect on how kids feel about having the Plum Island stuff moved to Kansas (agriculture country). This could draw connections to the lack of variation in livestock making them more vulnerable to viruses, showing disease spread as a density-dependent limiting factor. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
The activity overall was excellent. I had some difficulty with the game, "Traveling Types of FMDV," which did not work smoothly. It would be nice if the "passports" of different types were easy to pop up and remove. The comic was entertaining, and the explanation of vaccination and prevention strategies was well stated. The best part of this activity is probably the radio documentary, which highlighted the economic devastation of the 2001 UK outbreak as well as the emotional toll on farmers and keepers of livestock. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Students become CDC scientists and investigate a recent outbreak of hantavirus. They identify the disease, the sequence of events, methods of transmission, and how to prevent the infection.
Activity Duration: 7-9 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a case study role-play activity. Students role-play as CDC professionals and discover that the virus they are studying is hantavirus. Through the process, they learn about the different symptomatic and physiological effects of hantavirus on humans. The Web site is unattractive, although not difficult to navigate. This activity should only be done in the confines of a microbiology class in high school. It is too long and detailed to be effective in an early high school setting. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
The exercise is well done and will be valuable in learning about the disease as well as the process of identifying the agent of an outbreak caused by an unknown agent. The key link ("Tracking a Mystery Disease") needs to be updated. It is now www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/history.html Rating: Recommended
8-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Students research hantavirus pulmonary syndrome to produce a public-service announcement in the form of a brochure, poster, radio announcement, or television commercial.
Activity Duration: 3-4 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The lesson involves a lot of reading for middle school students. It reads at a high school level and would be a challenge for middle school students, especially for struggling readers. Rating: Questionable
High school teacher: This activity hits curriculum objectives that are found predominantly in microbiology, an upper-level high school class. It may be successful in middle school but is not a good use of curricular time. Site is not attractive, but is only needed for PDFs. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
The exercise is excellent. The lesson plan is of high quality, although some of the links need to be updated. The ones that are present are excellent. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 2007-2010 Tim Peters and Company, Inc. Through the adventures of Captain Bio, kids journey inside the human body, where they discover Hepatitis B, how this virus is transmitted, and what it does to the human body.
Activity Duration: <15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: I like how this can either be printed out or viewed through a projector. This would allow it to be a group activity, or in a sped/low-reading environment. Web site was very quick and easy to navigate. The comic itself is the activity, but teachers can do multiple things as followups/assessments. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Good, clear comic about Hep. B. Well organized, appropriate detail. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This comic is accessible to middle schoolers and high schoolers. The plot is well done to educate about Hepatitis B virus (HBV), especially the biology of HBV and how to prevent contracting the virus. There are also informative facts at the end. However, this may have both educational and marketing purposes since it is sponsored by Merck. Rating: Recommended
9-12
© 1994-2009 by Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum. Students simulate sexual contact by exchanging fluid from test tubes filled with water and one containing sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The acid-base indicator, phenolphthalein, reveals who has been infected. The students then investigate where the original infection began.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: I have reviewed several of these types of activities and know that students love things that change color. As a chemistry teacher I am really hesitant to give kids unmarked clear liquids--it is a violation of best practice for me. Although 0.1 M NaOH is not very concentrated, it does have potential risks, particularly for younger, less mature students. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
A good general exercise about spread of infectious disease. Rating: Acceptable
9-12
© 1994-2009 by Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum. Students use a model to illustrate the spread of HIV, and they act as epidemiologists to explore the dilemmas of HIV infections. Students then produce a play, skit, or some other vehicle to present information about HIV to younger children.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This teacher did a great job of emphasizing the ethical points of personal decision-making. I have concerns about handing students unmarked clear substances. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
Exercise on transmission is effectively combined with ethical and moral discussion. Rating: Highly recommended
11-12
© 2007 University of Rochester. Life Sciences Learning Center. Students learn how the immune system responds to subunits of HIV virus genome and use immunoassays to determine the effectiveness of potential AIDS vaccines.
Activity Duration: 2 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The complexity of this activity is way beyond what is expected for a normal microbiology class in high school and is generally greater than what I have seen in an introductory university microbiology course. This would be a great activity for an afterschool higher-level science club. The vocabulary is beyond what a normal microbiology student would be expected to know or use. Rating: Not recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a great series of exercises for high school students. Some challenging aspects of molecular immunology are presented very clearly, and the PowerPoint animations are helpful. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© AMREF Canada | African Medical & Research Foundation, African Health Development Organization 2011. The number of child-headed households is growing in Africa and other parts of the world. This activity encourages students to think about children who have no parents or other adults at home and what these children would have to do to take care of themselves.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a short and really good class activity. In addition to life sciences, it would be an excellent geography activity in the population/economics units. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Content is accurate. Rating: Recommended
5-12
© 2011 Baylor College of Medicine. This curriculum consists of five activities that explore part of the HIV/AIDS story. Students construct paper models of the HIV virus to understand its structure and how it replicates itself. Students learn how to calculate exponential growth, graph transmission rates, and plot the spread of HIV on a world map. They then focus on the United States when they create presentations about HIV/AIDS in America.
