Lesson Plan

Learning the Immune System using clickers and Weebly

Content: Currently we are studying The Human Systems and we are just starting to introduce the Immune System. The biggest focus is that students need to learn the importance of this system in fighting diseases. The Immune system also plays a big part in maintaining the stability of your health. Based on the Science Content Standards for California Public schools, students need to know:

a. the role of the skin in providing nonspecific defenses against infection.

b. the role of antibodies in the body’s response to infection.

c. how vaccination protects an individual from infectious diseases.

d. there are important differences between bacteria and viruses with respect to their requirements for growth and replication, the body’s primary defenses against bacterial and viral infections, and effective treatments of these infections.

e. why an individual with a compromised immune system (for example, a person with AIDS) may be unable to fight off and survive infections by microorganisms that are usually benign.

f. the roles of phagocytes, B-lymphocytes, and T-lymphocytes in the immune system.

Essential Questions:

1. What is a pathogen and what is the difference between a virus and bacteria in relation to diseases?

2. What makes a disease infectious?

3. What is the difference between specific and non-specific immunity?

4. How do antibodies recognize antigens?

5. How does a vaccine help you immune to viral infections?

6. How does an antibiotic fight off bacterial diseases?

Pedagogy: With every lesson plan, I have learned that it is best to take a Cognitive Constructivist approach. It is necessary to recall information that the student already knows and then use this prior knowledge to build upon and then enhance their understanding. Other pedagogical strategies that will be used throughout the lesson will include; lectures using PowerPoint and Prezi, consolidating information in graphic organizers, modeling when teaching them about the new technology, providing feedback, using rubrics and timelines to guide completion of the assignment, and possibly forming working groups to enhance collaboration. Overall, the planning allows for all types of learners to be able to partake and have a positive experience. Furthermore, every student should be able to exercise his or her creativity and individuality.

Content & Pedagogy: Learning science requires inquiry and critical thinking. Students need to resolve their understanding of what happens in the Immune System when it is fighting diseases and trying to keep the body healthy. Students need to understand how do the specific and non-specific immunities fight pathogens. They also need to further think how the body builds immunity after it has been exposed to a disease the first time. Students must also conduct research to clear prior misconceptions and develop a deeper comprehension of the subject. Another pedagogical strategy to further make a subject understandable to learners is that they need to learn to evaluate information. In other words they need to find specific facts that can support their learning.

Technology: I will be using two technologies during the lesson plan. In order to monitor understanding of the subject throughout the plan, I will be using an Audience Response System or better known as clickers. This will be used constantly; first to measure student’s prior knowledge and later to further assess comprehension. Clickers are great to keep students engaged while also learning the material. It also provides the teacher with data that can lead to reinforcement or re-teaching. We have already covered two human systems and will be covering three more. Although, this lesson plan will focus on the Immune System, my final project will be for students to choose one of the systems and create a website using Weebly. Not only will they be learning new content but also will be learning a new technology. I have no doubt that both the clickers and creating a Weebly will definitely strengthen comprehension and provide students with a more satisfying learning experience. Can they comprehend the material without the clickers or Weebly? Possibly, but both add critical thinking, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the subject in order to successful.

Technology & Pedagogy: Weebly and clickers are interactive tools that if used properly could enhance the process of learning. As a technology, both also support many pedagogical strategies that can be effective when teaching a subject in science. First, students become engaged in the process while also learning how to properly use technology. They need to research, study, and recall the correct information to fulfill the requirements of the presentation. Along with following instructions on how to accomplish the final product, students will discover new information that will support their learning of the subject and also clear prior misconceptions. With any project or assignments we want our students to be creative and express their individuality. If the student chooses to do the presentation on their own, they will have myriad of options to make a creative presentation; if they decide to work in a group then, Weebly will give them a chance to learn to work collaborative and together learn about the Immune System.

Technology & Content: One of the best features of Weebly is that it can help you create pages that can help a student collect and organize information in one place, which in turn can improve learning of the subject matter. It can also help you see something from beginning to end. In the case of learning the Immune Systems, students need to learn how the body recognizes a pathogen and how it takes care of it and ultimately destroying it. This method by far improves on traditional teaching; students need to demonstrate comprehension and by creating their own representations of the subject they will benefit more than simply taking a multiple-choice exam.

Assessment: The goal is to have students understand the modes of killing a pathogen once it invades the body. Also, they need to demonstrate an understanding of the difference between specific and non-specific immunity. They must realize the importance of the skin as the primary barrier against diseases. Finally, they must also understand how the body builds immunity once the pathogen crosses over the primary defense and specialized cells, B-cells and T-cells, come to the rescue in fighting the disease. Typically I have used quizzes, unit exams, and benchmarks to assess comprehension. However, this time I will be using the clickers as method of formative assessment. I will be providing feedback to students as a whole if I notice that support is needed. There will still be a unit exam, but I will use the Weebly assignment as summative assessment to measure an overall comprehension. The technology used will require students to recall information and will help them master the subject.