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Disease
and Epidemics - Social Studies Lessons
|
 In
the social studies lessons of the "Diseases
and Epidemics" unit, students will explore how the study of
diseases, epidemics and disease management promotes our understanding
of human culture and history. These lessons are designed to begin
after the science lessons, which prepare students for a basic understanding
of the infectious process.
The roles of agriculture, trade and living in cities in promoting
the spread of disease during the 14th century and today will
be examined. Issues addressed are global exploration and movement
across land and sea and their effect on human populations. Diseases
are now global and influence the future course of land possession.
Dealing with disease thru innovative technology and science are
important to the health future of the human population. Finally,
the role of historical public health campaigns and the quest
to change human behavior in an effort to combat newly understood
diseases will be addressed. Students will explore five big ideas
in this unit and be able to answer the following questions that
address those big ideas
- When do diseases become epidemic?
- What helps a disease move
successfully?
- What role does exploration or trade have in
spreading disease?
- Did technology, including medical technology,
stop epidemics?
- Can public health messages effectively inspire
people to change health habits?
Each big
idea is addressed by a learning
cycle. At the completion of each big idea’s learning
cycle students should be able to answer the corresponding question.
At the end of the unit, the students will be able to apply
their new scientific understanding to the Major
Project where they provide a public service message that
is checked in advance by local public health officials for
accuracy. |
Big
Idea |
When
Diseases become Epidemic! Defining disease, epidemic, and
its relationships with humans. |
Essential
Question |
When
do diseases become epidemic? |
Learning
Cycle |
Lesson
Title & Description |
Objective
Students will: |
Class
period & week |
Engage |
When
Diseases become Epidemic!
During this activity students are introduced
to the quarter theme, disease. Through questioning
and classroom discussion, students identify disease
as a crucial dictator of history.
|
Participate
in oral discussion to be able to define epidemic and identify
3 instances in history in which epidemics occurred. |
|
Explore |
Reasons
Diseases become Epidemic
In lesson 1 the class ended with the
promise that two leading questions, 1) Why did this
(epidemics) happen at this time in history? and 2)
How did this (epidemics) happen? would be addressed
in the lesson entitled “Reasons Diseases become
Epidemic!
|
Identify
reasons diseases become epidemic and list them in web format |
Week
3
0.5
day |
Explain |
The
Human and Animal Connection !
This lesson will introduce the idea
of a connection between human diseases and the domestication
of animals. The diagram used will have been introduced
in the 2nd quarter so this is re-visited but with a
different focus. |
Infer
the connection between humans, animals, and disease thru
the interpretation of concept maps. |
Week
3
1
day |
Apply |
Social,
Political, and Economic Factors that affect Disease
During this lesson students make an
association among the reasons for diseases explored
in lesson 2 with social, political, and economic factors.
|
Predict
social, political, and economic action to the ‘reasons’ diseases
become epidemic. |
Week
3
1 day |
--Top--
Big
Idea |
Are
you contagious? The role of agriculture, the city, and
trade in the spread of disease during the 14th century
and today. |
Essential Question |
What
helps a disease move successfully? |
Learning
Cycle |
Lesson
Title & Description |
Objective
Students will: |
Class
period & week |
Engage |
The
Black Death Epidemic of the 14th Century
In this lesson the students will be
exposed to the Black Death and its impact on England.
They will fill out an Epidemic Disease matrix. |
1. Answer
questions pertaining to the Black Plague using two sets of
reading materials
2.
Compare research results from readings with a partner and create
a joint interpretation of the Black Plague and why it appeared
when it did. |
Week
3
2 days |
Explore/Explain |
The
Middle Ages In Europe
In this Explore/Explain lesson, students
will investigate what life was like during the Middle
Ages in Europe for the Nobles, Merchants, and Serfs. |
1. Write an exploratory essay showing the relationship between
the
occurrences of the Black Plague during the Middle Ages using
all of their compiled research materials.
2.
Research the Middle Ages and fill in a matrix of relevant information
to document their research |
Week
4
4 days |
Apply |
Making
Connections: Trade and disease today
In this Apply lesson, students will
read an article on globalization in our lives. They
will explore current disease threats and how they are
spread today |
1.
Read an informed health text and locate and highlight specific
information requested.
2. Through discussion, formulate ideas from questions about the
connection between disease and globalization and document them
in class notes. |
Week
4
1 day |
--Top--
Big
Idea |
The
winner takes all! Exploration and global movement across
land and sea and its effect on human populations. Diseases
are now global and influence the future course of land
possession. |
Essential
Question |
What
role does exploration or trade have in spreading disease? |
Learning
Cycle |
Lesson
Title & Description |
Objective
Students will: |
Class
period & week |
Engage |
Why
Explore?
In this lesson, students will be challenged
to start thinking about why humans explore. They will
aim to make a solid connection between exploration
and the quest for survival/goods.
|
1.
Generate discussion by answering provocative “ponder” questions.
2.
