Download Classroom Activity – Disease Transmission

Classroom Activity – Disease Transmission
Grade Level: Science 5, Heath Science 20
Time Duration: 2 or more lesson periods
Description:
Students explore the ways that diseases are transferred in both animals and humans.
Overview:
In this lesson students will have a kinetic experience of the ways that disease can transfer. They will be acting out
pathogen transfer and will gain an understanding of disease transfer. Students will gain an understanding of the issues
that health care professions (doctors, nurses etc.) and people in the food industry (farmers, producers, manufactures
etc.) need to recognize in order to stop the spread of certain diseases.
Science Curriculum Outcomes
Outcomes
Student Learning
Science 5 Life Science - Human Body Systems
Analyze personal and societal requirements I can;
for, and impacts of, maintaining a healthy
- Understand the role of skin in maintaining a
human body.
healthy body
- Research how the body’s defenses work to fight
infections
- Describe tools used to support person health
- Understand the uses of materials (such as soap)
and equipment (such as personal safety
equipment) to keep people safe
Health Science 20 – Human Body
Investigate various pathologies, ailments,
and their effects on cells, tissues, organs,
and systems of healthy humans.
I can;
-
Recognize the importance of interpreting
diagnostic findings to support treatment
options.
I can;
-
-
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Differentiate among words to describe
pathologies and use terms such as disease,
illness, ailment, infection and medical condition
Recognize the connection between a person’s
lifestyle and the human immune system
Identify possible causes and prevention of a
pathology that can affect the body
Retain knowledge of tools and procedures used
to assist health care providers in the treatment
options of a specific pathogen
Simulate a case study which interprets
diagnostic results and be able to choose a course
of action
Describe treatments for various contagious
illnesses
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Introduction:
Discuss what causes illness. Review the ways that we can help keep ourselves safe from germs (hand washing, covering
our mouths with arms while coughing, etc.). Review global examples of illness and the public’s response to health crises
situations. Have a group discussion leading with these questions:
What are germs?
How do we “catch” a cold?
What are some myths or common beliefs around the spread of illness?
How to farmers keep their animals safe from disease?
To promote further discussion have students take part in a short game to show direct contact disease transmission.
Spreading the Disease Game
In this game, students are asked to wander around the room shaking hands with various students.
1. Select one student to secretly pretend to be infected by a disease. Instructed the student to squeeze the other
participants hand while shaking hands.
2. Once your hand is squeezed, you are also infected with the disease and must squeeze others hands when you shake
their hand.
3. This can be done quickly, even with a 30 second or one minute time limit. After about 30 seconds, ask the students
if they had their hand squeeze, if so they have been infected by the disease.
4. To conclude, relate this game to other situations such as public places where washing hands is important or on
farms with animals. Animals on a farm may be contained in close quarters and can spread disease through direct
contact. This occurs even when an animal does not yet show symptoms. If the animal showed symptoms, it would
be separated from the herd or flock for treatment.
Materials: none
Germs Activity – Disease Transmission
In this activity a product called Glo-Germ is used to illustrate germ transmission on objects and hands. Glo-Germ is a
liquid that can be rubbed on to hands or objects like a lotion. It contains plastic that simulates germs. When a UV lamp
is used to illuminate the area, it highlights the area where the Glo Germ is spread. By passing around objects that have
been covered in Glo-Germ, it is easy to see how pathogens can be transmitted.
1. Prior to activity, place Glo-Germ on objects that will be passed around by the students. Good examples are
Frisbees, Nerf balls, plastic toys or clean tooth brushes.
2. Begin the lesson by asking students questions about germs as the objects are passed around. Do not tell the
students that there is Glo-Germ on the objects.
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What are germs?
How are germs spread?
Are all germs harmful?
How can we reduce the germs we have on us?
How quickly can germs spread?
When you sneeze how fast your germs are moving? (80 MP/H)
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3. Once each student has passed the objects to one another, explain to them that the objects have a special
coating on it that simulates how easily germs can spread.
4. Turn off all the lights. Turn on the UV light and have students examine their hands. Ask the students to examine
what is glowing, and what parts of their hands are glowing.
5. Have a group discussion on effective ways to reduce germs, and the importance of washing their hands. This
activity illustrates how easy germs can spread.
