Introduction
Viruses with such exotic names as Ebola, bird flu, monkeypox, and West Nile have
been making the headlines lately. Even those middle-schoolers who don't read
the news online or in print have probably heard some of the warnings,
predictions, and hype surrounding mention of these viruses. Knowing the facts
is important for all of us.
What's Making You Sick? focuses on what science currently knows about
viruses and infectious diseases as well as the questions that scientists are
studying. Teachers will find valuable background information about viruses, germs, and disease as well as lesson plans that incorporate this material.
Reaching back in time, we will look at sites that discuss the intriguing history
of plagues and infectious disease that became rampant killers of millions of
people. These sites uncover the role that insects and rodents have played in
the history of disease. They also show how man's response to virus and disease
has changed through the centuries.
We have selected a number of interactive sites that will engage students in projects designed to help them understand
that illness can be caused by many factors, including personal health and
hygiene. Students will learn how epidemics can be linked to contaminated air,
water, and food, and how we need to find ways to contain the spread of
infections that are easily transmitted from host-to-host.
by Janet Kahkonen Keppler
Janet Kahkonen Keppler is a consultant to the Middle School Portal. Previously, she was the catalog manager for various digital library projects at the Ohio State University, concentrating on the development and application of metadata for digital collections in mathematics and science.
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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.
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This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
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