Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum

Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum

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Interactive Labs

Disease Lab

Lessons > Vaccination > Step 1

In this lesson we look at “Impfluenza”. Start by examining the disease propagation in a virgin field. First, click the Details button on Impfluenza and Kold to compare the differences between the two diseases. Based on these differences and what you know about Kold, predict the sick days per capita and death rate for Impfluenza at medium population and medium mixing. Record your prediction in your data table.

In the simulator, select Lesson Vaccination, then set Vaccinated to None to provide the virgin field effect. Population Density and Mixing should both be Medium. Then run the simulator to 100 days three times. Answer the following:

  1. Was your prediction correct? If not, why not?
  2. Notice that Impfluenza, unlike Kold, has a death rate. How many people die, on average, when you run the simulator on the virgin field?
  3. How does a death toll change precautionary factors? What kinds of precautions might you take with Impfluenza that you might not have taken with Kold?
  4. Would you consider Impfluenza's death toll to warrant a “state of emergency”? How high would the numbers have to be for this to happen?

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