Create a list of reasons humans explore after reading an
expository text. |
Week
5
1.5 -
2 days |
Explore |
Why
Trade? The Positive and Negative Effects of Trade
In this Explore lesson, students further
dissect the issue of trade and trading. Students will
explore what social, political, and economic factors
constitute reasons for trade and which of these reasons
can have positive versus negative consequences.
|
1. Compose notes using trade related terms.
2.
Distinguish between negative and positive effects of
trade through small group discussions.
3.
Generate class list of negative and positive effects
of trade with supporting materials. |
Week
5
1.5 -
2 days |
Explain |
Where
in the world did this come from?
In this Explain lesson, students will
create artifact and information kits for a specific
continent or region. They will be assigned a period
in time to explain and address the area’s trade
and trading technology and products. |
1.
Research a specific region and its trade history to develop
information materials to
share with other members of the class.
2. Creatively represent physical elements of their research
using objects, art, drawings, images, and maps to more effectively
communicate the diversity of their region or continent.
3. Successfully answer exploratory questions using their own
kits for information.
4. Answer questions and provide explanations about their kits
during a museum walk display. |
Weeks
5 & 6
6 days |
Apply |
Devastating
Diseases!
In this Apply lesson students are asked
to consider the implications of disease as a result
of extensive human contact.
|
1. Critically read literature addressing historical data and
answer relevant questions.
2.
Formulate an opinion and support it using all knowledge documented and learned
in this lesson and the last 3 lessons. |
Week
7
1 - 1.5 days |
--Top--
Big
Idea |
Technology,
Innovation, and Infection. Disease and Medicine: Dealing
with disease thru innovative technology and science. |
Essential
Question |
Did
technology, including medical technology, stop epidemics? |
Learning
Cycle |
Lesson
Title & Description |
Objective
Students will: |
Class
period & week |
Engage |
Medical
Misconceptions: What do you know?
In this engage lesson, students’ knowledge
of some basic historical facts regarding medical science
and hygiene will be tested. |
Defend
their answers to a pop quiz through discussion and then
note how well their logic matches the facts. |
Week
7
1 day |
Explore |
The
Historical Medical Community: Contributions and Innovations
In this explore lesson students will
investigate an historical figure or innovation that
helped change our views of medicine and health. Each
student will conduct research on one person or innovation
and prepare a biography poster. |
1. Create a biographical poster on a famous medical scientist
or scientific innovation by conducting library and
internet research.
2. Write a reflection piece on the efficacy of scientific
experimentation techniques on human subjects using the
biographical posters as a resource. |
Weeks
7 & 8
5 days |
Explain |
It’s
a Matter of Consent: Considering a Patient’s Rights
In this explain lesson, students will
use their biographical research results to evaluate
how a patient’s rights charter might be created. |
1.
Create a Patient’s Rights Charter after discussions
of historical experimentation techniques using the biographical
posters to stimulate discussion.
2. Critically review and rewrite the charter after comparing
the class list to the informed consent notes published
by the National Cancer Institute. |
Week
8
2 days |
Apply |
Medical
Research and your Future
In this apply lesson, students are
asked to investigate current and sometimes controversial
medical research in order to address what medical breakthroughs
potentially exist in their futures. |
1. Create small posters on 8 _ by 11 sheets detailing their
support
or rejection of a new medical research study that they will
have investigated through internet and newspaper article
research.
2. Orally present their research stance in 1 minute increments
while displaying their posters. |
Weeks
8 & 9
2 days |
Project |
Timeline
of Medical Innovations and Breakthroughs
In this activity, students will compile
information on a variety of innovations/inventions
in order to create a timeline.
|
Identify
on a timeline and a world map where medical innovations/inventions
originated after collecting information on various medical innovations/inventions
using encyclopedias and medical research texts. |
Week
9
2 days |
--Top--
Big
Idea |
Historical
public health campaigns: The quest to change human behavior
in an effort to combat newly understood diseases. |
Essential
Question |
Can
public health messages effectively inspire people to change
health habits? |
Learning
Cycle |
Lesson
Title & Description |
Objective
Students will: |
Class
period & week |
Engage |
A
Poster is Worth a Thousand Words
Historically, in the absence of TV
and commercials, health officials in cities had to
somehow communicate good health/hygiene practices to
people in order to avoid the spread of disease. |
List
observations of PSA posters and provide evidence/examples
of their observations through class discussion. |
Week
9
1 day |
Explore/Explain |
Can
Diseases be Prevented?
In the lesson following this Explore/Explain
lesson, students are asked to create a Public Service
Announcement. |
Write
a research paper on a disease based on their internet or
library research. |
Weeks
9 & 10
2 days |
Apply |
Let’s
Put the Information in Infomercial: Designing a PSA
In today’s world, TV and commercials
are commonplace. As such, health officials use Public
Service Announcements to communicate good hygiene/health
practices to the public. |
1.
Create a story board and dialogue for a PSA commercial applying
what they have learned about disease prevention in previous
lessons in Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts.
2.
Act out their commercial using the dialogue they have developed
as well as visual aides to illustrate their message. |
Week
10
4 days |
Extension |
Vote
on the best commercial per class and film it! |
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--Top--
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