Activity Duration: 7-9 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Elementary school teacher: Of the five lessons, I found the exponential growth and the two mapping activities well suited for 4th and 5th graders and perhaps an appropriate way of introducing this disease. The two particle lessons would be very difficult for most elementary students to grasp, even with the student- made models. Lessons utilize cooperative learning groups with hands-on activities. Rating: Acceptable
Middle school teacher: The Teacher's Guide is very well done, easy to follow, and has great instructions. Extensions for learning are included and there are awesome stats to explore. Visuals are included for each activity. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: Nice site with tons of information that encompasses all types of virus information and most virus objectives found through most curricula. This can be used by a wide range of age groups. The only problem is that the information is contained in PDF files. More flash animations or more interactive info would make it a perfect site. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This site provides fantastic detail in all aspects of the exercises and is accompanied by an impressive list of support URLs for the teacher. The first two activities help students visualize a virus particle and the important points of virus replication. These exercises will engage students' imaginations and help them understand general concepts applicable to all microbes and infectious disease. The detailed descriptions of cooperative learning methods in the epidemiology module are likely to engage students with different learning styles as they work in teams to model the process of "virus hunting." I believe that the exercise is a good learning tool for grades 5 - 8. Rating: Highly Recommended
6-12
© 2010 Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Students simulate taking HIV antiretroviral drugs by using mints and Kool-Aid. They will experience how easy or difficult it is to fully adhere to a treatment program.
Activity Duration: 10 days x 15 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Neat idea for an activity. Students will obviously love the simulated "medicine." Students are responsible for journaling/charting their activity over a 10-day period. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This is a creative activity that applies to many endemic diseases (TB, for example). The activity is clear, the materials are inexpensive, and the practice of taking/interpreting data is excellent. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Students definitely gain understanding from this activity, if it is executed correctly. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 2011 National Academy of Sciences. Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. Students examine source data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and analyze the state of the HIV pandemic in several hard-hit countries. They develop an understanding of how infectious diseases can be controlled in different regions of the world given certain socio-political and economic realities.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is exceptionally well organized. It incorporates multiple skills of data analysis and graphing. The video is excellent and a good length (~8 min) for class viewing. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent activity. It covers many topics: antiretrovirals, social factors, geography, structure and genetic diversity of viruses, vaccine potential, and more. It is a well-constructed and valuable exercise. The videos are excellent, and I would be happy to use them in a college class. A few key links are not available, such as the World Bank links and http://www.who.int/hiv/countries/en/index.html, which appear to be important for data collection. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Working in teams, students search identified Web sites for basic information on HIV, the history of the virus, and misconceptions surrounding the virus. Students work together to answer questions on a review sheet that is passed from student to student. After discussing the answers, students check the back of their sheets for an X that was pre-marked on one of the sheets. This person is the carrier of a virus. Those students who wrote answers on that paper are also infected. Students draw conclusions about the spread of HIV through this simulation.
Activity Duration: 2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Overall, the activity is well thought out. Designing a poster to make people aware of the truths and falsehoods regarding the HIV virus is a great activity. This activity may be more appropriate for an afterschool science club because, although it deals with the spread and prevention of viruses, it is very specific to one virus. Standards do not generally allow for such specificity over a 2-day period. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent activity to introduce viruses, disease, and disease transmission to this age group. The lesson is well planned throughout and allows for interactions. The activity has good assessment of the success of the lesson. The CDC Web site for ages 9-13 and the BAM.gov sites should be fun for this age group. The Web references are all very appropriate. Rating: Highly recommended
6-8
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Using identified Web resources, students investigate several viruses, gaining an understanding of the distinction between a virus and a disease. Then, using paper and envelopes, they simulate the spread of viruses. A discussion helps to correct misinformation about HIV/AIDS.
Activity Duration: 2 hr 35 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Great worksheets for students to complete the lesson. Students will love the clipboard sheets. Several hours will be necessary to prep for this activity. I would not put student names on the board for the activity; I suggest assigning numbers or fake names to the participants. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent activity for introducing viruses, diseases, and disease transmission to this age group. The interactive lesson is well planned. There is a good assessment of the success of the lesson, and good discussion guidelines for the teacher. The activity and the assignment for a group to create a product to educate peers is very well thought out. The Web references are all very appropriate. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 2011 National Academy of Sciences. Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. Students study the HIV viral infection pathway in a human cell and try to determine different points where the pathway could be inhibited to prevent the spread of the infection.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very good activities with links to PBS that are excellent. Easy-to-follow plans for student work and task changing. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
I highly recommend this site. These videos are excellent. "How Do Antiretroviral Drugs Work?" has good animation and is very clear. The others are also presented very well. I would be happy to use any of these in my college classes to initiate discussions. They might serve as a review of viral strategies or as a starting point for discussion of antivirals, variation within a viral strain, or other important topics. The teacher and student information is well presented. I was not able, using the link, to access the entire PBS presentation on plague. I did find clips by going directly to www.pbs.org. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2008-2012 The Regents of the University of California. All Rights Reserved. Science & Health Education Partnership. Using a potassium hydroxide solution (KOH) in one vial and water in the others, students simulate the exchange of body fluids to discover how infectious diseases spread. Using the acid-base indicator, phenolphthalein, students discover who has been infected and try to predict the number of infections that would occur after more interactions. Students identify behaviors that increase or decrease the risk of infection.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: ~ $25 for chemicals or ~ $40 for a kit from science education vendors
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The activity requires prep time plus the purchase of the HIV Simulation Kit K105 from SEP. Good intro activity on how disease is transmitted. Worksheets are attached to trace the origin of the disease. Extension activity involves sexual activity that may be sensitive for some middle school students, so vocabulary should be reviewed. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Decent activity for microbiology; deals with sexual activity so it may not be appropriate for 7th grade students. It definitely meets microbiology standards for how disease spreads, and, like most Internet virus activities, it gives much advice on how not to get infected. A fairly limited activity, though, in terms of microbiology curriculum, so may not be worth spending a full class period on it. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent exercise. The discussion can be tailored to many age groups. I would like to see a brief explanation about germs being microbes of various kinds, and that only a small percentage of microbes are pathogens. Also, it might be nice to include a few words for the older students concerning the reason that an antibiotic regimen should always be completed. Rating: Highly recommended
11-12
© 2002 Trustees of Boston University. Regional Biotech, The University of Texas-Pan American. Using a simulated viral extract, students perform an Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay (ELISA) to screen a hypothetical patient for HIV.
