Tuberculosis Unit
On a global scale, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (aka: TB) persists as a leading cause of death from an infectious pathogen. Every day over 4,500 people are infected with TB. In this unit, each lesson includes activities which engage students with recent TB research articles. To make the research articles easier to understand, the articles are transformed; meaning they are shorter, easier to read, and more accessible for students, grades 6 – 12. Original research data are incorporated into the transformed articles and integrated into lesson activities. These standards-aligned activities (TEKS & NGSS) apply a diverse range of pedagogical strategies, including the CER model. Each activity is designed to enhance existing curriculum by increasing relevancy and strengthening the connection between classroom content and science careers. Explore how scientists are activating the body’s own immune system to tackle this ancient bacterial invader!
Lesson 1
In these activities students will create products and/or explain the impact of TB on the body and explore the body’s immune responses to the bacterium. Students will showcase their acquired knowledge through completion of items from a Choice Board (Activity A: Infect Me…If You Can!), demonstrate their data analysis skills by interpreting graphic representations of data from TB research (Activity B: Getting Graphic with TB), and finally, students will write an abstract or summary of what they have learned about TB. From the written abstract, students will create a visual abstract, using pictures and diagrams to convey what they have learned (Activity C: Visual Abstract).
- TB Booklet Cover Page
- Teacher Notes (Activities A, B, & C)
- Teacher Background Information (Activities A, B, & C)
- Education Standards (TEKS, NGSS, & ELPS)
- Student Background (Activity A & C)
- Student Background (Activity B & C)
Lesson 2: Immune System Activate
Using the transformed article, students will use context clues to interpret key terms to better understand infectious disease research (Activity 2A: The Key to TB). Students can analyze graphical data from the transformed article as they evaluate a graph one component at a time (Activity 2B: Interpreting Alternate Treatments on Active TB). Slow reveal is an instructional tool that promotes development of analytical skills. By scaffolding visuals and using guided questions, students’ critical thinking is activated as they make sense of the data. As more and more of the graph is revealed, students begin to refine their interpretation and construct meaning from the data.