Rationale

With the onset of modern civilization, bacteria and viruses have become a common cause of disease and death in society.  The link between these pathogens and disease has created interest and media in many parts of the world, and in doing so has sparked worldwide fear and hatred for these entities.  However, along with the distain for them, many biotechnological implications have been found that can be used for medicinal purposes.  Additionally, there are may misconceptions associated with the difference between bacteria and viruses that need to be dismantled.  By dismantling the misconceptions, we will be better able to teach our students what they need to do to treat or protect them from a bacterial or viral infection.

In teaching this unit, the teacher hopes to teach the nature of science to his or her students.  In the last few decades, science test scores in the United States have dropped dramatically, and there is a restored drive in the school systems around the country to better educate the students about science.  It has been suggested that through hands on, inquiry based activities, students will learn more effectively.  Science allows for this type of instruction through the nature of science.  Within the nature of science, students learn how science is performed, how it changes and who performs scientific experiments.  Students can learn how scientists perform experiments and model their behavior.  By acting like scientists, using experimental procedures, students are actively participating in science, and with this active participation, it is possible that students will better learn science.  Furthermore, through the nature of science, the students will learn that anyone can be a scientist, and by helping the students visualize that they can be scientists, it may provoke more interest in the scientific subject being studied. 

 

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