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Objective: Students will analyze a patient's signs and symptoms to diagnose a problem.
Objective: Students will analyze a patient's signs and symptoms to diagnose a problem.
Essential Question: What can patient signs and symptoms tell us about what's happening in the human body?
Essential Question: What can patient signs and symptoms tell us about what's happening in the human body?
Prior Connections:
Prior Connections:
Have you ever been to the doctor for an illness?
What were some of the questions your doctor asked?
What information did the doctor need to diagnose you?
For the unit problem, you’ll be part of a medical team tasked with investigating a mysterious outbreak. As you continue your medical investigations throughout the unit, you’ll discover new clues and information to help you solve the case in the final problem. So remember what you’ve learned about vital signs; they’re a key source of medical evidence to start any investigation. Grab your gear, and get ready to roll!
Diagnostic Clues
Diagnostic Clues
Doctors are skilled and knowledgeable medical sleuths, who, among other things, gather evidence to diagnose and treat patients. When the body is sick or injured, it provides clues that medical professionals can piece together to figure out what’s happening inside the body. Some of these clues are uncovered with a physical examination, some with medical tests, and others are only found by speaking to the patient and asking questions.
In this lesson’s project, you will act as a medical sleuth to solve a medical mystery. You’ll be responsible for finding the clues you need to solve the case and diagnose your patient. But before you can do that, you need to practice your diagnostic skills. In this activity, you’ll use a doctor’s medical file to diagnose a fictitious patient. You’ll work through all of the available clues to figure out what’s going on with your patient and explore the type of information needed to solve a medical case.
The Mystery Infection
The Mystery Infection
A worried mom runs her ten-year-old son into a crowded ER. She carries him in her arms, because his fever has left him weak and too tired to walk. After he’s checked in, the nurse takes his vital signs. The young boy answers some questions about how he’s feeling, but he leaves most of the details to his mother to answer. She fills in details about what her son has experienced over the past few days. The information provided is organized into medical files that the medical team will review.
Review the patient’s medical file and take note of information you feel is important in helping the little boy.
Think about what symptoms✏️, signs of disease or injury, he experienced as well as other clues that may help you figure out why he is so sick.
Understand what information is being given to you and how it might be important. Understand symptoms that might be out of normal range. Remember to pay attention to the clues in the vital signs, the history, and the physical exam notes.
Before you dig deeper into the case, let’s learn a bit more about some of the invaders, or agents, that can make us sick.
agents✏️ - In disease, a factor, such as a microorganism or a chemical substance, that can impact the development of a disease or illness.
Agents That Can Make Us Sick
Agents That Can Make Us Sick
Unfortunately, we all get sick at some point in our lives. Colds, the flu, and stomach bugs are all caused by tiny invaders that take hold inside our bodies.
Viruses, bacteria, and fungi are common infectious disease agents in humans. They are often referred to as microorganisms because of their tiny size. All three microorganisms can be passed from person to person, but differ in how they enter our systems, how they reproduce, and how they can be treated.
Review the information on each type of disease agent below to learn more about these types of infectious agents and answer the corresponding questions on the Google Form.
Viruses
Viruses
Viruses are tiny infectious agents that can only multiply when they are inside a host—the living cells of plants, animals, or bacteria. They are so small, you can’t see them with the microscopes you use in school.
Viruses
Viruses
Viruses can spread quickly through a population or group. The influenza (flu) virus can easily be passed from person to person through the fluids in a cough or a sneeze. Viruses, like the flu, also have the ability to mutate, or change, making some of them difficult to prevent or treat. This is one of the reasons doctors recommend getting a flu shot every year.
Viruses
Viruses
Influenza is a contagious virus that infects the thin lining of the respiratory tract.
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are single-celled organisms that do not rely on a host. They are able to reproduce quickly inside the body, making copies as they divide and split into two. They are larger than viruses and can be seen using standard microscopes.
Bacteria
Bacteria
Specific types of bacteria have predictable shapes, which help scientists identify which bacteria may be lurking inside your body. Bacteria can be passed relatively easily in saliva, mucus, or other body fluids. If you have ever experienced the pain and discomfort of strep throat, you have been infected with the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. Not all bacteria are bad, however. You have plenty of bacteria in your digestive system that help you digest food and absorb needed nutrients.
