Amar Al-Shakfa Pierrefonds Community High School

General Science and Technology (IB)

Date: ​ Wednesday, February 10th, 2021​ Grade: ​Grade 9; 2181

Topic: ​Vaccines ​(in-person) ​Length: ​45 minutes

Essential Questions:
● How does our body fight pathogens?
● What is the purpose of a vaccine?
● What are the different ways in which vaccines are made?
● How do vaccines protect populations of people?

Lesson Objectives:
● Understand the purpose of a vaccine.
● Give examples of different ways in which vaccines are made.
● Analyze how vaccines protect populations of people.
● Define herd immunity

Materials:
● PowerPoint Notes
● Cups filled with water, and only one with a foreign substance

Key Words: ​Vaccines, antibodies, antigens, attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, genetically engineered
vaccines, herd immunity

Timing Starter:

Students will observe the following question ​“How could so many people be affected
when just one person was initially infected?”​ by doing a disease transmission activity:
10-15mins Students will model the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID and flu
through “fluid exchange”. Each student will transfer the contents of their water
cup to other students’ water cups. One cup will be “contaminated” with a basic
solution. Indication of the pathogen will be visualized by phenolphthalein color
change. Students will see how quickly a disease can spread.

Lesson:

5 mins 1. Explain the difference between bacteria and a virus (how our body reacts to them,
how are they treated, how can we protect ourselves against them)
 Amar Al-Shakfa Pierrefonds Community High School

5 mins 2. Ask students “What ways does our body develop immunity against a disease?”
After listening to students’ answers, I will explain that there are 2 ways in which
we can develop immunity: (a) Through getting the disease; (b) Through getting a
vaccine.

10 mins 3. Explain by drawing on the smartboard how the body tries to fight a pathogen
when it invades our body. Then, relate this to how vaccines work.

5 mins 4. Introduce the 3 types of vaccines: attenuated, inactivated, and genetically

engineered.

5. Ask students: ​How do you think the COVID-19 pandemic might have been
| different if a vaccine was available before the outbreak? How would a vaccine
| change outcomes for individuals and how would it change outcomes for larger
| populations?
| Based on their new knowledge about vaccines, students should be able to state
| that individuals who got the vaccine would largely be immune to COVID-19
6 mins and would not suffer the disease symptoms. Students may need prompting to
| expand their thinking to the population level, but with a bit of help should be
|
able to conclude that if enough people are vaccinated and immune, they cannot
|
| pass along the disease and the outbreak quickly dies out.
|
|
6. Demonstrate how vaccines protect populations. (herd immunity)

3 mins Closure:
Discussion Question:
“After all, why should we get vaccinated?”

Other:
If there is more time, show students YouTube videos about:
● COVID vaccine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNfkE0lKOtM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5KqStQ51EM

● Herd immunity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC47JjakPSA

Assessment:
In 2 weeks students will have a test on various topics including vaccines.