Activity Duration: 5 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: The lesson is too complicated and not direct enough for curriculum use for five class periods. Rating: Not recommended.
Virologist comments:
This series of activities provides exceptional detail in the teacher's guide. The laboratory exercise would be appropriate for high school students with a good background in cell biology. It could be used with middle school students as well. One of the strongest aspects of this module is the inclusion of pre- and post- tests for assessment of student learning. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2007 Northwest Association for Biomedical Research. This unit explores the scientific and ethical issues involved in clinical HIV vaccine trials using human research participants. Students explore the life cycle, structure, and transmission of HIV. They become familiar with different types of vaccines and the challenges related to developing an HIV vaccine. Finally, students create their own hypothetical clinical trial for an HIV vaccine.
Activity Duration: 10-12 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This activity requires several hours of prep, but is a good activity that includes five lessons, assessment options, and rubrics for evaluation. Activities include many methods for presenting the material-- discussion, questioning, lecture/notes, case studies, Internet research, research and group work for presentations. This activity would work better in a health class than a science class. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This site contains a unit that addresses ethics in research and revolves around different situations where only one virus was studied. Each case study is small and does not educate the reader about the specific viruses, so it would probably have to come at the end of a microbiology course, if it is used at all. I think the topic is valid, but it's not feasible to devote 10 school days in a condensed high school curriculum to talk about such issues. This Web site has limited use, although it is well done. Rating: Not recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a most excellent curriculum on HIV, vaccines, and bioethics. The material can be adapted for various age groups. I would recommend an update of the "Understanding Vaccines" pamphlet. The material on the NIH Web site is much more current. There are also a few links I could not access. This in no way detracts from the high quality of this curriculum. Rating: Highly recommended
5-10
©2006 by the National Science Teachers Association. University of Nebraska State Museum. After being introduced to viruses, students do three activities to gain a better understanding of HIV: 1) meet HIV and make a flip book to watch the action of a virus attack; 2) investigate how HIV from a mother can evolve into new strains when it is passed on to her baby; 3) after reading HIV fact cards, create an educational poster about the virus. Used with permission: NSTA Press.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The three activities are different and can be used in different curricula. The flip-book movie is something fun that students can take with them. The activities on mutations are a little deeper. Not sure how many middle-level classrooms cover the A, G, C, U aspect of biology. But it could be modified. Part three (HIV) is probably better suited for a health classroom. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: The writing is very accessible for students and the concept levels are appropriate. Clear descriptions and activities for virus structure, virus infection, mutation. Activities easy to duplicate and inexpensive. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Great exercises demonstrating HIV evolution. I think the vaccine design exercises are especially clever. These exercises involve abstract thinking. I expect that the flip book and general information will be useful for students in grades 5-8. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 2007-2010 Tim Peters and Company, Inc. BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB. A young woman learns more about HIV after she discovers that her sister is dying of the disease.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Powerful messages that students/families can relate to. This particular comic targets life with HIV and not so much the prevention. This comic is not humorous; it's more to the point and informative. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This is a subject-intense (HIV) comic that is well presented and explains HIV infection and testing/treatment well. It would be ideal for a health class. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This comic is more drama and less fun. It targets the awareness and learning about drugs used to treat HIV disease--AIDS. However, this may have both educational and marketing purposes since it is sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Rating: Acceptable
7-12
© 2006 MSC-UPR. Biomedical Research Education Program at University of Puerto Rico. The Biomed team must try to stop the spread of the enlarged HIV that got loose from the research lab. An explanation of how HIV enters cells is incorporated into the story. Available in Spanish.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: If HIV is part of your science curriculum, this is a great activity. Because it is in a PDF file, it can be viewed though a projector. The vocabulary is perfect for a middle-level student. There is some humor mixed in with the science. This will also fit in a health curriculum. Reading the comics and doing the activities will take more than 15-30 minutes, in my opinion. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This comic is entertaining, but has a number of embedded advanced concepts that require prior knowledge by the student, including: difference between DNA and RNA, CD4 lymphocytes, connection between blood and HIV, and virus structure. Also contains a number of misspellings and word misuse (e.g., your for you're). Rating: Questionable
Virologist comments:
This comic is of high quality. It is an excellent tool for children to learn about HIV. It is fun and informative. This comic also includes useful definitions and other fun activities to promote learning. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 1998 WGBH. A SCIENCE ODYSSEY. ON THE EDGE. Doctor Ho explains how HIV operates inside the body and how the cocktail of drugs works to slow down the disease.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Students will find the conversations between the characters funny and interesting. The "rapper" style interview with a research scientist is sure to catch the students' attention. Quick and to the point. A good activity if your curriculum is covering new HIV treatments. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Generally clear graphics and language deliver a valid explanation of how HIV works inside the human body. Also a good explanation of combination drug therapy is presented. May cause reading/deciphering problems for younger or less-skilled readers. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This comic refers to Dr. David Ho, a famous AIDS researcher. It uses "hip hop" to reach children at this level, which is a good strategy. The graphic quality is average. It is a fun learning tool about HIV and AIDS. Rating: Acceptable
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore HIV through a riveting graphic story about aliens who visit Earth in search of a cure for AIDS. Embedded in this graphic story are interactive learning activities which explore the biology of HIV and the world distribution of people living with HIV since 1990. Open the HIV to see inside and learn about the parts. This App includes an essay and radio documentary.
