Spread+of+Disease,+JBowen

The two lessons provided assist students in understanding the prevention of disease spread while introducing and elaborating on the process of finding meaning from gathered information. The students also increase their knowledge of collaborating with others in order to understand new information. I have chosen to compare a lesson for third grade to one for seventh grade.
 * Inquiry Skills and Overview: **

In the third grade, the idea of germs and the spread of disease will not be new. However, the proper methods for the prevention of the spread of disease is a third grade standard. The students will not only brainstorm and discuss ideas, but they will be able to actively explore different methods of preventing the spread of disease. The students will have to take information that they gather from completing many activities and decided which are the best and most effective. Students will begin understanding the importance of the AASL standards that require them “to make inferences and meaning from new information” and “to collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems ”.

The level of inquiry in the third grade lesson moves from controlled to guided throughout the unit. In the beginning, “assigned questions are drawn from academic standards that match the student’s grade level” (Callison 99). The teacher chooses these questions in order to “guide” the students through the activities. The interview questions in activity 5 move more to guided inquiry because “the student, with the guidance from the library media specialist and other teachers, selects inquiry questions based on personal interest and background knowledge of a topic” (Callison 99). In all activities, the students are practicing how to gather information the read and hear in order to create ideas of their own that will allow them to complete the final task.

In the seventh grade lesson, students build on their knowledge of germs and move to how ideas have changed over time. The lesson allows the students to become experts on specific time periods that will then be compared to show the advancement in preventing the spread of disease. The students will be working with guided inquiry. They are given a time period and topic, but the information that they find about that topic is up to them. Students are also in charge of finding information that is needed for their peers. Callison states that in the guided inquiry stage “questions as well as findings have relevance to questions and findings by other students so that collaborative groups or teams can be formed to explore some questions together” (100). This idea fit perfectly with the seventh grade lesson. The students are working with and for each other in order to make meaning out of new information.
 * Indiana **** Academic Standards **
 * Third Grade – 3.4.9**
 * Explain that some diseases are caused by germs and some are not. Note that diseases caused by germs may be spread to other people. Also understand that washing hands with soap and water reduces the number of germs that can get into the body or that can be passed on to other people.
 * Seventh Grade – 7.6.4**
 * Understand and describe that changes in health practices have resulted from the acceptance of the germ theory of disease. Realize that before germ theory, illness was treated by appeals to supernatural powers or by trying to adjust body fluids through induced vomiting or bleeding. Note that the modern approach emphasizes sanitation, the safe handling of food and water, the pasteurization of milk, quarantine, and aseptic surgical techniques to keep germs out of the body; vaccinations to strengthen the body's immune system against subsequent infection by the same kind of microorganisms; and antibiotics and other chemicals and processes to destroy microorganisms.
 * AASL Learning Standards **
 * 1.1.6**
 * Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
 * 2.1.5**
 * Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems.
 * Spread of Disease Unit for Third Grade **

**Purpose:** To identify how germs are spread and how hand washing can help prevent the spread of germs.

**Context:** In this lesson, students will learn about some of the health habits that are essential for maintaining good health. Students will engage in both online and hands-on activities related to the topic of germs. They will also learn the importance of hand washing for preventing the spread of germs, and thereby, the spread of disease. **Materials:** **Activity 1:** Begin with students writing what they know about germ on post-it notes and sticking them to the chalkboard. You may prompt their thinking by asking: What are they? How do they travel? Can they get inside our bodies? How? Tell students: //We can’t see germs, so let’s pretend for a moment that these pieces of glitter are germs.// Put a small amount of glitter on several students’ hands. Have these students shake hands with students, who in turn shake hands with others, until all members of the class have some glitter on their hands. Ask students: In the computer lab, have students read through [|How Lou Got the Flu], on the American Museum of Natural History's website. Ask students to take notes on what they read so they can answer these questions: Have students draw a picture of how they felt on the [|This is My Body!] student sheet. Ask students: **Activity 3:**
 * [|This My Body] student sheet
 * Spray bottle
 * Potato
 * Heat source (hot plate, microwave)
 * Ziploc bags
 * Access to sink, soap, water
 * Volunteer personnel for Activity 5 Interviews – cafeteria workers, janitorial staff, teachers, aids, clinic staff, younger and older students for example.
 * How many of you have some of the "germs" on your hands?
 * How did they get there?
 * How might we be able to get rid of these "germs"? Have students try to wipe away all of the germs.
 * Are all of the germs gone? How do you know?
 * Remember, in real life, germs are too small to see using just our eyes. Do you think that there are real germs on your hands right now?
 * How might we get rid of those germs?
 * Activity 2:**
 * What is the word "flu" short for?
 * Where does the flu come from?
 * How did the flu virus spread from the duck to the pig?
 * How did the flu spread from the pig to the farmer?
 * How did the flu spread from the farmer to the shopper? From the shopper to the student? From the student to Lou?
 * What do you think the farmer could have done to help keep others from getting sick?
 * What do you think Lou could have done to protect herself from getting sick?
 * Have you ever had the flu? How did you feel?
 * What are some other ways in which germs can enter our bodies?
 * Have you ever fallen and gotten hurt? What did your mother, father, guardian, school nurse, or doctor do to help prevent germs from entering your body?