Discussion can include:
o Where are some of the places in your school that may have the most germs?
o What other common places may have a lot of germs?
o What is the most common way to be infected with germs? Are you more likely to catch then from
another person who is already infected?
o What are some common diseases/germs we can catch from other people?
Materials: Glo-Germ, UV Flashlight or lamp, objects that can be passed around (pens, book, toys, Frisbee, balls)
Food Borne Illness Activity
For this activity, students will work in groups and role play to determine the transmission of a particular food borne
pathogen.
1. Start by dividing the students into groups. In their groups, have students draw food maps to illustrate how they
think their food is processed, moving from the farm to their plate. The food items can be predetermined such as
what they had for breakfast or lunch.
2. Have groups discuss how their food is processed based on the maps they drew.
Food processing is the transformation of raw food ingredients into other forms of food.
Foods are processed for many reasons:
o Pasteurizing, Fermenting, Pickling and Smoking – makes food last longer without spoiling
o Additives - changes flavour or form by mixing ingredients, adding flavors and colours, or molding
foods into shapes
o Reducing preparation time – convenience foods, bottled drinks, cereal bars, and frozen foods
o Increasing nutrient content– adding vitamins or minerals to fortify foods
o Removing possible pathogens - processing techniques, such as fermenting, adding salt, or
drying, make food safer to eat by destroying toxins and eliminating possible pathogens
3. At this point, divide the groups up into “patients” and “doctors”. Each role will have different goals. The
doctor’s role will be to determine what illness their patients have and where it came from. The role of the
patients is to respond to questions and act out their simulated symptoms.
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Doctors
The doctor group is given a list of diseases (see Illness Chart found in the resource section). This chart is a list
with specific illness, signs and symptoms and if the illness could come from a possible food source.
The doctors work as a group to make up questions they will ask their patients to be able to diagnose what their
patients’ illness might be. Doctors will hypothesize once learning the symptoms, what the patient is suffering
from.
Question examples:
How do you feel?
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What have you ate recently?
What are your symptoms?
When did you start to feel this way?

Patients
The patients group will provide the doctors with symptoms and answer the doctors’ questions. If the doctors ask
them questions they do not know the answer to, the patients will respond with either “no” or “unsure”. The
patient group will follow the symptoms provided on the Patient Chart, which can be found in the resource
section.
4. Once all the questions have been asked, the doctors will come together and attempt to diagnose the patients.
Allow for some group discussion and hypothesizing before revealing the illness and cause.
5.
The illnesses were caused by each patient either eating or coming into contact with spinach that contracted E.
Coli due to manure used in its growing process. Proper care wasn’t taken in its preparation, since it was not
washed properly before it was served and eaten. This demonstrates how difficult it can be to discover the root
of a pathogen and diagnose an illness. It also shows how easily germs can spread through food.
6. Conclusion: Like animals, when humans are sick we don’t always have the symptoms that exactly match the
disease’s usual symptoms. It is important to observe the person or animal as a whole and not just the symptoms
that are present. By looking at all the factors, you may be able to detect an illness. By only looking at the
symptoms it is easy for misdiagnosis to occur.
Extension Activity: Have students research other food borne illnesses using true case studies from newspaper
articles or online forums.
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Examine the external factors, not just the symptoms
Is this something that can spread quickly? What precautions should be taken?
Is it something they ate, came into contact with etc - - As you guys from the Glo-Germ that germs can spread
quickly
If animals are sick, how do veterinarians diagnose them?
Was it easy to diagnose the patients?
Was it obvious what the diagnosis was?
What can be done as a preventive measure to try and keep others from getting sick?
