Activity
You may wish to use the
web-quest directly as given on the site: http://www.manteno.k12.il.us/webquest/high/Science/HumanImmuneSystem/webquest.htm or modify it as you see fit. Below are our suggestions
for a guided research exercise.
1. Set the stage for the webquest with the following
scenario, “You have been suffering from a sore
throat and fever for a week. Upon having a throat culture
performed, you have been diagnosed with Streptococcus
pyogenes throat infection, more commonly known as strep
throat. Your doctor has told you to get plenty of rest
and has given you an antibiotic. Once you are feeling
better, it is your, and three of your fellow classmates
task, to follow the journey of the bacteria that invaded
your body. In doing so, you will follow its path through
your immune system and describe how your body was able
to fight off the infection. You will also define the
role of the antibiotic and why it was used to treat your
infection.
Within the group, each of you will research one of the
areas outlined on the sheet to provide background to
your team. Use the questions as guides, but do not restrict
yourself to answering those questions although you will
be responsible for addressing those in a written form.”
2. On the challenge sheet ask each student to read and
highlight or underline three words in the passage describing
the ailment that they think has invaded the immune system.
They should explain these in the space provided.
3. Break the students into groups of 4, you may wish
to assign individuals to specific research areas or allow
them to choose who within the group will work on which
questions.
4. Pass out the question sheets to each group. Instruct
students that they must all be able to address the 4
major research areas even if they didn’t individually
research it. Inform students that they will be assessed
on this at the end of the assignment, and as a group,
they will present a PowerPoint.
Research
Area 1: Investigate
the body's initial defense system against invading
microorganisms. Once this defense is breached,
investigate how the organs of the immune system
respond to the invader. Gather information on
each organ and what role they play in your immune
system. Be prepared to provide this information
to your group. As a guide for your research,
you should be able to answer the following questions:
A. What is the first line of defense in protecting
your body from an attack by a microorganism?
How does your body defend itself when it is invaded
by such an organism?
B. What is any foreign substance that triggers
an immune response in the human body known as?
C. Identify the eight organs of the immune system.
What are they generally referred to as and why?
D. What organ is responsible for producing the
immune cells in your body? How are these cells
carried throughout your body?
E. What is the function of each organ in an immune
response? Where is it located in your body? How
are these organs connected?
Research
Area 2: Investigate the cells of the immune
system. Gather information on how they function in
an immune response to a "foreign invader".
What role do these cells play in protecting your
body now and from any future attacks by the same
organisms? Answer these and the following questions
and share them with your group:
A.
What are the main immune cells in the body called and
what are the two major types?
B. What cells are responsible for producing antibodies?
What role does an antibody play in an immune response?
What system "cleans up" after the antibodies
do their work?
C. What are the two major contributions of the T cells
to the immune defense? Explain why T cells are so important
in an immune response.
D. How are the two major types of immune cells able to
recognize and fight off invading microorganisms?
E. How do we gain immunity from future infections?
Research
Area 3: Investigate the role of an antibiotic
in fighting an infection. Provide the information for
your group from the following questions:
A. Why are antibiotics used and what type of infections
are they most effective in treating?
B. In what two ways are antibiotics created? How
do they destroy "foreign invaders" in our
bodies?
C. Why is it important to follow the instructions for
taking a prescribed antibiotic very carefully? Except
for an allergic
reaction, why should you always finish a course of antibiotics
once you have started it?
D. What are some problems that arise when a bacteria
becomes resistant to an antibiotic?
Research
Area 4: Investigate some of the disorders of
the immune system. Name three major immune system disorders
and describe them and how they affect your body's ability
to fight off infection. Answer the following questions
and share them with your group:
A. How does each of the three disorders you have chosen
affect the immune system? Where do they originate?
B. What are some ways to treat these disorders? What are
some diseases that may develop due to an immune system
disorder?
C. Describe in detail immunotherapy and some of the pros
and cons in using this approach to combat immune disorders.
Give your opinion on the concept of immunotherapy (is it
good or bad?).
Once
you have each completed your research using the resources
that follow and any others that you find, you will collaborate
on a 15 minute power point presentation on how the body responds
to a bacterial infection. You will then present your findings
to the class. Include the role of the antibiotic and why
it is important. You will also need to describe the immune
disorders you have chosen. Follow the questions as a guide
and provide the answers in your presentation. You should
use the visual aids of your choice in order to demonstrate
the workings of the immune system.
Homework-Major project
At this time, give students the Public Health Reflection
I Homework sheet to be turned in at the start of the “Waterborne
Diseases” lesson. This homework asks students to
take the Public Health issue that they identified in
week 3 and
find both a book and an article resource that are appropriate
to help them learn more about it. Remind them at the
end of “I am a pathogen” to bring in their
homework the next day, and there will be a short discussion
at the
start of “Waterborne Diseases”
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