Activity Duration:
Cost:
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Really terrific embedded modules in comic show biohazard lab levels, equipment use, HIV virus morphology
Virologist comments:
Coming soon
7-12
© 2011, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. Alien visitors to a depopulated Earth seek cells from HIV-resistant survivors in order to save their own species.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a good format to explain HIV virus mechanisms and morphology. The drawings and scenario help elaborate concepts that might be much more challenging to show in other formats, like lecture or text. Rating: Highly recommended.
Virologist comments:
The content is highly entertaining. It should have broad appeal to the general public, including K-12 students. The scientific content and presentation is excellent. Rating: Highly recommended.
6-10
© 2010 Baylor College of Medicine. BioEd: The Science of Microbes. This Web-based magazine introduces microbes and explains how they are transmitted and how the body defends itself against them. It gives a brief history of past epidemics, then explores the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the technology used to study viruses, and careers in science and medicine.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Awesome magazine that will fit into middle school science for virus, bacteria, and disease transmission. Great use of color, diverse people are represented in the pictures, and it's very appealing to middle school students. The reading level is appropriate for middle school readers. It could also be used in a health class. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: It's a great magazine to use during any microbiology unit whether it is 6th or 10th grade. Hits nearly all standards dealing with infection, virus-host relationships, vaccines, antibiotics, and prevention. Very appealing magazine, fun to read, and even has a section that encourages continued learning in microbiology. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
These files are excellent supplemental materials for the classroom. They will serve to stimulate many important discussions. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 1994 to 2011, Quill Graphics. Explore HIV infection at the cellular level. Diagrams and simple animations show a series of steps from initial attachment of a viral particle to a lymphocyte through budding of new viruses from that cell.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Cells Alive! is a great site, and this activity is another example of that. The diagrams and animation are clear with clickable links. Really good tool for explaining reverse transcription. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Rating: Acceptable
7-12
Northwest Association for Biomedical Research. Licensed under Creative Commons. This Web-based image explores the scientific challenges faced by researchers in developing an HIV vaccine.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Great visual to explore why it is so hard to make a vaccine for HIV. Easy to manipulate the diagram and provides six short tutorials on various places on the cells. The site uses higher-level vocabulary that may not be consistent with middle school reading levels. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Great activity to use after learning about vaccines. Students may not understand why we cannot "cure" HIV; therefore this animation does a great job of explaining why. Curriculum relevant only due to its being an extension of the study of vaccines. The site has a very attractive animation. It's probably not appropriate for middle school students because the important info has to do with reverse transcriptase. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This animation does not offer interaction. Rather than giving an understanding of the multifactorial basis for difficulties in vaccine development, this site gives an overview of the HIV life cycle. If presented to students as a small part of a virology teaching module, it may be adequate. Rating: Questionable
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore HIV through a riveting graphic story about aliens who visit Earth in search of a cure for AIDS. Embedded in this graphic story are interactive learning activities that explore the biology of HIV and the world distribution, since 1990, of people living with HIV. Open the virus to see inside and learn about the parts. This app includes an essay and 30-minute radio documentary.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: free from the App Store
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Really terrific embedded modules in comic show biohazard lab levels, equipment use, HIV virus morphology--all explained and interactive. Explanation of HIV infection is very clearly diagrammed and captioned. Exceptional lesson on retrovirus/host cell interactions. This has particular appeal for students interested in "extraterrestrial" scenarios and biohazard labs. A definite bonus for my class! Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: Nice job of explaining how a retrovirus works. Kids need to understand DNA structure and function before they will understand this. I like the economic aspects since cross-curricular methods always make it more relevant for kids. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
The radio documentary gives a good perspective of efforts to educate around the world about safe sex and prevention. The success of antiviral vaginal gel, announced recently, was tempered by the realities of South Africa, and the high percentage of infected people. Students will benefit from learning about the challenges that have slowed vaccine development. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2011, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. A graphic story about how human papillomavirus (HPV) attacks the body and creates runaway infection. This is the story of Dede, an Indonesian fisherman, and the HPV that turns him into The Terrible Tree-man! Read about his transformation through the help of an American doctor, who discovers that Dede’s warts are due to an HPV infection, and who treats him by boosting his immune system.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The HPV might be a little more "attention-getting" to middle-level students. Definitely scary/gory artwork/story. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Excellent explanation of HPV in well-organized graphic version. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a great comic, based on the true story, to educate about HPV. The plot covers the significant biological properties of HPV very well. The graphic is excellent. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© SOGC 2009. Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Through a series of questions, students gain knowledge of HPV, how to prevent it, and how it is transmitted.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The game is loaded with HPV content. Presented in a student-friendly manner. This game is a nice reinforcement or introduction activity. Probably best suited for a health classroom. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This is a targeted education activity to inform adolescents about HPV. It moves fast and supplies good information that is easily understood by average readers. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
The HPV Challenge is an excellent educational tool, which uses a flash animation quiz to test the user's knowledge. The content is scientifically accurate to an acceptable extent. The final question seems to imply that the vaccine would protect against all High Risk HPVs, and this is simply not yet the case. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore HPV biology through a graphic story. Learn how HPV attacks the body and creates a runaway infection. This is based on the true story of Dede, an Indonesian fisherman, who was transformed into the Tree-Man by HPV. An American doctor discovers the cause of Dede’s illness and proposes a cure. Learn about HPV transmission, prevention, and risk factors by playing an interactive card game. Download “Attack of the P Virus” and discover entertaining and quirky facts about HPV. Open the virus to see inside and learn about the parts. This app includes an essay and 30-minute radio documentary.
