In the 10th grade units, Dawn of New Revolutions and Disease & Epidemics: Architects of History, students address standards for world history, biology, language arts and general mathematics. Students explore biologic concepts that have shaped the world’s history. They investigate how revolutions, conflict and change, and resource management impact human health.

Dawn of New Revolutions: Revolutionizing Biology to Meet Needs

Connections to Health
Genetically modified foods and pesticides have both been instrumental in agricultural revolution. They have changed how much and what food is produced to feed the ever growing global population. Both genetically modified foods and pesticides are hotly debated concerning their potential impact on human health. This unit allows students to develop their understanding of some basic biology principals and apply them in a health context.

Connections to Disciplines
This unit addresses national education standards in life science, language arts, mathematics, and world history, while connecting to environmental health.

	Students develop understanding of basic genetics, photosynthesis, plant reproduction and introductory toxicity issues in relation to pesticides and genetically modified foods.			Students focus on the 20th century. The dominant themes are war and warfare, the creation of the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights, and the ‘not so cold’ Cold War. Implications of political, social, and economic issues on environmental health are examined.
	In language arts class both biology and world history are supported by providing students the skills to write and present UN style resolutions. Students incorporate material from their science class into their arguments. By examining the pivotal, non-fiction work, “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson students will examine the broader implications of health science and environment.			Mathematics plays an integral part in this unit by supporting the students in their understanding of parts per million, bio-magnification, population dynamics and portion and dose relationship.

Disease and Epidemics: Architects of History

Connections to Health
Students explore disease and its relationship with our history and literature. They investigate issues that range from early biological warfare and historical disease treatments - to observing today’s race for the cure against current emerging and re-emerging diseases, Disease is not just a physiological action, with biological sources alone, but are inextricably linked to social, political and economic factors as well. Diseases and epidemics mark history in their appearance, evolution, impact and treatment. They are inextricably intertwined with agricultural and industrial revolutions, Students explore the movement of people, trade and diseases during the medieval period and then apply their understanding to current issues of movement and change in the world and disease.

Connections to Disciplines
This unit addresses national education standards in life science, language arts, mathematics, and world history, while connecting to environmental health.

	Disease, epidemics and disease management offers opportunities for exploration of biological evolution, immune systems, interaction between humans and their environment, and interaction among organisms.			From the Medieval Ages to the Industrial Revolution, students discover world history via disease, epidemics and medical breakthroughs. Trade and technology are also explored.
	Through language arts class, students explore how literature displays the fragility of the human condition in a number of forms and then prepares students to share a written public service message.			Mathematics plays an integral part in this unit by supporting the students in their understanding of statistics and epidemiology.