Lesson plans help teachers use The History of Vaccines in the classroom and teach specific standards-based topics: the scientific method, the immune system and how vaccines interact with it, and viral evolution.
The first lesson plan below provides a broad overview of using the website in one or two class periods. The other lesson plans offer in-depth explorations of particular topics and website areas.
Lesson Plans
The purpose of this lesson is to offer suggestions on how to use the History of Vaccines website in a high school biology or health class. This lesson gives you a one-period class option (Part A) as well as a two-period class option (Part B). Both options give students the chance to explore specific site areas that deal with the history of vaccines and the science behind vaccines. Additionally, the two-period lesson plan includes time for students to play an epidemic simulation on the site. While this lesson plan provides students with a broad overview of the website, other lesson plans available on the Educators page address specific standards-based topics in detail: viruses and evolution, the scientific method, and the human immune system and infectious disease. For a broad overview of the site, use this lesson plan. For a more directed exploration, use the other lesson plans.
The purpose of this lesson is to relate the action of vaccines to the human immune system. In this lesson, students will explore infectious disease and immunity and learn how vaccines help the body defend itself against infectious diseases. This lesson plan gives you two one-period class options (Part 1 or Part 2) and a two-period class option (Parts 1 and 2). All three options give students opportunities to explore information and graphics that describe the parts of the immune system and how vaccines build immunity against infectious diseases.
The purpose of this lesson is to familiarize students with the history of vaccination and the use of the scientific method in the development of vaccines and the study of infectious disease. Explain that in this lesson, students will explore the processes that health officials and researchers use in identifying agents of infectious disease, the source of an infection, and how the infection spreads. Additionally, Part 2 of the lesson plan includes a role-playing activity to engage students in the use of the scientific method in a disease outbreak investigation. This lesson plan gives you a one-period class option (Part 1 or Part 2), a two-period class option (any combination of Parts 1, 2, and 3), and a three-period class option (Parts 1, 2, and 3).
The purpose of this lesson is to prepare students for exploring the biological basis of vaccines. Students will explore the nature of viruses, specifically their structure and ability to adapt through evolution. This lesson plan gives you a one-period class option (Part 1) and a two-period class option (Parts 1 and 2). Both options give students the chance to explore information and graphics that describe the nature of viruses and how they evolve. Additionally, Part 2 of the lesson plan includes modeling activities to engage students in a process of science and to enhance their understanding of complex concepts.