Overview
Purpose
The purpose of this module is to introduce students to infectious diseases and the agents that cause them. Students determine the differences between infectious and noninfectious diseases, explore the different kinds of organisms that cause disease, distinguish among outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics, and emerging and re-emerging diseases, and compare Ebola virus and measles virus, the infectious agents involved in recent outbreaks of these diseases. This module provides foundational concepts and understandings for subsequent modules in this series.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Distinguish between infectious and noninfectious diseases;
- Describe the characteristics of parasites, bacteria, and viruses;
- Provide examples of different infectious agents and describe their modes of transmission and the diseases they cause;
- Define “emerging” and “re-emerging” infectious diseases and provide examples;
- Explain the differences among outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics and provide examples of each;
- Describe the biological, ecological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to an epidemic or pandemic;
- Describe the consequences that an epidemic or pandemic may have upon the ecological, social, and cultural conditions within a population;
- Decide whether viruses are alive and defend decision;
- Compare Ebola virus and measles virus in terms of structure, modes of transmission, mechanisms for reproducing themselves, the symptoms of disease they cause, and any preventative measures or treatments available
Assumptions of Prior Knowledge
- Students understand that the genome of an organism encodes the information for traits of organisms and that this biomolecule passes information for traits from one generation to the next
- Students recognize that the information in the nucleic acid of the genome is translated into proteins that are the molecules responsible for carrying out essential life processes of an organism
Advance Preparation
Below are a list of materials and preparatory steps for each activity in this module.
Activity 1a: Disease Sorting Activity (Tactile)
Materials
- One pair of scissors for each group
- Enough copies of the randomized list of diseases to give one to each group (if conducting as a team activity)
Activity 1b: Virtual Card Sort
The virtual version of this activity is available to students on the left navigation of this module page (Activity 1 Virtual Cards).
- Try this activity yourself to see how it works.
- Reserve tablets or computers if needed.
Materials
- One computer or tablet for each student or pair of students
- Students may want to record their choices and the correct answers in a notebook.
Activity 2: Timeline of Infectious Diseases
This timeline, which is available to students on the left navigation of this module page (Activity 2 Timeline), contains a robust amount of information on infectious diseases that is adaptable to a range of lessons.
- Try this activity yourself to see how it works.
- Reserve tablets or computers if needed.
Materials
- One computer or tablet for each student or pair of students
- Students may want to record their findings in a notebook.
Activity 3: Are Viruses Alive?
Assemble objects for students to examine and decide whether they are living. You may want to order a variety of objects or find them in your area. The more bizarre and unusual, the more interesting the challenge will be. Be sure to include nonliving objects
Materials
- Handheld magnifying lens – for each station
- Dissecting needles and tweezers - for each station
- Dissecting microscope – for each station (optional)
- Drawings of several viruses (e.g. Mimivirus, ebolavirus, rhinovirus)
-
Samples of some of the following (one of each):
- resurrection plant
- maple seed pod (helicopter pod)
- algae
- dead tree leaf
- living sponge
- slime mold
- kitchen sponge
- puffball mushroom
- pink eraser
- Gak™ or Silly Putty™
- walking stick insect
- deceased insect
Resources
Are Viruses Alive? Luis P. Villarreal, 2008.