In this activity, a spray bottle is used to demonstrate how germs can be spread through sneezing. Have students wet their hands using the spray bottle. Then, they should touch a variety of surfaces throughout the classroom. The resulting wet handprints illustrate how readily germs can be spread through touching.

Ask students:
 * How can we prevent the spread of germs from a sneeze?
 * How can we prevent the spread of germs by our hands?

**Activity 4:**

Slice a potato and blanch it for one minute in boiling water. Have students rub their fingers on a cooled slice of potato after they've been outside or in the cafeteria. Then, have students wash hands thoroughly and rub their hands on another potato slice. Put each slice in a separate plastic zip bag; seal and label the bags; leave them. After several days, have students draw and label a picture of the two potato slices in their science journals.

Ask students: Discuss the importance of correct hand washing. Ask students: **Activity 5:** In groups, have the students create questions to ask other school personnel about preventing the spread of germs. They should use the knowledge gained from the prior activities to create the list of questions. After brainstorming within their groups, come together as a class to create a master list of 3 questions that will be asked. Then each group should pick 2-3 additional questions to ask during their interview. Practice interviewing classmates and teacher prior to conducting actual interviews. Allow students to interview the volunteer personnel. Once interviews are complete, groups should take the information they gathered from Activities 1-5 to create a poster for preventing the spread of germs. The poster can be complete with the use of technology or without, depending on the items available. Have a gallery walk within the classroom so all students can observe and learn from their peers. Then h ang the posters throughout the school to encourage all students to prevent the spread of germs. In addition, students could write a journal entry about the importance of hand washing, using words and/or pictures. Finally, have students demonstrate proper hand washing. **Additional Resources:** Resources that could be used to supplement this lesson include: 1.) Ask students to give examples of modern practices of preventing and treating disease. 2.) List their answers on the board 3.) Discuss how each aids in prevention and/or treatment of disease 4.) Ask students: 5.) Write down the following time periods on the chalkboard: “Pre-historic and Ancient Times,” “The Middle Ages,” “The Renaissance,” “The Industrial Revolution”, and “The Modern World.” 6.) Have students brainstorm possible methods for prevention or treatment of disease in each of these time periods. Use a [|graphic organizer] to compile ideas – [|web], [|T-Chart], [|Idea Rake] for example 7.) Ask students questions such as: 8.) Explain that in the mid-1800s, Louis Pasteur proposed his germ theory of disease, which explained that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases.
 * How do the potato slices compare?
 * How can you explain the difference between the potatoes?
 * What can we learn about hand washing from this activity?
 * Why is washing your hands so important?
 * Do you think that washing your hands without soap would work as well in preventing germs? Why or why not?
 * What would happen if you washed your hands and then wiped them on your clothes?
 * At what times during the school day is it most important to wash your hands? Why?
 * //Achoo! : All About Colds// by Patricia Brennan Demuth, MaggieSmith (Illustrator),
 * //Germs! Germs! Germs!// by Bobbi Katz, Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator),
 * //Germs Make Me Sick!// by Melvin Berger, Marylin Hafner (Illustrator),
 * //Those Mean Nasty Dirty Downright Disgusting But-- Invisible Germs// by Judith Rice, Reed Merrill (Illustrator)
 * American Museum of Natural History’s [|Infection, Detection, Protection] exhibit
 * [|The Prevention Convention], which offers ten tips for avoiding infectious diseases. The site also offers a [|comic strip] showing children how to be "world class washers" and includes a song for children entitled [|"Wash Your Hands"]
 * Spread of Disease Unit for Seventh Grade **
 * Purpose: ** To identify how the germ theory of disease has reduced the spread of germs.
 * Context: ** Students will understand and explain that throughout history, people have created explanations for disease and that the changes in health practices have resulted from the acceptance of the germ theory of disease.
 * Materials: **
 * Chalk
 * Chalkboard
 * Copy of [|Black Line Master (BLM) //Show and Tell//]
 * Research materials
 * Props for exhibit
 * Materials to make invitations
 * Arrange for students to visit the library to research their topics
 * Activity 1: **
 * Why they think these particular treatments are used?
 * Do you think people have always practiced these methods?
 * Do you think disease prevention and treatment varied between each of these time periods?
 * What methods do you think were used compared to present methods?
 * Do you think people from each of these time periods believed that diseases were caused by microorganisms?
 * What changed people’s ideas about disease enough for us to be as healthy as we are today?
 * Activity 2:**

