Infectious Diseases

Problem Based Learning Model

Chapter 11 Pages 278-304
10th Grade Biology

1. MATERIALS/PREPLANNING
Materials - Computers (student laptops), video cameras, cables, projectors, Bacteria Lab equipment, Movie segments from
United Streaming & YouTube; audio segments from NPR; Your Magic Doctor video; petri dishes, swabs, tape, incubator,
markers; medical/health professional to come in as a guest speaker
Vocabulary virus, capsid, envelope, provirus, reverse transcriptase, bacteriophage, lytic cycle, virulent, lysis, lysogenic
cycle, temperate virus, prophage, retrovirus, vector, protease inhibitor, oncogene, proto-oncogene, emerging disease,
inactivated virus, attenuated virus, viroid, prion
Literature text book, handouts for notes and activities,
2. OBJECTIVE
Students will create a Public Service Announcement for the CDC regarding a mystery pathogen that may be a threat. They
will complete several guided research activities relating to viruses and bacteria. In addition, they will use scientific processes
to collect and identify possible microorganisms.
DOK Level 4- Create, analyze, connect, apply concepts
DOK Level 3- Investigate, hypothesize, draw conclusions
Standards:
Conduct scientific investigations using appropriate tools and techniques (e.g., selecting an instrument that measures the
desired quantitylength, volume, weight, time interval, temperaturewith the appropriate level of precision).
Design and conduct a systematic scientific investigation that tests a hypothesis. Draw conclusions from data presented
in charts or tables.
Develop an understanding of a scientific concept by accessing information from multiple sources. Evaluate the scientific
accuracy and significance of the information.
Describe the structures of viruses and bacteria
Recognize that while viruses lack cellular structure, they have the genetic material to invade living cells.
Explain how two organisms can be mutually beneficial and how that can lead to interdependency.

3. ASSESSMENT Perfect Assessment Tool Rationale:

Summative assessments: Groups PSA This assessment links with this theoretical model because it is
presentation providing the students with a problem, and allowing them to come up
Unit test with a solution for it with guidance from the teacher
Peer and self evaluation Problem based learning allows the teacher to present/identify the
This assessment tool supports the brain for problem (in this case, the mystery disease), allows students to
excellent learning because it allows for develop their own plan to solve the problem (create a PSA),
traditional assessment as well as an implement the plan (through research), and then have their
opportunity for students who may be bad implementation get evaluated by the teacher
test takers to show their understanding and Rubric:
knowledge of the material through their PSA
project. The project allows them to be
creative, engaged and hands on with the
concept.

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 Help! I Dont Want to Get SickPSA Rubric
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Students showed no Students showed Students showed
Students showed full
understanding of the little understanding understanding of the
understanding of the
Content content and included of the content and content and included
content and included
no factual included some factual mostly factual
factual information to
information to information to information to
persuade audience.
persuade audience. persuade audience. persuade audience.
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Students showed no Students showed
Students showed Students showed full
understanding of the little understanding
understanding of understanding of
use of video cameras, of the use of video
video cameras, video video cameras, video
Skill video editing, audio cameras, video
editing, audio editing editing, audio editing
editing or editing, audio editing
or microphones to or microphones to
microphones to or microphones to
produce a high produce a high
produce a high produce a high
quality PSA. quality PSA.
quality PSA. quality PSA.
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Often listens to, Usually listens to, Almost always listens
Rarely listens to,
shares with, and shares with, and to, shares with, and
shares with, and
Collaboration supports the eforts supports the eforts supports the eforts
supports the eforts
with Peers of others in the
of others in the group of others in the of others in the
but sometimes is not group. Does not group. Tries to keep
group. Often is not a
a good team cause problems in people working well
good team member.
member. the group. together.
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Students were not Students were Students were very
creative in writing Students were mildly creative in writing creative in writing
and presenting their creative and used and presenting their and presenting their
PSA, using no props, either props or voice PSA, using some PSA, using props,
Creativity
and no voice inflection to props, voice voice inflection and
inflection to persuade teens to inflection to passion to persuade
persuade teens to become responsible persuade teens to teens to become
become responsible digital citizens. become responsible responsible digital
digital citizens. digital citizens. citizens.
Poor Fair Good Excellent
PSA exceeded the PSA exceeded the
Time PSA was less than 30 allotted time limit by allotted time limit by PSA was exactly 30
seconds in length. more than 10 1 second - 10 seconds.
seconds. seconds.

