Activity
Day 1
1. Students will conduct a Disease Investigation: Each
student will be assigned a disease that was of
concern at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries.
(Note: there will be at least 2 students per
topic so the teacher might allow collaboration.)
2.
The teacher has two options, reserve the computer room
for internet research or go to the library and use
encyclopedias for the research.
3.
The student will be expected to research and collect
the following information:
a.
Define the disease (including how it affects humans and
what factors cause it to spread).
b. The attempt by the medical communities to eradicate
it (including research and means by which the medical
community attempted to eliminate it from society).
c. The impact of this disease on American society
and the impact of medication/vaccines on American
society
in the early half of the 20th century.
d. Modern concerns with this disease in the United
States. Is it still a problem? Where? Why? Could
it become a
problem again? (Note the public health concerns
that arose following Katrina. Ex. Several people
died
following Katrina from a disease called Vibrio
vulnificus, diarrhea-causing
bacteria in the same family as cholera. The Bush
administration declared a public health emergency
for the entire Gulf
Coast in an effort to stop the spread of disease
following the storm. Mike Leavitt, the Health and
Human Services
Secretary said, "We are gravely concerned about
the potential for cholera, typhoid and dehydrating diseases," )
e. Modern concerns with this disease in other countries.
Is it still a problem? Where? Why?
4.
Below is a list of diseases to explore. Some have specific
historical
dates to refer to in the
research.
(The final research paper format is left to the
teacher’s
discretion.)
Influenza
after the 1918 scare
Polio after 1955 to advertise the Injectable
Polio Vaccine (IPV)
Typhoid after the incident of Typhoid Mary
Syphilis
Gonorrhea
Pneumonia
Cholera
Tuberculosis vaccines after 1927
Plague after 1897 mass vaccinations
Diphtheria after 1923 vaccines
Day
2
5. When done with their research, students will share their
results with the class through class discussions led by the
teacher or rotating students. The discussant will take notes
on an Overhead version of Handout 1 (disease data matrix).
6.
Students will record their notes of the discussion results
in their notes (using Handout 1 format or on their own
copy of Handout 1 to fill out). Closure
Looking
at the matrix, what seem to be the major modern concerns
in the United States and the world in regards to the
potential spreading of disease? Pose the following questions
for discussion:
If
a disease appears to be eradicated in the United
States but continues to pose a threat in
other countries should
Americans be concerned? What can we do about it?
Homework
After
Day 1, students will prepare a research paper product based
on their investigation. As noted, the format is left to the
teacher’s discretion.
|
