Infectious Disease: Evolving Challenges to Human Health
Rx for Survival: Deadly Messengers
Overview of Activity
Students take a closer look at mosquitoes as vectors for disease and the difficulty of vector control through a simulated experience where they represent the mosquitoes carrying the pathogen and the people being bitten.
Activity Type: In Class Role Play
URLs: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/series/teachers/
pdf/rx_guide_messengers.pdf
Grade Level: 7-12
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Amount of Time Required for Activity: Two to Three 40-minute Class Periods
Recommended Uses:
Prior to attending exhibit, this may be used as an introductory activity to engage students in thinking about mosquito vector diseases and methods of controlling them.
After visiting the exhibit, this activity may be used to build on their understanding of mosquito vector diseases and methods of controlling them based on their experience with malaria portion of the museum exhibit.
Description
Students participate in a role play that looks at how a vector transmits a disease. In teams, students research the West Nile virus and six techniques that can be used to control mosquito populations. For each technique, they are responsible for finding at least two arguments in favor of and against each one and then use them in a debate about the pros and cons of using insecticide to control mosquito populations. As a class, they then discuss what the best combination of techniques would be to reduce the number of malaria-related deaths around the world.
This activity was developed as a part of a series called Rx for Survival by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).
Relation to the Science Standards
Middle School and/or High School
Content Standard A - Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry
Content Standard C - Interdependence of Organisms
Content Standard F - Risks and benefits (middle school)
Content Standard F - Personal and Community Health
Content Standard F - Science and Technology in Local, National, and Global Challenges (high school)
Related Part of the Exhibit
Vector Control and Malaria
Global Distribution of Disease
Additional Related Links
Experimental Malaria Vaccine Shows Promise in Africa - NewsHour, December 11, 2007
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