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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
