Activities Just for Students

When it comes to learning on the web, middle schoolers are attracted to sites that are colorfully designed, highly interactive, and use sound and video in entertaining ways. When these sites are used in combination with interesting topics like viruses, infectious diseases, plagues, and epidemics, you have a winning combination that will make learning an adventure!

Students become the detective in the Global Bug Conspiracy and actually use a flashlight to simulate how it would look to peer around in the dark on the trail of their next clue. In How Lou Got the Flu, they meet a girl with a flu bug that traveled around the globe from China. Students will learn about viruses making recent news headlines at the Why Files http://whyfiles.org/ sites. Topics covered are chronic wasting disease, an infection that has affected the deer and elk population in some states, the West Nile virus, and zoonoses, the spread of viruses from animals to humans.

DDT Quest http://www.rst2.edu/ties/ddts/index.htm

This WebQuest has students pretend to be an environmental consulting firm and present the case for or against the reintroduction of DDT to fight the (fictitious) South Ramford River Virus (SRRV). Arguments will focus on the possible routes of exposure to DDT for people and wildlife in the county, the risks and effects of exposure to DDT for humans and wildlife, the extent of the potential SRRV problem in Ramford County, and strategies for controlling the mosquito vector. MSP full record

How Lou Got the Flu http://www.amnh.org/explore/infection/04_lou/04_lou.html

Don't know how you caught the flu? In a kid-friendly format, both upper elementary and middle school students can follow the long and winding path of a flu germ to see how quickly and easily germs travel from a duck in China to a girl, named Lou, who lives in Kansas. MSP full record

Bam! Body and Mind http://www.bam.gov/sub_diseases/index.html

This web site was created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for kids and teachers. The site offers a fun, interactive approach to raising kids' awareness of health issues. Click on the Diseases section to find Stalking SARS. Designed with cartoon-like illustrations, this segment focuses on how the disease started, and the CDC's efforts to lessen its threat around the world. Included are an interactive map of where the disease has traveled, a chronology of significant SARS-fighting events, brief introductions to the key people who have been at the head of the battle, and a question-and-answer section on basic SARS facts. MSP full record

Hidden Killers: Deadly Viruses http://library.thinkquest.org/23054/gather/index.shtml

Scientists believe that although they are beginning to understand how viruses behave, there is still much that needs further study. In this ThinkQuest, students learn about viruses and get a brief overview of some of the viruses commonly mentioned in the news. Included are games and vocabulary terms. MSP full record

Deer: Wasting Disease Disaster http://whyfiles.org/156cwd_deer/index.html

Chronic wasting disease, the brain disease that affects deer and elk, sometimes compared to mad cow disease, has become a problem outside of the states of Colorado and Wyoming where it has been known for decades, raising concern for wildlife in affected areas. This site, which discusses the epidemic and Wisconsin's plans to control it, is a feature from the Why Files. MSP full record

Bye Bye Birdie: Vilifying a Virus http://whyfiles.org/175west_nile/index.html

West Nile has spread to 44 states and beyond, and while it can be fatal to humans, it remains primarily a bird disease. This Why Files site offers an in-depth exploration of West Nile in North American birds, tackling the questions "How far? How fast? What's next? Who's next?" The report also explains how researchers conduct bird studies, such as lab and field studies, and anecdotal observations. Visitors may also view a QuickTime interview with Paul Slota of the National Wildlife Health Center. MSP full record

Zoonotic Diseases Go Global http://whyfiles.org/180zoonotic_disease/index.html

This Why Files feature offers a detailed look at diseases that spread to people from other animals, called zoonotic diseases. These diseases, such as monkeypox and West Nile, make up two-thirds of all infectious diseases and may represent a growing threat. This feature provides an insightful and easy-to-understand discussion of emerging zoonotic diseases, including a short section on the hazards presented by household pets. MSP full record

---

 Back to top

Copyright August 2006 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.