Students begin research to describe an infectious disease issue.
Students identify and provide a rationale for key search terms used to find data using a search engine.
Students gather and synthesize data from multiple web sources to support a claim
General Description
The objective for is to provide the first guided research experience for the students as they begin research on an infectious disease PBL. We want students to think explicitly about how they are searching for information, and what information they are using to support their understanding. The web search document may seem trite or burdensome to them, but it is forcing them to think about the terms they are using, and providing the instructor with a tool to help connect search terms, topics, and results. The objective is not deep problem understanding, but rather teaching students fundamentals of web search in an inquiry context. The time allocated to the task is to accommodate low-performing language learners, who may struggle with this task. News videos are a good alternative source of information. High-performing students will finish early, and should be encouraged to continue to research their gripe/problem.
The teacher will introduce the challenge through a short video and connect it to the biology PBL. Students will research individually, then come together in a pair to summarize their research.
Activity 1 (10 minute budget)
Teacher introduces the challenge.
1. Teacher shows CDC environmental health video (3 minutes) and hands out the Disease Website Challenge. The instructor then explains that websites are a way to build public awareness on a topic to change public behavior. After giving students time to read over the challenge, the teacher reminds students of how this relates to the science PBL and Addie's Story.
2. Teacher has students participate in a think pair share to determine what they know about the challenge and what they need to know. The teacher records student responses on post it note paper to segue in to having the students conduct individual research.
Activity 2 (1 hour, 40 minute budget)
Student pairs find supporting information.
Students will use a common search engine to find TWO videos or articles on each of two selected diseases from the Infectious Disease List. They will record what search engine they used, the search terms, the source of their article or video, and a link to it. They will document what they learned by completing the Web Search Document. Teacher can provide and review a Web Search Example Document from the ongoing Cholera example. Students should seek deeper understanding of the disease. The What's the Problem? questions: who, when, where, and why, can be used to direct student inquiry.
Review and discuss what students learned about their disease that they didn't know before. Did that change any of their assumptions? The teacher should be actively engaged with students, ensuring they are recording their search queries and results, and documenting their links. Some students will struggle to synthesize information from longer articles. Emphasis should be placed on students learning about the impact and cause of the disease.
Students will pair up and compare their findings to select one disease that they think has the right balance of potential impact, current impact and available information.