Bacteria
Bacteria
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections that affect the lower urinary tract (urethra and bladder) and the upper urinary tract (ureters and kidneys). UTIs are commonly caused by Escherchia coli (E. coli) bacteria.
Fungi
Fungi
Fungi are organisms such as yeasts or molds. Some fungi live on their own and some thrive on relationships with other plants and animals. They reproduce quickly in moist, humid environments.
Fungi
Fungi
Some types of fungi can be a source of food for humans, and some actually help us produce food, but there are also types considered to be infectious agents. Athlete’s foot is a mild fungal infection that causes rash and itching between the toes and is common in individuals who exercise and generate lots of sweat in their shoes. The fungus can be spread from person to person through contaminated floors or clothing.
Agents That Make Us Sick - Google Form in Google Classroom
Agents That Make Us Sick - Google Form in Google Classroom
Fill this out using the information found above.
Fill this out using the information found above.
**Daily Grade**💯
**Daily Grade**💯
What is a Public Service Announcement?
What is a Public Service Announcement?
Journal Entry 📓
Journal Entry 📓
Answering the question, why PSAs work and why they don't. Make a two column chart in your notebook on Pros and Cons of PSAs.
The Disease Dictionary
The Disease Dictionary
Doctors review information from a patient to come up with a diagnosis. You now know about the disease agents that can infect our bodies, but how do doctors use information from vital signs and patient symptoms to identify possible invaders and diagnose a patient? Over time, scientists have been able to catalog important information about disease agents and link these agents to disease.
Most viruses, bacteria, and fungi have predictable characteristics that offer clues when they’re present in the body. Throughout this unit, you will refer to a shortened dictionary of possible infectious agents. This Disease Dictionary includes the names of common bacteria, viruses and fungi, the illnesses associated with the agent, how the agent is transmitted, what symptoms the agent causes, how long it takes after exposure for the patient to show disease, and options for treatment.
Diagnosis✏️
the identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms.
Disease Dictionary Missing Pieces
Disease Dictionary Missing Pieces
**Daily Grade**💯
**Daily Grade**💯
The Disease Dictionary is a vital part of diagnosing patients in the medical field and in on our PLTW journey. Unfortunately our dictionary is incomplete. It is your job to help fill in the missing pieces.
Unfortunately there are several diseases (Lyme Disease #9, Pneumococcal Pneumonia #5, Ringworm #Q, Rotavirus #10/J, Strep Throat #2/4, and Zika #7) that are not completed in the Disease Dictionary. You will be asked to research one of these diseases in order to present the information for the Disease Dictionary to be complete. Obtain your disease from your teacher and write down your disease. You will complete the Disease Research Template to learn more about your disease.
Public Service Announcement/News Story
Public Service Announcement/News Story
You will deliver this assignment as a public service announcement or a news story. This will be a video project that you will submit on the shared Google Slideshow. Please include all information from your disease research template and criteria listed below in your video as the 'news' that you are reporting. Title your video the name of your disease.
You will deliver this assignment as a public service announcement or a news story. This will be a video project that you will submit on the shared Google Slideshow. Please include all information from your disease research template and criteria listed below in your video as the 'news' that you are reporting. Title your video the name of your disease.
In addition to your Disease Research Template, include the following information in your project:
In addition to your Disease Research Template, include the following information in your project:
- Ways you can prevent yourself from getting the disease. List as many as you can find.
- Interesting facts about your disease. Do not repeat any information above You must have at least 3.
- (Example: statistics, famous people who had it, areas in the world where it is happening, history, who discovered it?, when was it discovered?, etc.)
- Include at least three pictures of the virus/bacteria/etc. You may include a picture of the actual virus/bacteria/etc itself, not just on humans or other animals. You may also include a picture of statistics if you can find a recent one (within the last four or five years)
Websites that may help with your research:
Websites that may help with your research:
iPads:
iPads:
We have access to iPads from the library. When you are ready to record your video, you will be assigned to one iPad. You can use this in our room or in the library. The library has the green screen and Mrs. Ulmer or Ms. Mills can help you with filming your project as well.
We have access to iPads from the library. When you are ready to record your video, you will be assigned to one iPad. You can use this in our room or in the library. The library has the green screen and Mrs. Ulmer or Ms. Mills can help you with filming your project as well.
