Keywords:

Fluid exchange
Infectious disease
Communicable disease
Virus
Epidemic
Population
Diagnosis

SUMMARY
Students take part in a simulation which safely allows them to empathize with persons burdened with an infectious disease as well as visualize how rapidly an infection can spread within a population.

NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARD ADDRESSED

• Content standard F: Science in personal and social perspectives

GRADE LEVEL: Middle school through high school

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

Lab Report:

1. hypothesis
2. observation
3. investigation
4. interpreting data
5. conclusion - cause and prevention

Students are given the opportunity to discuss their views and concerns about causes, prevention, and how the population is affected.

MATERIALS

• 50 mL tap water
• 5 mL 1% sodium hydroxide or 1% sodium carbonate solution
• 10 8-ounce cups
• 11 eye droppers
• 5 mL phenolphthalein indicator solution

PROCEDURE:

1. Place 5 mL of tap water into 9 of the 8-ounce cups
2. Place 5 mL of 1% sodium hydroxide or 1% sodium carbonate solution in the remaining cup.
3. Give each of the students a cup (noting the student that has the sodium solution) and an eye dropper.
4. Have each student exchange an eye dropper full of fluid with another student. Tell them they must remember who they exchanged fluids with.
5. Repeat step 4 with a different student.
6. Add two or three drops of phenolphthalein indicator to each of the cups.
7. The students with the red solutions have the infectious disease.

Note to teacher: Ask students if they can figure out who the original carrier of the infectious disease is.

---

Return to lessons