Lesson 10 - Mad Cow Disease

Section: Animal Science Unit: Unit 10: Animal Health Lesson Title: Lesson 10: Mad Cow Disease Student Learning Objectives (Enablers) As a result of this lesson, the student will … 1. Identify and explain a “Prion” and types of spongiform encephalopathy. 2. Formulate ways to combat mad cow disease. 3. Develop a public service announcement about Mad Cow Disease. Time: Instruction time for this lesson: 50 minutes. Resources: • www.cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001fyi/lesson.plans/01/29/mad.cow/ • www.science.howstuffworks.com/ • www.aphais.usda.gov/vs/nahps/scrapie/ Tools, Equipment, and Supplies • Handouts • Pictures of live animals with the symptoms • Audio visual equipment for presentations Key Terms Prions Mad Cow Disease CJD Scrapie Interest Approach Prepare the front board to read “MAD COW DISEASE” before the students arrive. Welcome to class. Today we are going to investigate an important topic “Mad cow Disease” First, I want you to take out a piece of paper and fold it three times. Demonstrate for the class. Now title each column with the following. In the first column write 1. What I know about mad cow disease. In the second, write what I want to know about mad cow disease. Write in the last column, what I learned about Mad cow disease. Now go back and take a few minutes to fill in several statements in columns one and two. Watch and help those who need it. Great! Write some of the student’s statements from columns one and two up on the board. OK. Good these are very good questions and answers regarding mad cow disease. Now we are going to learn more about this terrible disease effecting animals. I want you to put these away for later and we will answer the last column when we are finished with the lesson. Summary of Content and Teaching Strategies Objective 1 Identify and explain a “Prion” and types of spongiform disease. As we go through the slide show write in the answers to the worksheet questions. Please raise your hand if you have questions. Go through slide show slowly, reviewing by checking students with previous questions as you go. Remember to ask for any experiences human or animal that may apply to this kind of disease. (At the end of the slide show) Great! Now I want you to get into 2 groups and wait for instructions. Hand out the lab on “Public Service Announcement” to each student. Objective 2 Form ways to combat mad cow disease Objective 3 Develop a public announcement on mad cow disease. Procedure: 1. Once in groups ask the question “What is mad cow disease”? Are you worried about contracting mad cow disease? Why or why not? 2. Have the students read the CNNfyi.com article “European Union considers expanding mad cow disease testing” Then ask the following Why is mad cow disease an important issue for the European Union? What are some measures that countries have taken to combat mad cow disease? Do you think officials are exaggerating the threat of mad cow disease? What is one of Italy’s main concerns in relation to mad cow disease? Why do you think France banned beef-on –the-bone and German government officials did not? 3. Assign one group to research bovine Spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, and the other to research CJD. 4. After compiling information, students can work in groups, in pairs or individually to create a public service announcement about their topic. The format can be an ad, a short essay, an audio announcement or a video. They need to include the following. a. An explanation of the disease b. How the disease is transmitted c. How it affects either humans or cows. d. Preventive measures to combat the disease Assessment Have students present their PSAs. Other students can critique the announcements for clarity and completeness of information, point of view and their response to the presentation. Review/Summary. Application Extended classroom activity: Research further explanation of prion studies in medicine. View a PBS or Discovery video on Mad cow disease or CJD Develop a prepared speech on Mad cow scare in America. FFA activity: Give the presentations at one of the chapter meeting. Select a winner to present to an area middle school. SAE activity: Have a CDC researcher come to the class to discuss the career opportunities in research. Evaluation. Student discussion, completed worksheet. Student presentations Public Service Announcement Student Handout Your group has been selected to create a public service announcement about ____________________________________________________________. Time: 40 minutes The format can be an ad, a short essay, an audio announcement or a video announcement. You need to include the following: An explanation of the disease How the disease is transmitted How it affects either humans or cows Preventative measures to combat the disease. Everyone in the group must have a speaking role at some point in the presentation. Presentations are limited to 10 minutes max. Assessment: You will be evaluated in the following manner: 20 points for all members speaking 20 points for time limit 20 points for clarity 20 points for completeness 20 points for point of view 100 point total Mad Cow Disease Student Worksheet Name: 1. What is Mad Cow disease? 2. What is the name of BSE in Humans and sheep called? 2. Describe a “Prion” is it alive? 3. Draw a normal protein and a prion protein. 4. List four conditions of prions. 5. What do cattle look like when they show signs of the disease? 6. How can humans get BSE? 7. What are the effects of CJD in humans? 8. How is the United States controlling mad cow disease?