Materials: Copies of the illness chart for the doctors, copies of the patients charts
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Illness Chart
Common Name
of Illness
Onset Time
After
Ingesting
B. cereus food
poisoning
Botulism
10-16 hrs
Perfringens food
8–16 hours
Cyclosporiasis
1-14 days,
usually at
least 1 week
E. coli infection
(Travelers
Diarrhea)
Hemorrhagic
colitis (E. Coli H7
Infection)
1-3 days
Hepatitis
28 days
average (1550 days)
Listeriosis
Salmonellosis
9-48 hrs for
gastrointestinal
2-6 weeks
for invasive
disease
6-48 hours
Gluten Intolerant
1-4 hours
Gallstones
1-4 hours
Appendicitis
Variable
12-72 hours
1-8 days
Signs & Symptoms
Duration
Food Sources
Abdominal cramps, watery
diarrhea, nausea
Vomiting, diarrhea, blurred
vision, double vision, difficulty
in swallowing, muscle
weakness. Can result in
respiratory failure and death
Intense abdominal cramps,
watery diarrhea
24-48 hours
Meats, stews, gravies, vanilla sauce
Variable
Improperly canned foods, especially homecanned vegetables, fermented fish, baked
potatoes in aluminum foil
Usually 24
Hours
Diarrhea (usually watery), loss
of appetite, substantial loss of
weight, stomach cramps,
nausea, vomiting, fatigue
Watery diarrhea, abdominal
cramps, some vomiting
May relapse
over weeks to
months
Meats, poultry, gravy, dried or precooked
foods, time and/or temperature-abused
foods
Various types of fresh produce (imported
berries, lettuce, basil etc.)
3-7 days +
Water or food contaminated with feces
Severe (often bloody)
diarrhea, abdominal pain and
vomiting. Usually, little or no
fever is present. Can lead to
kidney failure.
Diarrhea, dark urine, jaundice,
and flu-like symptoms, (i.e.,
fever, headache, nausea, and
abdominal pain)
Fever, muscle aches, and
nausea or diarrhea
5-10 days
Undercooked beef (especially hamburger),
unpasteurized milk and juice, raw fruits and
vegetables (e.g. sprouts), and contaminated
water
Variable, 2
weeks-3 months
Raw produce, contaminated drinking water,
uncooked foods, cooked foods that are not
reheated after contact with an infected food
handler; shellfish from contaminated waters
Unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses made with
unpasteurized milk, ready-to-eat deli meats
Diarrhea, fever, abdominal
cramps, vomiting
4-7 days
bloated and gassy,
experiencing abdominal pain,
diarrhea, & abdominal
cramping
bloated and gassy; and
experiencing abdominal pain,
abdominal cramping, fever
More Likely to occur in
females
Loss of appetite, nausea,
vomiting, fever, swelling
1-3 Days
5
Variable
Eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or
juice, cheese, contaminated raw fruits and
vegetables
Pasta, cookies, beer, crackers, muffins,
imitation fish
1-3 Days
Heavy meals, gravy, fats, oils,
Variable
Variable
Patient Charts
Patient 1
Female 20’s
Symptoms:
Nausea
Cramps
Fever
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dark Urine
Notes:
+ Symptoms started about a day ago
+ Supper: Spinach Omelette with biscuits and gravy
+ Last Meal: Supper at a restaurant about a day ago
+ Started acting up after a workout
+ Breakfast: Bacon and eggs
+ Severe Pain
Symptoms:
Nausea
Cramps
Headache
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dehydrated
Notes:
+ Just got back from Mexico 3 days ago
+ Symptoms started in the morning
+ Last meal: Garden Green Smoothie with egg whites
+ Moderate Pain
+ Completely unrelated to the other two people
Patient 3
Female 20’s
Symptoms:
Vomiting
Cramps
Loss of Appetite
Runny Nose
Cough
Diarrhea
Nausea
Notes:
+ On a high protein diet
+ Went to the same restaurant as patient 1
+ Ate chicken salad with bacon and blue cheese at the restaurant
+ Eating a great deal of lean beef, pork and vegetables
+ Symptoms started 2 days ago
+ Pain comes and goes
+ Went walking in fields with tall grass
+ Noticed a tick but took it off
+ Last Meal: Hamburger with fries
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Ag-Grow-Land Classroom Activity
Links to Saskatchewan Science Centre:
Richardson Ag-Grow-Land Exhibit – When visiting the exhibit,
encourage the students to watch the video in the barn area of a
calf being born. Have the students see how the cows live in a herd
and discuss how this style of farming may affect disease
transmission in the livestock. Discuss how farmers and
veterinarians may prevent disease transmission in a herd of cows.
Web Resources:
http://cafmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/education/educational-programs.php
Glo Germ Gel can be purchased at Pro Lab Scientific
http://prolabscientific.com/Glo-Germ-Gel-p-24007.html
Web Resource for Food Borne Illness Activity
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestivediseases/gallstones/Pages/facts.aspx#5
http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestivediseases/appendicitis/Pages/symptoms-causes.aspx
http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/fs-sa/fs-fi/ecoli-eng.php
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks.html