Fighting the Flu:

Good-bye Gross Germs!

Esther Kim Hong

P.S. 69Q

Introduction

How many times have you been sick at home with a bad cold? Do you always remember to cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough? Have you ever forgotten to wash your hands before you took a bite out of your delicious sandwich? Are you wondering how all of these could be related/connected? According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) millions of people are infected with influenza (flu) in the United States alone each year.

Not sure what the flu is? Watch this video >> Colds and Flu

Can we do something about this?

Tasks

It is our responsibility to be aware of how easily germs can spread and how to try our best to prevent and control germs from spreading quickly.

★ You will be in a group of 2-3 students.

★ All groups must write 1-2 paragraphs about how the spreading of germs impact the health of people.

★ Your group will give a presentation to the class and will choose one of the following projects:

1. Create a Buncee presentation.

2. Create a poster or brochure.

Process

For this project, you will follow the 6 steps of the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) . Use the worksheet to help you organize your research (paper copies can be given to you before you begin your research).

1. Create a title for your presentation and include the names of each group member.

2. Define the Problem: Explain the problem that you are researching. You can state it in question or sentence form.

3. Gather Evidence: Find evidence to show how this is a problem in our classroom, school, city or the world. When many children in the class are out sick, do you notice any patterns (ie where they sit, interactions)

4. Identify the Causes: Why do so many people get sick each year? What can cause many people to get sick?

5. Evaluate an Existing Policy: Find policies that already exist that deal with the flu and germs spreading.

6. Develop Solutions: What are the different ways to help reduce the spreading of germs?

7. Select the Best Solution: Is there one solution to the problem? Is it realistic?

8. Resources: Be sure to cite and list your resources on your bibliography (list of resources). Where did you find the information?

➢ Bibliography Worksheet

Resources

Videos:

★ BrainPop and BrainPopJr. Log-in information is in your agenda.
Washing Hands

Websites:

Understanding the Flu

Flu Prevention

Flu Symptoms

Treatment

Keeping Schools Clean

Links to Books on Myon (log-in using your account):

Influenza: How the Flu Changed History

Katie Woo Has the Flu

Dirty Bertie Germs

Evaluation

RUBRIC

	4	3	2	1
Research	Had facts and information from three or more sources. Made a bibliography (list of resources) and all resources were cited.	Had facts and information from at least two different sources. Bibliography (list of resources) was missing some details.	Had facts and information from one source. Made a bibliography (list of resources).	Did not have any facts. Did not have a bibliography (list of resources).
Organization	All work was neat, accurate, and finished on time. Always came prepared with paper, pencil, and notes. Used time wisely. Kept track of progress.	Finished work on time. Came prepared with paper, pencil, and notes. Kept track of progress.	Finished most work. Usually came prepared with paper, pencil, and notes.	Did not use time wisely. Did not finish most work. Did not come prepared with paper, pencil, and notes.
Oral Presentation	Presenters made eye contact with many audience members. Presenter spoke clearly and appeared very confident.	Presenter made some eye contact, but only in one direction. Presenter spoke clearly and looked confident.	Made some eye contact. Voice was sometimes too soft. Presenter rocked back and forth and seemed uncomfortable.	Did not make eye contact. Spoke too softly. Read from notes. Did not stand up straight.
Writing	Ideas in logical order. Factual details supported the main idea. Used topic-specific vocabulary. Made no spelling, grammar, capitalization, or punctuation errors. Used personal style and feeling.	Most ideas in logical order. Details supported the main idea. Used proper vocabulary. Made less than 5 spelling, grammar, capitalization, or punctuation errors.	Some ideas in logical order. Few details supported the main idea. Made 5 to 10 spelling, grammar, capitalization, or punctuation errors.	Ideas not in logical order. Details did not support the main idea. Made more than 10 spelling, grammar, capitalization, or punctuation errors.

Checklist

❏ My project has facts and information from many different sources.

❏ I have my work done and I have all of my materials.

❏ During my presentation, I will speak clearly and act confidently.

❏ My writing is organized and uses proper vocabulary, spelling, and conventions.

Conclusion

By the end of this project, you and your classmates will have a better understanding of how germs spread and can cause illnesses such as the flu. You will hopefully be able to apply ways to help prevent spreading of germs to protect yourself and others from getting sick often.

Standards

Next Generation Standards

Writing

Text Types and Purposes

2W2: Write informative/explanatory texts that introduce a topic, use facts and other information to develop points, use content-specific language, and provide a concluding statement or section.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

2W6: Develop questions and participate in shared research and explorations to answer questions and to build knowledge.

2W7: Recall and represent relevant information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Speaking and Listening Standards

Comprehension and Collaboration

2SL2: Recount or describe key ideas or details of diverse texts and formats

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

2SL5: Include digital media and/or visual displays in presentations to clarify or support ideas, thoughts, and feelings.