Activity Duration: 60-75 min
Cost: free from the App Store
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very interesting radio documentaries with real-life applications make this module particularly applicable to adolescents. This activity would work in biology, anatomy, physiology, and health classes. Good explanation of virus penetration into the human system and subsequent reprogramming of cellular reproductive mechanisms. Great connections with real life and current issues. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: The mutation that caused Dede's immunodeficiency is interesting as a real example of what a mutation can do. I like that the comic is about the balance a virus needs to achieve with its host--i.e., it is not good for the virus if the host dies. Great factoid is "more viruses than visible stars." Radio program has a nice discussion on the effect of viruses on naive hosts. Nice detail about smoking increasing risk factors. Gardasil info is outdated since it says it is approved for females. The comic fits the evolution standard. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
The comic had a fun edge, which will likely be popular with high school students. My favorite part of this activity is the radio spot, "HPV and Men," which suggests (contrary to some strategies for vaccination against HPV) that young men and boys as well as young women and girls should be vaccinated. This is consistent with widely accepted theories of herd immunity. I think that this information in general might be good to introduce to students at a younger age, in order to help foster a better understanding of vaccination among the next generation of parents. Rating: Highly recommended
6-8
© 1998 WGBH. A SCIENCE ODYSSEY. ON THE EDGE. This comic, set in 1954, describes a child in an iron lung, Dr. Salk’s and Dr. Sabin’s vaccines, and how the polio vaccine works.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This comic/story not only explains how vaccines work, but also the history of polio. The font and illustrations could be larger. Due to its size, students might need individual computers to be able to read the comic. Not sure what it will look like through a projected view. This activity/lesson best suits a health curriculum. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This comic refers to the famous Dr. Salk and Dr. Sabin who first developed successful polio vaccines. It educates about the fundamental principle of how a vaccine works, or basic immunology. The graphic quality is average. It is a fun learning tool. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Students explore the local and global impact of rabies, learn about prevention and treatment of the disease, and share this information with their school through a poster.
Activity Duration: 4 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Decent activity with a high interest component. Not particularly attractive visually. The PDF gives between 10 and 15 relevant sites to visit, a pre-test and post-test, and a handful of case studies--all in text form. The recommendations given to the teacher are generic but can easily be followed. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This Web site provides links to CDC, WHO, NIH, and other organizations' sites about rabies. The linked sites are informative and reflect current and accurate knowledge. A major strength of this site is the offering of a pre-test for assessment of students' understanding, a rubric to guide instructors, educational pamphlets, and detailed methods for students and teachers. The online material from CDC is central to this activity. Rating: Highly recommended
4-8
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP). Through a series of questions, students learn what rabies is and how they could get the disease. They discover how to tell if an animal has rabies, and what to do if an animal bites you. There is an opportunity for students to test their memory with an online quiz.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent way for students to learn about rabies. All the information needed is presented in an easy-to-navigate format. I could see a teacher making up a "scavenger hunt" for information and letting students surf the site to complete it. This activity is best suited for an upper elementary to lower middle-level audience. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Great presentation of content to grades 4-8. Rating: Recommended
9-12
© 2011 by The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California. This site explains how scientists reconstructed the evolutionary history of the SARS virus in order to better understand emerging diseases. Discussion questions are provided.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very effective teaching tool for more abstract evolution concepts. Only one link does not work ("Economist" article), and the extensions are useful and interesting. Great information for students about evolution in general, and microbe evolution in particular. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
I would recommend this as a teaching resource, as someone reading it needs some science background to follow it. It is also a bit dated (2006). Its strongest point (and its primary goal) is that the Web site provides a good discussion of viral evolution basics. Rating: Recommended
4-8
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Follow the investigators to track down SARS and where it spread.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The activity is basically "information only." Teachers could set up a fact-finding scavenger hunt to encourage students to navigate and read through all four parts of the site. Excellent information on the SARS outbreak and how it was discovered and dealt with, and how it relates to other infectious diseases. The Web site is well organized and easy to navigate. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
"Stalking SARS" provides information about how the CDC functions following the identification of an emerging epidemic. The information is organized in a straightforward question-and-answer format and should be easy to understand. Additional information is also available through links placed throughout the Web site. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 2010 Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. Traveling Viruses is part of a larger curriculum unit, which explores Lyme disease and West Nile virus. In Traveling Viruses, students simulate disease transmission with a sodium carbonate solution. To carry it a step further, they simulate the natural world, with half the class representing birds and the other half mosquitoes. This helps students develop an understanding of how birds, mosquitoes, and the West Nile virus are related.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: ~ $20 for chemicals
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Good intro to how disease is spread. Activity involves some prep (e.g., making a solution) and requires phenolphthalein and making copies of supplemental note materials. I would not put student names on a chart for the activity; I'd rather assign numbers or fake names to the participants. This activity could lead to further discussions or research on the transmission of diseases. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: The entire unit is laid out very well with tons of great info for teachers, especially those teaching in science focus programs. The Traveling Viruses activity is a great application activity, but probably not dense enough for most biology or middle school curricula. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a good resource for teachers. There are, however, some small errors that need corrections. The link for the CDC maps of the spread of West Nile virus is no longer available. Rating: Acceptable
6-8
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Acting as entomologists, students investigate increased mosquito activity and the possibility of West Nile virus transmission in a fictional community. They present the fictional community with ways to prevent infection.