Creating Your Video
Creating Your Video
Before filming, you should have your script ready so that you don't have as many different variables to try to manage.
Before filming, you should have your script ready so that you don't have as many different variables to try to manage.
Green Screen PSA/Commercial
Unleash Your Creativity with Green Screen This has a slide for all the types of green screen tools we have available is PISD.
Student Idea Video - Top 7 Ways to Use a Green Screen
DoInk Directions - Step by step with pictures
Supporting Sources
Supporting Sources
Do you need to create any other supporting images, pictures, slides to add to your video that will help present the information to your audience? iMovie and DoInk allow you to add these in!
Do you need to create any other supporting images, pictures, slides to add to your video that will help present the information to your audience? iMovie and DoInk allow you to add these in!
Please submit your responses to this Google Slide. Please make sure your slide title is the name of the disease, teacher's name, period number, and has the authors' names.
Please submit your responses to this Google Slide. Please make sure your slide title is the name of the disease, teacher's name, period number, and has the authors' names.
Disease Dictionary Missing Pieces
Disease Dictionary Missing Pieces
Checklist
Checklist
- Complete filming your video
- Edit your video
- Watch two different videos from this Google Slide and fill out your disease template forms (Get these from the front bookshelf). Each side should be a different disease
- Submit your paper to the turn in bin **Daily Grade**💯Each side will be worth 40% of the grade, the video will be worth 20%
- Choose one of the TEDEd videos to watch below
- Grab BOTH papers for that video and complete them in your notebook
TEDEd Video
TEDEd Video
Journal Entry 📓
Journal Entry 📓
Additional Resources for you to Explore
From plague to cholera to the avian flu, history is a timeline of infamous global pandemics. In the wake of COVID-19, scientists and citizens alike have gained renewed interest in both anticipating and preventing the next viral outbreak. Statisticians have culled through 400 years of data to calculate the approximate frequency and intensity of extreme novel epidemics, and the numbers show that another COVID-19-level crisis may very well come again in our lifetime.
Environmental change and spillover events from animal reservoirs are only increasing the rate of such events, so a newly pressing job for scientists and global health experts is to slow the momentum of these developments. The Global Virome Project, launched in response to these mounting viral threats, aims to better understand the diversity of viruses in wildlife hosts as well as mitigate their emergence in human populations. Many efforts are focused on the development of antiviral drugs, which provide a quick and targeted way to fight dangerous outbreaks. However, as we have seen throughout the response to COVID-19, vaccines are an invaluable tool for preventing fatalities and cultivating herd immunity. As such, the search for a universal coronavirus vaccine is on. It's a project that faces a number of hurdles, both scientific and political, but one that could effectively neutralize the world's greatest viral threats.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
How far we have come with developing vaccines? Have a look at this timeline. Click on the activities tab and follow the scientific method of vaccine development. Learn what an epidemiologist does. Have some misconceptions about vaccines? Visit this page and get the correct answers to your questions!
Interested in the great smallpox epidemic? For a complete timeline read this World Health Organization publication, The History of Smallpox and Its Spread Around the World. Finally, learn about how we conquered the deadly smallpox virus in this TED-Ed video! How did the world become smallpox free?
Want more facts on vaccines? Visit the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. What are some benefits of vaccines? What will the future of vaccines look like?
Interested in learning more about Jenner’s experiment with cowpox? Visit PBS and find out the details! Check out the complete site Rx For Survival and learn about the campaign to get rid of polio, the work that is being done to develop an AIDS vaccine, and more about the final end of smallpox. What would you ask a vaccine expert? Visit Ask the Expert page and see the answers to questions you might have too!
Many people have a fear of vaccinations. Why? Read the New York Times article, Fear of Vaccines Goes Viral and find out. Then listen to NPR’s story, Vaccine Controversies Are As Social As They Are Medical. What happens when, due to fear, children are not vaccinated? Read about the resurgence of preventable diseases that has resulted from this trend. Then, get information by viewing NOVA: Vaccines—Calling the Shots. Based on what you have learned, what is your opinion of vaccines? What happens when too many people opt out of getting vaccinations for themselves or their children?
Is it possible for art to encourage vaccinations? The Gates Foundation think so.
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