4. CENTRAL FOCUS/ PURPOSE (2 parts to include)

1. The Central Focus of what I want my students to take away from this lesson is how can we stop the spread of infectious
disease? That will be the driving question that will lead them into the problem-based learning. Students will get practice of
carrying out a scientific investigation on bacteria and bacteria growth, collect and record information regarding infectious
diseases (viral and bacterial), and then present the material in a public service announcement project that will be published
on the web.
2. This lesson will benefit students because it will require a deep level of thinking and knowledge of the material. Not only will
they have to understand the basics of viruses and bacteria, but also they will learn how to utilize and apply their knowledge
to perform an investigation. This project will also strengthen their collaboration and research skills all while allowing them to
be hands on and creative with their final project.

5. MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING

Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation to do well on their project because they will be presenting it as well
as posting it to the Internet, so they will want to take pride in their work. Extrinsic because they want to receive a good grade.
I will support the motivation to learn by providing engaging assignments and activities that will help them want to learn
This lesson promotes a growth mindset because every part of this lesson besides the assessment requires collaboration,
which encourages students to work together if they are stuck on a certain concept. Instead of getting discouraged and
frustrated that they dont understand something, they are able to work together with partners in order to grow as individuals
and help them believe they can be successful

6. PRE-LESSON - Just before teaching the new lesson do the following:

Because the lesson is quite intense with a lab and problem-based project, the pre lesson will just be a fun video about
bacteria on cell phones
[Link]
This will allow students to get a preview of something similar to what they will be doing in their bacteria lab
Students will make a list of 3 interesting facts as well as 1 way to help prevent the spread of bacteria on phones
Students will discuss in groups, then as a class in a think-pair-share manner
We will discuss the techniques for the bacteria lab as well as give an introduction to their PSA project which will allow them to
get a hands on research experience with viruses and bacteria

6. LESSON BODY: Provide text page #286 for your lesson. Follow the exact steps provided in the text for the lesson
you are teaching. Clarity is the key.

Step 1: Present or identify the problem: The teacher presents a good problem for the students to explore and in this lesson it
would be how can we stop the spread of infectious disease?. The students examine the problem the teacher
presents and sometimes may even identify the problem their selves in Problem-based learning. In this lesson,

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 students examine the problem in the form of a project: a PSA video.
Step 2: Develop plan for solving problem: This phase is where students use the information they have from prior knowledge
(this is the end of the unit project, so they have been studying this and have background knowledge) to form a plan
to solve the problem. The plan of action they will take will be to ultimately create a PSA through a series of guided
research activities relating to viruses and bacteria. The teacher in this step may need to ask probing questions to
help students analyze the problem carefully and devise a plan for solving it (by giving the requirements for the
project). The teacher can assign groups, or have students create them on their own. The teacher also needs to
scaffold students so they can structure how students develop their plans.
Step 3: Implement the plan: This is where students will test out the plan they developed in the previous phase by using the
scientific processes to collet and identify possible microorgiasms, designing and carrying out a scientific
investigation on bacteria and bacteria growth, collecting and recording information regarding infectious diseases
(viral and bacterial), interviewing a local health/medical practitioner, and then creating a PSA in a creative way that
includes all information they have researched that will ultimately answer the problem based learning question: How
can we stop the spread of infectious disease? The teacher my need to provide additional scaffolding, such as
helping students document the implementation of their plan so they can better evaluate them in the following step.
Step 4: Evaluate the implementation: I will as students to evaluate and reflect on the implementation of their plans and their
outcomes through a peer and self-evaluation survey. They should reflect on the benefits and challenges they went
through as well as the different approaches to solving the same problem. I will also evaluate the students approach
to solving the problem and assess their work for accuracy and effort.

