Lesson Three:
Smallpox Case study/isu
Duration: 3-4 Classes (potentially more as ISU)
Hook: A TED talk by Dr. Larry Brilliant, a physician who worked in the WHO program to eradicate smallpox. The video can be accessed here, and is embedded in lo-res iteration at the bottom of this page.
* * *WARNING - CONTENT CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE MEDICALLY GRAPHIC * * *
This section uses excerpts from The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston.
A thorough synopsis of the text can be found here.
Text Material: Suggested sections from which to draw material (order of instruction is left to educator):
Chapter 2: “The Dreaming Demon” - vaccination procedures, including the "ring vaccination"
containment procedure during the 1970s St Walburga Hospital
outbreak in Meschede, Germany.
Chapter 3: “To Bhola Island” - evolution and function of poxviruses, smallpox in particular.
Description of the WHO's Smallpox Eradication Program.
Chapter 6: “The Demon’s Eyes” - CDC experiments, infecting monkeys with smallpox. Ethics of
animal experimentation.
Chapter 8: “Superpox” - viral engineering, bioweapons manufacture, and genetic engineering as
potential tool of bioterrorism. Ethics of completely eradicating an organism,
even if said organism is a virus.
Activity: This lesson can be approached two ways:
AS A CASE STUDY:
1) Split class into groups and assign each group a chapter (or subsection of a chapter as number of
students/amount of material dictates.)
2) Have each group make a short five to ten minute presentation that highlights the key points of their chapter. Some guiding questions for their summaries:
a) What groundbreaking experiment, technique, or initiative is described in the chapter?
b) What context created the need for the experiment, technique, or initiative? How has the world changed
because of this discovery?
c) How does the content of this chapter apply to or extend what we have learned about viruses?
d) How does the content of this chapter connect with our everyday lives? e) What further steps may need to be taken in this field of research?
3) Have the groups present their findings for their peers.
AS AN ISU:
this assignment would function similarly to the case study, except the presentation of the work would be largely outside of class:
1) Split class into pairs (or small groups as necessary) and assign each pair a chapter (or subsection of a chapter as number of students/amount of material dictates.)
2) Have each group make a short five to ten minute multimedia presentation that highlights the key points of their chapter. The multimedia component may consist of a video, an interactive web module, or some related format as per the teacher's discretion, Some guiding questions for their presentations:
a) What groundbreaking experiment, technique, or initiative is described in the chapter?
b) What context created the need for the experiment, technique, or initiative? How has the world changed
because of this discovery?
c) How does the content of this chapter apply to or extend what we have learned about viruses?
d) How does the content of this chapter connect with our everyday lives?
e) What further steps may need to be taken in this field of research?
3) Have the groups upload their presentations to the class website.
Misconceptions Addressed: 1a), 1c), 1d)
Assessment for Learning: ISU/Case Study mark, Viruses Quiz (start of following class) and/or Microbiology Unit Test
Hook: A TED talk by Dr. Larry Brilliant, a physician who worked in the WHO program to eradicate smallpox. The video can be accessed here, and is embedded in lo-res iteration at the bottom of this page.
* * *WARNING - CONTENT CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE MEDICALLY GRAPHIC * * *
This section uses excerpts from The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston.
A thorough synopsis of the text can be found here.
Text Material: Suggested sections from which to draw material (order of instruction is left to educator):
Chapter 2: “The Dreaming Demon” - vaccination procedures, including the "ring vaccination"
containment procedure during the 1970s St Walburga Hospital
outbreak in Meschede, Germany.
Chapter 3: “To Bhola Island” - evolution and function of poxviruses, smallpox in particular.
Description of the WHO's Smallpox Eradication Program.
Chapter 6: “The Demon’s Eyes” - CDC experiments, infecting monkeys with smallpox. Ethics of
animal experimentation.
Chapter 8: “Superpox” - viral engineering, bioweapons manufacture, and genetic engineering as
potential tool of bioterrorism. Ethics of completely eradicating an organism,
even if said organism is a virus.
Activity: This lesson can be approached two ways:
AS A CASE STUDY:
1) Split class into groups and assign each group a chapter (or subsection of a chapter as number of
students/amount of material dictates.)
2) Have each group make a short five to ten minute presentation that highlights the key points of their chapter. Some guiding questions for their summaries:
a) What groundbreaking experiment, technique, or initiative is described in the chapter?
b) What context created the need for the experiment, technique, or initiative? How has the world changed
because of this discovery?
c) How does the content of this chapter apply to or extend what we have learned about viruses?
d) How does the content of this chapter connect with our everyday lives? e) What further steps may need to be taken in this field of research?
3) Have the groups present their findings for their peers.
AS AN ISU:
this assignment would function similarly to the case study, except the presentation of the work would be largely outside of class:
1) Split class into pairs (or small groups as necessary) and assign each pair a chapter (or subsection of a chapter as number of students/amount of material dictates.)
2) Have each group make a short five to ten minute multimedia presentation that highlights the key points of their chapter. The multimedia component may consist of a video, an interactive web module, or some related format as per the teacher's discretion, Some guiding questions for their presentations:
a) What groundbreaking experiment, technique, or initiative is described in the chapter?
b) What context created the need for the experiment, technique, or initiative? How has the world changed
because of this discovery?
c) How does the content of this chapter apply to or extend what we have learned about viruses?
d) How does the content of this chapter connect with our everyday lives?
e) What further steps may need to be taken in this field of research?
3) Have the groups upload their presentations to the class website.
Misconceptions Addressed: 1a), 1c), 1d)
Assessment for Learning: ISU/Case Study mark, Viruses Quiz (start of following class) and/or Microbiology Unit Test