1.) Tell students that they will create a classroom exhibit showing the treatment of diseases from ancient times to the present. 2.) Explain that the exhibit also will show the state of public health through time. 3.) Distribute the [|BLM //Show and Tell//] to each student and divide the class into five groups. Assign each group a time period and direct each to research and find out how illnesses were treated during that time. 4.) Elect one person from each group to serve on the curator committee, which will be responsible for designing the layout of the class exhibit. 5.) Tell each group to use the BLM as a guideline in creating the exhibit. 6.) Provide a template for gathering research, like the [|Information, Source, Page (ISP) chart] 7.) Explain that once the exhibit is complete, other classes will be invited to visit the exhibit. 8.) Monitor and guide students as they work. 9.) Ask questions, such as: 10.)Discuss students’ ideas and remind them that the exhibit should show the progression of ideas about disease from ancient times to the present.
 * How have health practices changed over time?
 * What do you think life would be like now if Pasteur never developed the germ theory?


 * Activity 3:**

1.) Allow ample time for the development and setup of the exhibits. 2.) Monitor the curator committee to be sure the exhibit is ready to open. 3.) Have the students present their exhibit to visitors.


 * Activity 4:**

To assess learning, students should create individual time lines showing how the acceptance of the germ theory and the health practices have changed over time. Students could create hand-drawn time lines or use online time-line generators like [|Timerime] or [|Teachnology].


 * Lesson Comparison**

When looking at the skill level of third graders compared to seventh graders, there are many differences. A third grader is just beginning their investigation of science and how they are affected by scientific ideas. The topic of disease spreading must be directly related to the student in order for understanding to be at its maximum. By having the students focus on how disease is spread from person to person and the hands-on activities, like the spread of glitter, that go along with the lesson, each student is able to relate personally to the ideas. As the students move through the activities, they are forced to think outside themselves and see how disease may spread by others as well – moving from their hands with glitter to potatoes to others within the school. The last activity provides students a time to expand their knowledge from themselves to those they interact with daily within the school. The broadening of perspective is still circled around the students; however, they are given the ideas and information others have in order to increase their knowledge.

The amount of assistance provided to third graders is greater as well. The activities and discussion during the lesson must be much more controlled. Students will need more assistance with following the basic procedure and step of completing the activities. The majority of the learning will be as an entire class. Discussions will be between the teacher and the class as a whole, then charts, webs, etc. can be created for the entire class to see. The diagrams should then be posted for all to observe as the unit continues. The last activity allows students to begin working as groups to discuss their questions, but the class as a whole meets back to go over the questions and create a “master” list. This allows the students to begin independent questioning, but still allows the teacher to check their progress prior to completing the assigned task.

A seventh grade student has a better understanding of how science is all around them. They are able to build off of their knowledge of how diseases are spread from person to person – even though I sometime wonder by their actions! The lesson takes the students away from themselves and forces them to look at how the ideas and procedures have changed through time. The process of seeing and understanding how ideas have changed is great for the middle school level student. They are able to understand how they have changed from elementary school to middle school, which allows them to better comprehend the idea of change in other areas. The above lesson forces the students to look beyond themselves and learn how medical procedures have advanced throughout the years. By becoming experts on a specific time period, students are able to have ownership over their time period. This ownership promotes importance in the completion of the work. At this age, students like to be the expert and to teach their peers. The activity lends itself perfectly to that desire.

As the activities progress, the amount of assistance provided by the teacher is less direct and more informal. The students are provided with templates for gathering information and tips for what to look for, but the learning itself is lead by the student. Independence is what seventh grade students strive for but they must be given the support when needed. The support is given by the teacher when questions from the students arise, rather than as initial directions.

The information standards that are covered with the lessons are the same, but the level at which they would be completed is vastly different. In the third grade lesson, students are gathering knowledge and making inferences from information that is provided to them. They are directed by specific questions and asked to find answers to those questions. The collaboration and creation of new ideas is a little more open, but still rather controlled by the teacher and his/her directives. As for the seventh grade student, the gathering of knowledge and inferences come from information that they must find and decided if it fits into their task. The students must use much more collaboration among their group members in order to create the exhibit for the final product. The seventh grade students must also individually gather their own thought and ideas from each peer group exhibit in order to create their own time line. This allows the students to practice their skills of gathering information and creating their own ideas even more.


 * Resources**

American Association of School Librarians, (2007). Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, downloaded from []

Callison, D. and Preddy, L. (2006). //The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy//, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CN. Indiana Department of Education, (2009). Indiana Standards and Resources, accessed online February 23, 2009 from []