7. ASSIGNMENT
The perfect assignment for this will be the Bacteria Lab
This is the perfect assignment for students to have hands on experience with bacteria and by being able to physically see
and culture their own bacteria, the more likely the concept will remain in their long term memory
This assignment will also pair well in their research on bacteria for their PSA projects
Terms
Investigation: Bacteria Colony Shape and size -- round, irregular, punctiform (tiny)
Margin edge -- entire (smooth), undulate (wavy), lobate (lobed)
Essential Question: How Can Bacteria be Studied? Elevation -- convex, flat, raised
Color -- color + opaque, translucent, shiny or dull
Goals: Texture -- moist or dry (rough)
1. Inoculate plates with samples taken from surfaces at the 1. Draw each plate, showing how colonies are spread across the agar surface.
school and observe growth of bacteria colonies. 2. Pick several colonies on your plates and describe them using the terms above.
2. Use microbiology terms to describe the appearance of 3. (Optional) You may wish to photograph your plates and include them in your final lab report.
colonies and compare samples / surfaces. Safety Precautions:
3. Use a microscope to examine bacteria from colonies.
4. Examine prepared slides of bacteria and compare 1. Always use STERILE TECHNIQUE C. Preparation of a Bacterial Smear
different strains with regard to appearance and location.
5. Perform a gram stain using a step-by-step guide to 2. ASSUME that any bacteria that grows
1. Place a drop of water on a clean slide.
compare gram negative bacteria to gram positive bacteria on your plate is harmful and treat as such
2. Heat the inoculating loop until it glows red. Let it cool then remove a small amount of culture from the agar
using known samples.
3. Always WASH HANDS after you are surface; touch it several times to the drop of water until it just turns cloudy.
6. Use sterile technique and observe all safety protocols finished handling plates
when handling bacteria More is not better! Too much and you won't be able to see individual cells
Materials 3. Burn the bacteria from the loop and allow the loop to cool, use the loop to spread the suspension (water +
**This lab may take several days, keep all data and
observations in a separate notebook to be compiled and bacteria) over the surface of the slide to form a thin film.
-Prepoured Agar Plates
organized into a final lab report. -Sterile Swabs
-Innoculating Loop 4. Allow suspension to air dry. This process will be short if you spread the liquid out in step 4.
A. Inoculating Your Plates - Known Cultures, Gram + and - 5. Hold the slide with a clothespin and then heat fix the bacteria on the slide by passing it over the flame 3-4 times
-Gram Stain Kit (film side up). Do not overheat the slide, it should feel warm but not hot.
A solid source for bacterial growth is essential if organisms are to be -Microscopes
6. Place a drop of methylene blue on the slide over where the smudge of bacteria and water is
isolated. In the laboratories of Robert Koch, gelatin was first used to 7. Allow the dye to remain for approximately 1 minute (the bacteria will take up the stain during this time)
achieve bacteria colonies. Agar now serves as a more useful
material; it will remain solid until heating and then will solidify as it cools. Before it cools (and solidifies) it can be 8. Wash the excess stain off the slide by picking the slide up and holding it at an angle over the sink. Gently rinse
poured into petri dishes. Using sterile technique minimizes the contamination of the agar before you are ready to the excess dye off with water.
inoculate it with bacteria from other sources. 9. Blot off excess stain and water using filter paper - DO NOT RUB!
Your agar plates will be prepared for you in advance. 10. Examine the slide under the microscope using the high power objective. You do not need a coverslip.

Without opening any of the petri dishes, use a marking pen to divide the dish into four quadrants and label the You may need to repeat this process a few times in order to get a good slide!
sections as shown on the bottom of the plates.
*Identify the shape and arrangement of the bacteria. Make sketches of each to include in your final lab report.
Surface 1: Any surface in classroom, hall or bathroom. Use sterile cotton swabs.

