Germs, Are They Invading You?

Students will be put into groups of three. Each student will pick a role, such as, the Hand Washing Expert, the News Reporter, and the Microbiologist. This project is a collaborative effort. Your group should rely on each other throughout the entire process. Brainstorm ideas together to help create original ideas for the final projects. Each group will be presenting all three parts of the task together. Be creative in how your group will present the findings to the class. For example, the News Reporter may interview the Microbiologist and/or the Hand Washing Expert. Be creative. Originality counts.  

Before beginning your specific role, students are to answer the Germ WebQuest Research Questions sheet.  Print out the attachment 1 sheet. (see bottom of page)

Read through these Websites to answer the questions on the research sheet:

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/germs.html  What are Germs?

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/interactives/germs_resource.html#protozoa  Protozoa

http://library.thinkquest.org/J002353/  Thinkquest

http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/infection/  American Museum Natural History

http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/fsegerms.html  Germs and food safety

http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/germs.asp  Germ Quiz

http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/home_work_school.htm  CDC

http://www.1st-in-handwashing.com/Hand_Washing.html  Handwashing info

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/infection/fungus.html  Fungus

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/wash_hands.html Why do we wash hands?

The Hand Washing Expert - this person is going to create a step-by-step procedure for proper hand washing. The Expert needs to create a poster listing the proper hand washing steps with pictures showing the steps. The poster should explain why it is so important to wash hands. The Expert also needs to create a jingle, or a little song, for children to sing while they wash their hands.  

Read through the following websites for extra information:

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/scienceqa/archive/010320.html  Lurking germs

http://www.foodsafety.gov/~dms/fsegerms.html Hand washing jingle

http://www.scrubclub.org/home.aspx  Scrub Club

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/handwashing.html  Hand washing tips

The News Reporter- this person will create a story of how a germ, such as the common cold, invaded a person’s body and how the germ spread to the other members of the family. Explain how their bodies tried to fight off the disease, but failed. This is a creative writing assignment. The Reporter also needs to create a flow chart to show how the germ has passed from person to person.

Read through the following websites for extra information:

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/immune.html  The Immune System

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/flu/flu_tips.html  What to do about the flu

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/health_basics/care_about_germs.html  Caring about Germs

http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/kids/html/vaccines.htm  Vaccine Info

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/things/kidmedic.html  Medication

The Microbiologist – this person will investigate six different common viruses and bacteria. The Microbiologist will decide which of these germs have been infecting this town and create a report explaining which germ it is, how it infects people, symptoms of the germ, how it can be cured, how people can protect themselves from contacting this virus, and three interesting facts about this germ. This person needs to create a poster describing the differences between bacteria and viruses. 

Read through the following websites for extra information:

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/chicken_pox.html  Chicken Pox

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/infection/smallpox.html  Small Pox

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/west_nile.html  West Nile Virus

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/colds.html  Common Cold   

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/strep_throat.html  Strep Throat

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/ecoli.html  E. Coli

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/salmonellosis.html  Salmonella