Activity Duration: 3-4 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Several hours will be necessary to prep this lesson, including making copies, reviewing the questions/answers, and reviewing Web sites for information. Copies are included for pre-test, case studies, presentation guidelines, and rubrics for grading. This activity would be better in a health class rather than a science class. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
This is an excellent activity on West Nile viruses. The video, pre-test, and case study are clear and well presented. The CDC references are excellent, and the students have all the information available to make the poster and presentation. Rating: Highly recommended
11-12
SAFER·HEALTHIER·PEOPLE™, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. Excellence in Curriculum Innovation through Teaching Epidemiology and the Science of Public Health (EXCITE). Students develop a prevention plan for an American Indian reservation that is experiencing a new occurrence of West Nile virus infection, while considering the cultural and environmental implications relevant to this population.
Activity Duration: 3-4 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a high-level and time-consuming activity. It would be excellent in a gifted or AP classroom. There are terrific connections between pure biology and public health. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This is an advanced and lengthy lesson. Lots of materials. It is well designed. Students will learn extensively about WNV from this activity. Rating: Recommended
10-12
Columbia University’s Summer Research Program for Science Teachers. Acting as epidemiologists, students investigate facts related to a fictitious outbreak of West Nile virus and then pose various hypotheses about its origin. They present their hypotheses and an action plan to the Board of Health (represented by the teacher).
Activity Duration: 2-3 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: A decent case study that could be adapted to match different regions. Shows students where they can find epidemiological information online and how to organize such info into a hypothesis. Not a particularly creative activity, but could be something a microbiology teacher could use. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
The concept of this exercise is good. Unfortunately, three of the four Web sites are inactive, and without them there is insufficient information. Of the Day 2 references, only the USGS reference is in operation, but it is a good one. The Web site www.westnilevirus.com does not appear to exist any longer. Rating: Acceptable
5-8
© Montana State University 2006. Burns Technology Center at MSU-Bozeman. In this interactive scientific mystery, students choose the direction the story takes and make decisions that influence the outcome of the story. Students learn about West Nile virus and other insect-borne diseases, as well as human health, migratory birds, and wetlands habitat.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent scientific mystery. Students will be hooked with the story and the characters. The "options" buttons help make students feel like they are actually involved in the case. A lot of reading; might be difficult for students with lower reading levels. Teachers could maybe pair up students and the passages could be read out loud. Great site. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
An online comic book basically. No serious errors, but little interaction and little real chance to solve a mystery compared to other programs. Rating: Acceptable
10-12
© 2008 Elizabeth Lindsey, Emory University and Gerda Louizi, North Springs High School. Creating Active Student Engagement in the Sciences (CASES Online), Emory University. This case uses a real-world article to emphasize the reality of the flu and the importance of mastering a basic understanding of biology and science. Through research and panel discussions, students learn about the genetic makeup and transmission of viruses, and describe host specificity.
Activity Duration: 4-5 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very well organized. Open-ended student investigation of all aspects of avian influenza and Spanish flu (1918). Good connections with STS (Science, Technology, and Society). Excellent teacher and student materials. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Students conduct research into the 1918 pandemic and discuss the findings themselves. There is a link from this activity to NOVA ScienceNOW that was really good and that could maybe be shown to classes. Rating: Highly recommended
10-12
© 2012 National Academy of Sciences. Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. Through a WebQuest, students become experts in different research areas, finding answers to questions about avian influenza. Then they pool their knowledge with other students to put together a public awareness campaign.
Activity Duration: 3 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Well thought-out activity that asks students to work in groups and create a service announcement about modern-day pandemic flus using data from earlier outbreaks. The students are well directed in this assignment and the provided Web sites are useful. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This is a very useful exercise to generate discussion of influenza public-health issues. Under "Researcher No. 1" there is a reference to a blog whose writer could not be identified; therefore it is not a credible resource. Rating: Recommended
9-12
NESCent (National Evolutionary Synthesis Center). Licensed under Creative Commons. Through a game modeling a viral infection, students discover that viruses do not infect cells randomly and that it is possible for viruses to avoid detection by the immune system. Students explore viral structures and how the virus replicates by building their own influenza virus.
