‘Transmitted/Communicable Diseases’ 

6th Grade Science  – Student’s book Chapter 12, pages 119-124

(Greek educational system)

infectious diseases

 Materials for the lesson

Teacher has already informed students to bring appropriate clothing. Students have covered the material needed for the topic.  He has prepared closed pieces of paper in the number of students s/he chooses to. The pieces of paper include elements for the roles they will be asked to play, such as “Medical Doctor Mr. Balance”, “Medical Doctor Mrs. Antibios”, diseases’ names such as “flu”, “measles”, “Virus 1”, Virus 2” etc, “Malaria”, symptoms such as “coughing”, “fever”, “sore throat”, “dizziness”, “Muscle pain” etc and finally names of medical drugs, and natural healing herbs.  All pieces of paper include odd and even numbers. Some students pick closed pieces of paper with nothing written on them, just the number which automatically put them in the group of odd and even numbers.

 

Layout of classroom

Desks are moved to the side forming two corners with tables formed of desks and chairs. Students pick a closed paper each and read their ‘role’. They form groups of odd and even numbers in the two corners. The aim of the game is for each of the students group to come up with a plausible medical story from the beginning till the visit to the doctor.

Phase   1

Students are asked to take 2-3 minutes each and think of his/her role individually. Students discuss their own perception of their roles. Other students react and therefore enrich each other’s role. They slowly build a story. They are free to create a funny or a sad story as long as it engages the maximum number of students with or without specified roles as in their individual pieces of paper.

Phase 2

The two groups of students with odd or even numbers rehearse their stories in their respective corners of the classroom. One student writes down each step and serves as a coordinator-dramatist. Students have the option of presenting their story with or without a narrator. Stories have to make sense as to the causes of transmittance of a particular disease and the way dealt with.

Phase 3

The two groups present their stories. When the Odd Numbers present the Even Numbers are the audience and vice versa. The whole class evaluates the two stories. They make comments as to the form of the story, its content, its accuracy and its plausibility as well as its relevance to the material learned in class before.