Sharing the Planet with Pathogens

...and we all fall down.

Some say that the nursery rhyme arose from the great plague of London in 1665, though many folklorists disagree. I rather like the sinister connotations attached to such a seemingly innocuous rhyme.

Whatever the source of the rhyme, there is no doubt that a viral attack snuffed out over a 100, 000 lives.

It is interesting to note how our students reacted to this.

Some of these microorganisms are so beautiful while others are downright creepy! The students couldn't help but be fascinated by this unseen world and how much it affected their daily lives.

In order to understand the basic difference between a bacteria and a virus, we chose the venn diagram to fish out the details.

A fishbone graphic organizer helped the students to see how a disease spreads and how we can tackle it, once aware of its characteristics.

This sorting out phase is crucial in making thinking visible, almost tangible.

The map helped the students track a disease as they played the game Plague Inc. on their phones.

They chose to assess their understanding by creating board games. This provided the perfect opportunity to deal with the duality of life and death, good choices versus bad, etc.
As you played the games, the disease unfolds and the players becomes aware of how it starts, spreads and can be controlled.

This game on ZIKA was quite different. As you moved towards hundred, you moved towards Death!

Peer Assessment

As they worked in groups, they had the opportunity to assess one another and give honest opinions about their peers.

Here are some examples of their comments/ reflections. I love the way my students are so frank with one another!

They had to ensure their research guided their creation. The time finally came when they had to test the game and fine-tune it.

Mers Madness

Testing the game out...

Watch the thrill factor as they play their games.

Students create a video instruction which will be converted into a QR code so that others can scan it and play the game with ease.

Reflection time.

Interesting fact:

As we were learning about diseases, an influenza epidemic kept many students at home.

They learnt the difference between an A and B strain . Strange coincidence, isn't it?

Comments

Unravelling the inquiry cycle in a PYP class room

“ People can make choices to support the sustainability of the Earth’s energy resources .” Me to students : Does that make sense? Students to me : (after a while)...not really... Their understanding of "energy" during the pre-assessment task also reflected a superficial knowledge of the term. And thus our unit of inquiry started. As I was browsing the net, I came across this picture prompt- a map, which I thought would serve as a great provocation. The annual energy consumption per person . Kids love guessing where countries are, so it was a great way to address some geography at this point. I had also been reading Craig Dwyer's post which inspired me to change my inquiry cycle and use a simpler one. Wonder (while exploring)- Explore (while wondering)- Create (while reflecting)- Reflect (with subsequent wonderings). I was feeling more at ease now. The map allowed the students to make a lot of inferences based on patterns whi...

Reflections of a Workshop Leader

Source: Cariyon.com I was nervous about flying down to California to lead a workshop that I dreaded the most. I remembered that not-so-very-successful workshop in Vietnam a decade ago. I knew I didn't deliver as I should have. My problems had been compounded by an over-zealous Field Rep who kept popping in and taking over my sessions. Though she apologized later (a little too late in my opinion), my confidence as a fledgling leader was at an all time low. That failure (I will call it that for now) seemed to have found a place in my psyche, shaping my identity. I had done an upskilling course on this workshop. But to be honest with you, it was a blur and though I ticked all the checkboxes for the course, deep down I felt I was far from prepared. But one thing I realize about myself is that I like to face my fears. When the email invitation popped up in my inbox, my heart sank because I knew I would take up the challenge. I had done this workshop several times but they ...

A teacher's antidote to stress

Life can become hectic for us teachers. What does a Friday feel like to you sometimes? By the end of the day, I feel like having a hot bath, switching off my mobile phone, and ignoring everyone around me. For my Masters program, the first thing we were made aware of was the intense stress teachers go through and how important it is to make time for yourself. I always felt selfish when I took out a little 'me' time. My kids would be banging on the door while I was getting a massage done at home. When I would come out after one hour, feeling happy, I would get sarcastic looks from everyone in the house! But I always knew that if I did not take out some time for myself, I would get mad! I love Hatha Yoga. Every morning I feel and enjoy the stretches; I am conscious of how I breath. I silently communicate with my body and get to know it. With a little practice, this becomes a really good habit. I love smooth pebbles! I collect them whenever I see one that intrigues me...

Learning Never Stops

Search This Blog