Infectious Disease: Evolving Challenges to Human Health
BAM! Learning About Giardia and Giardiasis—Research and Role Play
 Overview of Activity
This is an in class activity where students simulate the role of doctors studying an outbreak of giardiasis. They study it by looking at the host’s mechanism of transfer and then take on the roles of doctors or parents who are learning about the disease.
Activity Type: In Class Role Play
URLs: http://www.bam.gov/teachers/epidemiology_giardia.html
Grade Level: 6-8
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Amount of Time Required for Activity: Two 40-minute Class Periods
Recommended Uses:
Prior to attending the exhibit, it may be used as an engaging activity to promote student awareness of what a vector is and how close to home infectious diseases could be.
After visiting the exhibit, it may be used as a follow-up activity to reinforce the role medical personnel play in informing the community about proper protection against emerging infectious diseases.
Description
In this collaborative learning activity, students take on the role of community members and doctors discussing an outbreak of giardiasis in the community. The activity is divided into different parts, detailed below.
Part 1 (55 minutes): Students begin with an attention grabbing discussion about the reason behind diapered babies not being allowed in a swimming pool. This leads into a research based discussion about Giardia and giardiasis.
Part 2 (20 minutes): Teachers then assess student understanding of the relationship between the lifecycle of an infectious agent and contraction of a disease by assigning students parts in a role play. Students will take on the roles of doctors and parents, the first of which are trying to explain to the latter what is happening to their children (a giardiasis outbreak).
There is an optional extension activity where students design their own comic strips discussing protection against giardiasis to be hung at the local community swimming pool.
This activity is part if a series designed bt the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Relation to the Science Standards
Middle School
Content Standard A - Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry
Content Standard C - Populations and Ecosystems
Content Standard C - Regulation and Behavior
Content Standard F - Personal Health
Related Part of the Exhibit
Public Health
Tracing Emerging Infectious Diseases
Additional Related Links
http://www.bam.gov/teachers/activities/epi_3_giardia.pdf
| 
