Viruse/ Bacterial Transmission (Thomas Fagan)

Title: Avoiding the Black Plague - An epidemic simulation. (Based on the activity introduced from the History Alive curriculum and adapted for middle school aged students for a science class. (7th grade is ideal)

Principle(s) Investigated: As middle school students start to better understand the microscopic world we will discuss some historical phenomena and how science was eventually used to overcome bacterial and viral infections.

Standards: MS-LS1-5 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.

Materials: Black Death Activity sheets (see attached activity, it has been modified for this class). Black beans and white beans of about the same size, brown paper lunch bags, dice, Glo-Germ, a black light.

Procedure: Students will engage in a reminder of their studies in history regarding the Black Plague. Students will then complete a math activity in which they will estimate populations based on historical information. Students will complete the Epidemic Simulation followed by a discussion about contact and bacterial spreading. Students will be tested for the "Bacteria X" and be reminded of the importance of washing their hands.

Student prior knowledge: Information about the Black Plague (from Social Studies), how to estimate percentages using a bar graph model (from math), conducting themselves appropriately during a lab lesson, and using acquired knowledge to compose a response to thought provoking question (ELA).

Explanation: Students will start the class with a discussion about their current study of the Black Plague and how it ravaged Europe during the 14th century. Some primary sources from the activity packet will be read aloud to help convey how devastating the plague was at the time.

Students will then estimate the number of deaths in various cities using the estimation techniques they are learning in math. (Estimate that 37% of the population of 5,985,231 was killed) (Estimate that 52% of 5,985,231 was killed) to give a estimated range of deaths.

Students will be given a choice of paths to take through Europe. For each city on the path they must find the city (labeled brown bag in the class), roll the dice to indicate the number of nights they are staying, draw a bean for each night. If they draw all white beans, they move onto the next city and repeat the process. If they draw a black bean they have been exposed to the plague. Instead of drawing a bean for the subsequent cities they will add a black bean based on the number they roll to the bag. They will keep track on their tracking sheet describing what they did in each city. Any student drawing a black bean will die at the end of the scenario. We can then compare the classes death rate to the rate of LONDON.

Students will discuss the reasons they feel the plague spread so quickly and devastatingly through Europe.

They will then be introduced to Bacteria X, and a test will be given to see if they contracted the disease.

Questions & Answers:

1. What made the Black Plague so incredibly dangerous? Students could discuss various reasons including that it was carried by fleas from rats, many cities had filthy living conditions, the influx of foreigners via the Silk Road, the climates change to a more conducive environment for spreading, famine, exposure to other deadly diseases like cholera, little medical knowledge, no immunity and a bacteria that affected multiple body systems (lungs, blood and lymphatic systems)

2. Discuss which method of transmission you feel was the most effective means for the spread of the disease. Based on their understanding of transmission, students could discuss the infection from flea bites, the handling of contaminated tissue from other people or animals (hunters etc), droplets of liquid from coughing sneezing etc. this included the bacteria spreading from cats who had encountered infected people to people that came in contact with these animals.

3. What scientific inventions could have helped contain the plague from spreading and killing so many people? Students could discuss a myriad of inventions including pesticides, sanitation protocols, the use of the blood tests, the use of antibiotics etc. This question is designed to test application of their outside thinking and is contingent upon their knowledge.

Applications to Everyday Life:

1. The understanding of bacterial growth and spreading can be applied to the virus life cycle and it's reproduction. The protocols are very similar to prevent the spread and infection of viruses and viruses use certain bacterial cells to reproduce. Students are always getting sick especially living with siblings. Also bring awareness to communicable diseases like chicken pox and measles which still affect our younger populations.

2. Cellular reproduction asexually by binary fission, genetic recombination, and budding giving students a better understanding of organism growth and the conditions needed etc.

3. Being clean is very important to keeping bacteria and viruses from spreading. This knowledge will help students remember to wash hands, cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, not eating or drinking behind a sick person, being mindful of others when they are ill etc.

Photographs: Include photos and diagrams that illustrate the how the investigation is performed.

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