With apologies to Pat Benatar.
Introduction: there is a war that is going on right now inside your body. It is a war against germs, viruses, fungus and "bugs". This has been an on-going battle since the day you were born. A war between the forces of good (your immune system) and the forces of evil, the creepy crawlies that would love to do you wrong and do you in.
Task: Today, you will become a reporter on the front line of this war on disease. You will need to file a report to your bosses at CNN, the Contagious News Network, about the pathogen that is attacking your body and how your body is attempting to fight back. This report should be written in the first person voice and should be told from the perspective of the personnel (immune system, cells, chemicals and organs) that are responding to the assault. Your battlefield situation will be determined by the type of organism that you are fighting, the body organ, system or cells being attacked and the artillery (medication and immune cells and substances) that is being deployed by your body for the current assault. You should incorporate military terminology as well as medical terminology in your paper. Click here for the mechanics of the paper.
Process: You will need to learn what you can about the disease pathogen that is responsible for the attack on your body, the cells, organs or body system(s) that are most affected by the assault and the way that the body's immune system combats the disease. Know symptoms as well as the types of medications that might be used to slow down if not stop the attack. Find out everything you possibly can about the disease and its affects on the body. Remember to write your article in the first person narrative style, as if you are that immune system and you are telling the reader about your job protecting the body. Your research should include pertinent information concerning how the disease affects the body system originally targeted by the disease as well as changes in other organs or body systems as they succumb to the attack should the immune system not fend off the intruder. Click here for a bulleted list of what your paper should include.
Conclusion: When you are finished writing your paper you will hopefully have a more intimate idea of the workings of your body as well as an appreciation of the role your immune system plays in keeping you alive and functional every day of your life.
Stay safe. Be well.
Teacher Materials: Click here for the complete list of diseases and organisms for this project. Cut the list apart and have your students choose their topic blindly from a hat or devise another way of allowing them to choose their disease. There are enough topics on the list that you shouldn't have to read too many double copies (no matter HOW big your biology or health class might be!)