Surface 2: Any surface in classroom, hall or bathroom. Use sterile

D. Observe Known Bacteria samples
cotton swabs.
Use internet sources, slide viewers, and prepared slides to identify the different shapes and types of bacteria.
D: Touch your finger gently to this circle. Your investigation should include, but not necessarily be limited to the following well-known bacteria.
C: Clean your finger with an alcohol pad or soap and touch it to this
sector. 1. Escherichia coli
2. Staphylococcus aureus
3. Bacillus subtilis
B. Analyzing Colonies 4. Cholera vibrio

You will identify and categorize different bacterial colonies based on *Include sketches and descriptions in your final lab report as well as an overview of the bacteria. This is
varied appearance and morphology (form and structure), When a single something you may need to research on your own.
bacterial cell is deposited on the surface of a nutrient medium (agar), it
begins to divide exponentially. After thousands of cells are formed, a
visible mass appears which is called a COLONY. Each species of
bacteria will exhibit characteristic colonies.

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E. GRAM STAIN
Microbiologists use a special level of classification to describe eubacteria it is called the Division. Eubacteria
are placed in a division depending on the type of cell wall they have. A bacterium with a cell wall that has a large
amount of petidoglycan, is classified as gram (+) and stains dark-purple. Bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer
are classified as gram (-) and will stain pink.

Gram stains can be difficult and take practice. Follow the steps exactly as listed. If done correctly, you should be
able to identify your bacteria as Gram + or Gram - and check resources to see if you are correct. If known
samples are not available, you can gram stain a sample from your petri dish, but there will be no way to check
your accuracy.

1. Use a sterilized innoculating loop to transfer a small droplet of water to a clean slide. Sterilize loop.
2. Add a sample of a known culture to the droplet and pass it briefly over flame to heat fix the sample.
3. Add 1-4 drops of crystal violet over the fixed culture. Let stand for one minute.
4. Pour off excess stain and gently rinse the slide in tap water. Keep in mind, the objective is to wash off the
stain, not the fixed culture.
5. Add about 1-4 drops of iodine to the smear. Let stand for one minute.
6. Pour off excess iodine and rinse the slide with water as before.
7. Tip the slide and add several drops of the ethyl alcohol to the upper end. Allow alcohol to flow over the
smear. After several seconds, rinse the slide again.
8. Add about 5 drops of the safranin to the slide. Let stand for one minute.
9. Rinse the slide again, drain and blot away excess moisture. Let the slide dry.

Compare each of the samples colors, taking note of whether the sample a light pink color (gram -) or a dark
purple color (gram +). Don't forget to write down the names of your samples to include in your lab report later.

If your gram stain was not successful, use google to research your sample and find out what it is.

Bacteriology Lab Report Guidelines Must be TYPED. Due

Date: _____

Review the "Goals" listed at the beginning of this document. Your job is to demonstrate that you have achieved
these goals.

Choose One Project for your Final Report

Infographic

Create an infographic (piktochart), Slide Presentation, or traditional lab report (typed) that demonstrates that
you have achieved the GOALS listed at the beginning of this lab guide. You are free to use whatever means you
think will show me that you have engaged and learned something in this lab. Suggested content: You will be graded on your demonstration of achieving the goals listed in the beginning of this lab guide.
Photographs (your own) Grading Rubric
Images from websites (cite sources)
Paragraphs / Essays / Lists that explain a procedure or understanding (please do not copy this lab Aseptic Technique observed during lab, locations where samples were taken described __3__2__1__0
guide, summarize or put in your own words) Growth of colonies on plates observed, described in detail using appropriate terminology __3__2__1__0
Drawings of samples Individual bacteria observed using a microscope, descriptions included __3__2__1__0
Gram stain procedure attempted, student was able to stain and identify types of bacteria __3__2__1__0
Must be TYPED. Due Date: _________ Overall Presentation - report shows attention to detail, provides evidence from the lab, organized __3__2__1__0

8. Student Work Examples/Technology Support

I personally do not have any student work, but I did find a similar video on YouTube from students making a PSA that would
be a good example for the project
[Link]
Students without video cameras could even do a voice over on current videos such as this one for their PSA:
[Link]
Technology support: [Link] and a guest speaker

Reflective Thinking/Curriculum Evaluation @50 Points

Reflective Thinking/Curriculum Evaluation

Reflection is a very important part of each lesson. Please take the time to thoughtfully prepare your reflections. Follow
the format provided below and provide a professional quality reflective analysis of your work.