Activity Duration: 2-3 hr
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Good activity. Wisc.edu link no longer operational, as is "Avida" site. Good organization and content. A number of links are dead. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
Great influenza life-cycle animation. The activity spans 2-3 days and seems heavy for a general biology class. The "gotcha" activity at the beginning is a more general activity and appropriate for many classes. Rating: Recommended
6-12
© 1996-2011 WGBH Educational Foundation. Students perform a sequence of six short simulations to model how an infectious disease can spread through a human population; then they graphically represent the data generated from the simulations. Students discuss the risks associated with biological hazards, such as viruses, and explain ways that infectious disease can be prevented, controlled, or cured.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: All in one lesson. Complete with objective, materials list, procedure, vocab list and assessment. Activity involves many aspects of science including problem solving, collecting data, graphing, and inquiry. This activity might need to be split up over two or three days. I don't see it fitting in one class period. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Excellent glossary, student handouts, teacher materials. Good application of exponential spread. Really easy to use and informative for teacher. Could use video, but do not have to. (Vocabulary too high for middle school.) Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Excellent advanced exercise that explores stages of an epidemic as well as how preventive measures (vaccination) can affect numbers of people infected. Rating: Highly recommended
6-12
© 1996-2011 WGBH Educational Foundation. In a short online video, scientists contrast the ways bird flu and human flu spread. Students simulate the spread of a virus using colored stickers and develop a sense of the numbers of people affected by the 1918 flu. Students make avian and human influenza A virus models and then infect a model lung cell to make a hybrid virus that has some avian and some human RNA segments and surface proteins.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: The NOVA video clip, making sense of the numbers involved in disease spreading, is excellent. The perfect length to get and keep students' attention without losing them. The activity that follows is a little too in-depth for a middle-level student. It would be a good activity for a high school student or as an enrichment activity for a middle-level student. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: Great teacher/student materials--ready to use, and inexpensive to duplicate. Video currently available online at no cost. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Good hands-on activity with inexpensive materials. Students will learn well not only about how the flu virus is different from other viruses, but also about the extensive biology of the flu virus. Rating: Recommended
9-10
© Copyright Science upd8, UK. After a classroom discussion about the flu pandemic of 1918 and the avian flu of 2005, students take on the role of medical and scientific advisers to the government, suggesting how to control the spread of avian flu.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Great activity that includes inquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, sharing, etc. Bird flu (2005) is still recent enough; it's relevant, and students can relate to it. An excellent addition to a lesson. Images are large, clear, and well organized. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: I was able to get a PDF and a word doc, but neither was terribly helpful, and the links for resources were old. Avian flu is important, but may not have the same attraction as H1N1. Rating: Questionable
Virologist comments:
This is a good one-day classroom activity. It brings social and political issues into the learning process as students are asked to make recommendations to the government about bird flu. Rating: Recommended
6-10
© Copyright Science upd8, UK. Students develop their math skills to appreciate the value of immunization. In a numeracy activity, they compare the death tolls in vaccinated and non-vaccinated populations.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Excellent activity showing effectiveness of immunizations. Images are clear and visible. Group activity will allow students with lower math ability to participate as well. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This has colored poster sheets that are interesting but will be expensive to provide. It is basically an outline that requires significant teacher expertise and has higher-level vocabulary. Bird flu is important, but for current students it's "old news." Rating: Questionable
Virologist comments:
Helps students calculate the number of people who could die during a pandemic. Also shows importance of vaccination. The calculations are done with and without populations being vaccinated. Rating: Highly recommended
6-9
© Copyright Science upd8, UK. In this simulation students learn how pandemics spread and why a virus may be dangerous to humans.
Activity Duration: 5 days x 15 min
Cost: cost of supplies
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: "PiggiFlu" looks like a fun activity if you can get the kids to buy in. There is a lot of trust, assumptions, and gray areas (distances, contact, etc.) that have to be followed. Especially when there is "free time" around the room or when the activity falls over multiple days. If you know your students, and this seems like something they can handle, it is a great activity. The table tents are clear and well organized and the badges are a nice addition. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This site has interesting material, but the activity requires color duplication and expensive materials (UV dye). It would be a nice once-a-year activity, but is time consuming and has a limited message. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
All of the upd8 activities are very good scientifically. This is particularly good for teaching concepts of viral transmission and mortality rates. Some of this activity may be difficult to do on a whole-school level as advised. Rating: Recommended
9-12
© 2011 by The University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, and the Regents of the University of California. This news brief from November of 2005 describes the threat of avian flu. A discussion of how viruses evolve is followed by news updates from August 2008 and July 2009. Discussion questions follow the article.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Great diagram of influenza evolution! "Read it" links require payment--okay if school has subscription services. Really useful reading material. Students need a substantial vocabulary. Rating: Acceptable
Virologist comments:
Content appears to be accurate EXCEPT for the electron micrograph of H5N1, which appears as a filamentous or rod-shaped virus particle. Rating: Acceptable
5-10
© MEDIKIDZ LIMITED 2009. Jasmine contracts swine flu and doesn’t understand why. A journey to Mediland–a distant planet whose geography and inhabitants bear a striking resemblance to the human body–reveals how the virus invades the body and how the immune system fights back.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: $11.99
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Swine flu is likely still a hot topic among students. This really addresses facts and myths. Does a good job following the path of a virus to the end (or no end). A good supplement. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: Really good analogies/descriptions of virus structures and evolution (birds, pigs, humans). Colorful and appealing. Probably will work for accelerated 5th graders, but generally contains high concept levels. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
A great comic to teach children about biology of the influenza virus, how to contract it and therefore prevent it, and about the body's immune system. There are fun characters leading the readers to step-by-step learning with interest. This comic is able to explain complicated topics in a simple way, which is suited for children and even for parents and general public. Rating: Highly recommended
7-12
© 2011, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. A pathologist visits a cemetery in Alaska to look for tissue samples from victims of the 1918 flu pandemic that might help him develop a vaccine. A mysterious woman tells him a terrifying story about a shape-shifting chimera who infected and then devastated the villagers.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: "Frozen Horror" is a great history lesson as well as an informative way of introducing a pandemic. The story is easy to follow with not a lot of characters to confuse kids. The paperless PDF format will work great in a lab setting or can be printed for supplemental work for individual students. Rating: Recommended
High school teacher: This comic is an excellent way to tell the story of the 1918 pandemic, how viral mutation in pigs and ducks generates human disease, and how we reconstructed the genome of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Great plot to educate about the influenza virus as it is traced historically. It is interesting to read, although there is not much information about biology of the influenza virus other than the concept of changing hosts among humans, pigs, and birds. However, I expect the readers at this level to gain the curiosity that will move them to the next step--pursuing other educational tools about the influenza virus, which are abundantly available. Rating: Highly recommended
4-12
Science Museum of Minnesota. Students learn to identify bacteria, viruses, and parasites, discover ways our bodies fight off disease, navigate a timeline of infectious diseases, and explore images in a microbe gallery. The Quiz Show (Activity 3) tests students’ knowledge about basic flu facts. In Predict the Flu (Activity 10) students design a flu vaccine, then watch a brief animation that depicts the development of this vaccine.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: This is an excellent site! It would be a great way to introduce students to the facts about the flu as well as vaccines and how they work. Informational and fun at the same time. Could be used in a computer lab setting (headphones would be good) or in a classroom/group setting with a projector. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: Excellent background on how vaccine is made. Great short quiz on how influenza is spread. Very good at addressing constructive learning. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This site is well done and lots of fun. It is a good introduction for kids to the world of microbes. Rating: Highly recommended
4-12
Produced for Channel 4 and the Wellcome Trust by Oil Productions and Player Three © 2008. MINICLIP PLAY ONLINE GAMES. The consequences of allowing the flu to spread are illustrated in this interactive simulation intended to inform people of the measures that help prevent further spread of the flu.
