ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

Disease information station instructional unit Instructional need for proposed unit: Students often ask me why we have to study boring topics like biology in school- they often voice this complaint when we are covering the chemical background of biology- and I sometimes hear this near the end of the year when studying the human body. Although we as instructors usually love the topics we are teaching, we probably need to remember that not everybody is as enamored of the discipline as we are. What I usually tell my students about the need for studying biology is the truth- that you cannot consider yourself scientifically or biologically literate in this world until you have completed at least 10th grade biology, with preferably more after that. Most students take the bait and ask what I mean by that, and I have been known to go on for the entire hour about what has been discovered in biology in the last 50 years, 10 years and what is soon to come. I cover with them the fact that people used to die from what were common diseases like whooping cough less than 60 years ago, that the EPA didn’t exist before the 60’s and that biological weapons are now the norm and not science fiction. I ask them if they really understand what DNA is all about, and if they are ready to see disease reduced due to genetic engineering. I also ask them if they really do understand what the doctor is telling them and whether they really can intelligently discern what the nutritional label on food is telling them as well. I get varied responses, but most students are quite fascinated to listen to a summary of these and other biological achievements. They are fascinated to learn that of course we can clone human beings. Most of them will readily admit that they do not understand even rudimentary concepts in some cases. It is an hour well spent if it even slightly brings their imagination to life and makes them review what they really do know about things we take for granted and makes them even a little apprehensive as well. No one wants to be left behind in the 21st century. I also make the students aware that they are not behind just because they are young, but I stress that how they use their time in the next 10 years will determine how well they will function in society for the rest of their lives. They are the best educated, most technologically oriented generation yet and I stress that they must keep this up. So, in answer to why my disease unit is needed, I must state that several reasons come to mind, all of the utmost importance: 1. Students need to understand the rudiments of anatomy and physiology in order to function in today’s society on the most rudimentary level- knowing what the doctor is telling them and how legitimate the information is. 2. Students need to understand the state of the art in disease diagnosis and treatment not only for their own safety, but to understand current changes in medicine and how this may impact them in the future. 3. Students need to work with anatomical and physiological information beyond the discrete “vocabulary” level, and be able to put real-world terms into an overall setting of diagnosis and treatment, which impact real people. 4. Students need to update technological skills in terms of reviewing technologically produced diagrams and graphics, and work on producing some of their own, with concurrent skills in presenting word summaries. 5. Students need to find authentic topics to research and have a real audience (these are great ideas, but sometimes hard to implement!) and this is one instance where I think this is feasible. It would be nice to deliver their product as a perusal station at the local clinic or school functions and have the community view their hard work.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: 1. A general knowledge of organ/organ system location, form and function. 2. A general appreciation for anatomical organ system interaction and how pathology in one area affects other systems. 3. A general knowledge of what causative agents of pathology can include (including genetic, chemical, traumatic, environmental, biological or self-induced agents). 4. An appreciation for the state of the art in medical diagnosis and treatment for some of the more common diseases of our time. 5. A general ability to know how to locate and compare information on applied science in textbooks and the internet.6. A general ability to use word-processing and computer graphic software to make a “poster” or slide show presentation.
Goal(s): 1. Students should be able to locate reputable, reliable textbooks and web sites for information and compare them for consistency.  2. Students should gain a general knowledge of how the organ/organ system normally functions and how the particular disease changes this. 3. The students should gain a general knowledge of the symptoms of the disease being researched.  4. Students should gain a general knowledge of the simple and technological methods used to diagnose and treat the disease being researched.  5. Students should be able to use word-processing and graphic software to construct a “poster” or slide-show presentation.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: 1. What is(are) the main causative agent(s) of the disease being researched? 2. What is(are) the primary organ(s)/organ system(s) targeted by the disease and how does(do)the agent(s) gain access? 3. What are the main symptoms of the disease? 4. What are the current, state-of-the art diagnostic methods for the disease? 5. What are the current, state-of-the art treatment methods for the disease? 6. What diagrams should be included in a “poster” or slide-show format presentation and how will they be done?. What text should be included with the presentation and how brief or high-level should it be?
Objectives: 1. Students will be able to describe the disease agent, how it gains access and the target organ on a presentation format within two weeks, written at the upper high school level, with internet access.  2. Students will be able to describe the disease symptoms, diagnostic tools and treatment options in a presentation format within two weeks, written at the upper high school level, with internet access.  3. Students will be able to delineate the disease process, diagnostic procedures and treatments with graphic supplements in their presentations.  4. Students will be able to write appropriate text with correct English punctuation and syntax in presentation formats which are “poster” or slide-show in nature.  5. Students will be able to define any term or concept included in their presentation upon verbal questioning.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding?  A student (group) generated quiz will be given to the entire class (including the group itself) which will include questions targeting the following areas: 1. Anatomical organs and systems involved with the disease. 2. The agent of pathology and how it disrupts normal organ function. 3. Major symptoms of the disease. 4. Methods of diagnosis for the disease. 5. Methods of treatment for the disease. The instructor will review the quiz and give pointers on its construction. The presenting group will be given points on the quiz according to the following rubric: 1. 0-10 points for having all categories of questions included on the quiz. 2. 0-10 points for all questions being well worded and easy to understand, with correct grammar. 3. 0-10 points for questions which ask for direct, simple terms or phrases as answers, and which are not too open-ended. 4. 0-10 points for a typed or verbal format which is well organized and easy to follow and which is not distracting. The four criteria points will be averaged to one value between 0 and 10 points and will be included with the presentation grade (see presentation assessment).* Actual quiz grades for the entire class will be on a basis of 100 points and will be assigned as an individual grade for members of the group as well.
What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?  1. During presentation of the slide show or poster, all members of the group will be subject to various questions by the instructor on any term, concept or relationship presented in their program.  2. This is to insure that all members are familiar with the entire presentation and not just their part of the research.  3. It will also help the instructor to find out to what extent the group understands its own research. 4. Questions will be scored by the following rubric: 1. 0-10 points for attempt and willingness to address the question. 2. 0-10 points for correct answer. 3. 0-10 points for clear and concise explanation verbally. The criteria points will be averaged to a score between 0 and 10 and will be included on the presentation scoring (see presentation assessment).
What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?  1. Students will present their research in power point format first and may later convert this to a poster format for display purposes. 2. The presentation will be assessed according to the following rubric: 1. 0-10 points for having included all top