Communicable diseases

Introduction

So what is a communicable disease?

Why are we doing this webquest? You would have experienced at some time in your life the misery caused by a communicable or infectious deasese. 

A communicable or infectious disease spreads from one person to another person.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ys-phgH9TY] 

What are germs?

Germs are tiny organisms that we can only see with a microscope.

What kinds of germs are there?

Germs that can make us sick are call pathogens. There are 3 types of pathogens.

  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Fungi

 Our journey is to discover more about some of these diseases and to find out what we can do to avoid them. 

Task

Your task is to research one of the following communicable diseases:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough)
  • Influenza
  • Chicken pox
  • Pediculosis (head lice)

Your research will be used to create a poster, make a powerpoint presentation or make a brochure. You will be working in pairs for this activity.

Some questions you will need to consider include:

What is ......?

Is it contagious? If so, how is it spreqad and how long is the incubation period?

What is the cause?

Is ...... serious?

What are the symptons?

What is the treatment?

Is there a vaccine?

How can ....... be prevented?

Process

                          

Where to begin.What resources will I use? 

Below is a list oresources for each topic. After you have chosen your research topic, use these links to compile your information report.

 

Pertussis (Whooping cough)

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/system/files/resource-files/HE2393_0.pdf

http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Influenza_the_flu/

http://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Healthy-WA/Articles/U_Z/Whooping-cough-pertussis

 

Influenza

http://pbskids.org/zoom/fromyou/survey/flu_facts.html

http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Influenza_the_flu/

 

Chickenpox

http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/BAM-villain-for-kids-fs.html

http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Chickenpox_Varicella/

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/infection/chicken_pox.html

 

Pediculosis (head lice)

http://www.headlice.org/kids/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAE458NjsrQ

http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/lice.html

 

Evaluation

  Your information report will be assessed by your peers using the following assessment rubric.

 

Description of infectious disease

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

Explanation of the cause and how the disease is spread.

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

Description of the symptoms and treatment.

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

Explanation of how the disease can be prevented

 

 

1

2

3

4

Presentation features:

  • Creativity
  • Design layout
  • images

 

 

1

2

3

4

                                                                                                                          

TOTAL:

Conclusion

Learning about communicable diseases provides information that empowers you to make choices and take actions helping you to become healthy and active citizens. Knowing how these diseases are transferred and how to prevent means that you can make a difference in the world.

                               BE HAPPY   BE HEALTHY