Activity Duration: 15-30 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: Students will want to play this game. Not a lot of educational value from it. Would be a nice way to reward students for completion/achievement of a related assignment/assessment. Could be used as an enrichment activity in a computer lab if there is extra time. Not sure if it's worth a trip to the computer lab. It sure is fun at first, but students will want to stray very quickly. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: Very engaging game--includes great public health lessons. Good illustration of aerial virus transmission. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
Not very informative but it does allow kids to figure out how the virus travels from person to person. Rating: Acceptable
6-12
U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center. Learn about different flu strains and the difficulties of immunization with the “Pick the Flu” game.
Activity Duration: < 15 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
Middle school teacher: "Pick the Flu" leaves a lot to be desired. If anything, it diminishes the value of the flu shot. It does enlighten students to the fact that there are many different flu strains. It also explains why we haven't been able to find a "cure" for the flu. This activity will bore students pretty early. Not worth a trip to a computer lab. It would be a nice addition to a lesson if used on a SmartBoard/Promethean board. Rating: Acceptable
High school teacher: This is a short activity that demonstrates flu math. The variable possibilities of the different H genes combined with the different N genes give students an idea of the challenge of formulating the correct vaccine in any given year. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
I didn't like this game because it wanted the player to pick which H and N could combine and infect people. Even though all 16 H and 9 N were available to pick, in reality, there are very few combinations that actually infect people. It was misleading in that it appeared that all combinations could be infectious to people. Rating: Questionable
9-12
©Australian Academy of Sciences. NOVA Science in the News. Students learn about the swine flu and vaccines. They test their knowledge with the online swine flu quiz.
Activity Duration: 1-2 hr
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very nice-looking reading assignment on how a pandemic-flu vaccine is made. Very important topic for future voters. High-quality visuals in the reading. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
This site has a large amount of science content that should be useful to K - 12 science educators. The contents are described in enough detail for advanced students to potentially understand the theory behind vaccination. Rating: Recommended
9-12
© 2011, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Explore the influenza virus through a graphic story about a scientist who travels to a remote village in Alaska to retrieve frozen samples that contain the dreaded 1918 pandemic influenza strain. Embedded in this graphic story are interactive learning activities that explore the biology of influenza and its many strains. Open the influenza virus to see inside and learn about the parts. This app includes an essay and 30-minute radio documentary.
Activity Duration: 1 hr
Cost: free from the App Store
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: Very well-told story about the influenza pandemic of 1918. Good connections with bird/pig gene reassortment told in an engaging fashion. Excellent connections with agriculture. Well related to current issues in the news. Great RNA information and influenza history. Rating: Highly recommended
High school teacher: I had a bit of trouble with the H/N dial. I like "tap the questions" in "Many Strains." I also like comparing the "trees," which provided nice practice for what common ancestry means. The detail in the text about the eight viral genes is pretty interesting since it clarifies how simple influenza virus is. "Fittest" doesn't have to mean "most complex." There are nice cross-curricular details. I also like the economic aspects of H1N1. Rating: Highly recommended
Virologist comments:
I like the imaginative approach used for this activity. The story line will catch the attention of students, and the segment where students are invited to "spin the dial" to discover new H#N# designations was useful. I believe that students in grades 9-12 will make the connection between the "creature" and the sources of influenza. The radio documentary might be clarified by indicating that the "current" pandemic actually refers to the 2009 H1N1 "novel flu" pandemic. Great content using the example of a college student who is diagnosed and quarantined. The explanation of surveillance programs and the livestock industry was very effective. Rating: Highly recommended
9-12
© 2009 video stock: science view. Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands. As the leader of the World Pandemic Control, your mission is to prevent a pandemic. You can implement a variety of strategies to try to save the world, including assigning research teams, closing schools and markets, finding a vaccine, and distributing antiviral medicine–and you also have a limited budget to work with.
Activity Duration: 30-60 min
Cost: free
Standards:
Teacher comments:
High school teacher: This is a pretty interesting Web game. It took forever to load on my connection and might need a cable connection. Not sure that it would work in a classroom, but would be good for after school or at home. Good info; intriguing format. Rating: Recommended
Virologist comments:
This game is a good idea, but it was difficult to play. I couldn't really find any instructions, but I'm not a gamer, so I might have missed it. Rating: Acceptable