SLO 3: Employ leadership practices to optimize educational and institutional outcomes. This lesson demonstrates my
competence with the SLO 3 because through the Problem-based learning model, I can almost take a backseat to my
students learning. By acting more as a guide for my students, it allows them to gain opportunity to be their own teacher and
answer questions through solving problems and research. By providing students with a problem and allowing them to come
up with their own way to solve that problem, may in fact optimize their educational outcomes.

Significance/competence: Using careful analysis and evaluative thought, address the points listed below. Add other
pertinent information that supports our competence by using this lesson model.

This lesson supports helping students reach levels of deeper learning because problem based learning requires a higher
level of depth of knowledge from the students. they simply cannot wait around for the teacher to give them the answer, but
instead they have to go find the answer through research and scientific inquiry. The teachers role is to provide the student
with the problem, not the answer, and act as a guide for students to develop a way to solve the problem.
The problem based model makes learning stick into long term memory because it is not simply recall of information, it
requires students to hypothesize, construct, synthesize, and apply concepts to create an answer to the problem.

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 Because I will be teaching high school biology, I will be able to utilize this model quite frequently and would be suitable
throughout my curriculum. For a lot of activities, I can have my students use problem based learning. For example, any lab
activity I can provide the students with the questions, but only offer guidance as to how to get the answers instead of
providing them with a procedure. I can provide caution for any potential hazards, but will challenge the students more by
forcing them to come up with their own procedures as to how to answer the questions.
I will support advanced/ELD/Special needs learners through this model by making it fit their specific needs through making
modifications or accommodations. For ELD students, I can provide instructions in both English and Spanish, as well as make
sure there are lots of diagrams, pictures, and visual representations of the words. Advanced students I can have them help
be tutors and help the kids who are struggling. And for special needs students I can give them more time to complete the
assignment as necessary, and provide additional scaffolding when necessary.
This lesson supports both of these standards in the common core through the requirements of the project:
o WHST.912.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-
generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple
sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (HS-LS2-7),(HS-LS4-6)
o RST.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g.,
quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (HS-LS2-6),(HS-LS2-7),
(HS-LS2-8)

Link to Theory:

The problem based learning model links to the constructivism theory because it stresses that learning happens through
experience, and by giving students first hand experiences of solving problems, meaningful learning will occur. Problem
based learning also allows for personalized learning for each student.
This lesson model links to the big idea of what makes learning meaningful because by allowing the students the freedom to
chose how to solve a problem, with the teacher acting as a guide, it holds the students more accountable for their learning
and allows the information to stick because they are engaged in the material instead of just being told what to do and know.
Useful technology:
o [Link]
second=340
o [Link]

Growth Mindset

This lesson along with anything else I plan to teach in my class will have the underlying goal of developing a growth mindset in my
students. They will develop growth mindset by viewing challenges as opportunities for self improvement, celebrate their growth with
others (through collaboration and group activities), place effort before talent by rewarding students who are working hard, and take
ownership over your attitude. I want them to have a can do attitude about tasks they may find difficult and keep being a positive
reminder that they CAN do something even if they are struggling. I will provide students with any scaffolding they need to help them
solve problems on their own!

Professional Actions/Areas for growth: What are your next professional steps in this area to keep moving forward as a
professional?

I think the main change for improved learning with this model is giving the students more freedom and holding them
accountable for their education. By not providing them with the answers, and instead directing them towards discovering the
answer on their own, the learning will be more deep and meaningful.
I believe learning happens when students are engaged with the material. As I had stated above, I believe the problem-based
learning promotes student learning by holding students accountable for the material they learn and discover through solving
problems.
I want to read more about ways to incorporate problem based learning in a high school science classroom and learn from
other teachers about what have worked for them
What more do you need to read or learn?
I do not yet have my own classroom, but I feel as though this lesson would hypothetically add to my credibility because it
follows the problem based learning model, which is an effective strategy to pass onto new teachers

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