Download X1: Thinking Scientifically in the Virus Game

P R O J E CT G U T S
I NT R O D U CT I O N
THINKING SCIENTIFICALLY
in the VIRUS GAME
Background
As a virus spreads through a community, epidemiologists might study how the
disease is spread, who started the epidemic, and how infectious it may be as well a
numerous other pieces of data in order to understand the disease and its potential
impact on a community. In this activity, students will take part in a participatory
simulation of the spread of a virus using the PDA Virus Game developed by the
Scheller Teacher Education Program at MIT.
(http://education.mit.edu/pda/ivirus.htm)
GOALS:
In this activity, students will gain a basic understanding of scientific inquiry by
conducting their own inquiry using the Virus Game.
UNDERSTANDINGS:
Students will understand that conducting a scientific inquiry is thinking like a scientist
and entails: making observations, making a hypothesis based on the observations,
designing and conducting experiments to test the hypothesis, collecting data from
the experiments, and analyzing the data to determine whether or not the data
supports the hypothesis. They will also learn that it is important to only change one
variable at a time and that scientific inquiry is an iterative process in which several
attempts at experimental design may be needed to collect the needed data.
Students will also uncover features of this simulated epidemic.
KNOWLEDGE:
Students will learn the following terms: scientific inquiry, observation, hypothesis,
experiment, data, and validation. Students will learn the following concepts related
to epidemiology: patient zero, carrier, contagion, transmission, incubation,
immunity, probability, linked traits, recovery, epidemiology, and epidemiologist.
Students will learn how the PDAs use IR-beaming to communicate and that the
computer program they are using has various settings. Ultimately, students will learn
that an experiment needs to be designed to answer a specific question to produce
useful data. They may learn the “divide and conquer” method to isolating the virus.
SKILLS:
Students will learn how to operate a personal digital assistant. They will learn how
to use the mini-keyboard and open applications, and within the game, they will
learn how to use IR beaming and how to scroll through a list of people whom they
met.
PAGE 2
INTRODUCTION
Goals and Understandings Matrix:
G = Goal, U = Understanding, S = Specific understanding, M = Misunderstanding
Scientific Inquiry
G1
Students will gain a basic understanding of scientific inquiry and be able to apply it to a
problem
U1
scientific inquiry is thinking like a scientist
S1
S2
S3
x
x
x
M1
scientific inquiry involves making observations
scientific inquiry involves making hypotheses based on observations
scientific inquiry involves designing models and experiments to test
hypotheses
scientific inquiry involves analyzing data and determining whether or not the
data supports the hypothesis
Scientific inquiry is an iterative process. Several attempts at experimental
design may be needed and several runs of experiments.
scientific inquiry is something only scientists do
M2
scientific inquiry is a set of instructions that must be followed in order
_
M3
There is only one scientific method used by scientists
_
x
S4
S5
U2
x
Scientific inquiry can be conducted using computer models
S1
scientific inquiry involves running experiments on models and collecting data
x
x
_
x
S2
S2
In order to isolate the effect of changing variables, it is important to change
only one variable at a time
scientific inquiry involves analyzing data and determining whether or not the
model reflects reality
_
x
Computational Modeling
G2
Students will learn the fundamentals of Computational modeling and will be able to run
experiments using a model as an test bed.
U2
Computer modeling is used by scientists to study real-world problems (or should
we emphasize complex systems)
S1
Often these problems are too big, too expensive, too dangerous, or take too
long to test in real-life.
x
x
S2
x
Some examples are: forest fire, epidemics, explosions, climate change, etc.
Complex Adaptive Systems
G3
Students will learn fundamental CAS concepts, identify them as corresponding to
different observational scales, and be able to use those concepts when analyizing a
model.
U1 Complex systems are studied using computational models
U2
Complex systems (aka Complex Adaptive Systems) are systems that are made up
of many interacting, interrelated parts and the result of the interactions are hard to
predict.
x
x
x
INTRODUCTION
PAGE 3
Epidemiology
G8 Students will learn basic concepts in Epidemiology
U1 Scientists who study epidemics, and how they spread are called epidemiologists
S3 contagion is the spread of the disease
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
S4 transmission rate is the rate at which one person can infect another. The passing of
the disease takes place some percentage of time.
x
S1 Epidemiologists study how a disease spreads.
S2 Epidemiologists try to figure out who started the disease
S3 Epidemiologists study how infectious a disease is
S4 Epidemiologists try to figure out the potential impact on a community
U2 Students will learn characteristics of diseases and new terminology
S1 patient zero is the person who initiates the epidemic
S2 carriers are people who carry the disease but do not show symptoms
S5 incubation period is a period of time an infected person doesn't show symptoms
S6 immunity is a state in which a person cannot catch a disease
S7 linked traits are ones that occur together. May have some underlying genetic reason
S8 recovery rate is the rate at which infected people recover
x
x
_
_
S9 vectors are transmitters of disease such as mosquitos transmitting malaria to humans
U3 There are different ways to isolate a disease
S1 Divide and conquer
U4 Epidemics are hard to study
S1 Epidemics are Complex systems
S2 many connected and inter-related parts
S3 hard to predict
S4 emergent patterns
U5 Computer models are used to understand epidemics
S1 run "what-if?" experiments without hurting people
S2 understand potential behavior
S3 design interventions
_
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
PAGE 4
INTRODUCTION
Virus Game time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Materials needed:

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Palm PDAs
White board and pens
Clock with second hand
Space suitable for students to walk around and meet one another
Running the activity:
1. Pose the question “What does it mean to “think scientifically?”
2. Play the first round of Virus game (see separate handout on running the
game). After the first round discuss the terms “observation”, “hypothesis”,
“experiment”, “data”, and “conclusions” as you write them on the board in
columns.
3. Ask students for observations, hypotheses and experimental designs and
write their responses on the board. Ask the students to decide what they
would like to find out and if they have a hunch. Have the student design
and explain their experiments. Students vote on an experiment to run for the
next round.
4. Continue playing rounds of the virus game. Explain and use the terms :
patient zero, carrier, contagion, transmission, incubation, immunity,
probability, linked traits, recovery, epidemiology, and epidemiologist.
5. After each round, ask what was learned from the experiment. Did the data
support the hypothesis?
Concluding the activity:
6. Follow up with the question “What does the Virus game have to do with
thinking scientifically?”
7. Discuss epidemics and what students have heard about in the news.
8. Discuss whether we could run experiments on viruses in real-life. Why or
Why not?
-- Take a break before the next segment --