Lesson Plan for Medical Explorer
Episode Two 302 – Medical Miracles (Life Science)
What do Latin terms and medicine have in common? You will be surprised to find out that the two often go hand in hand in medicine. Science and medicine share a common language of asking questions, making observations, and solving problems. In this lesson students will help solve medical science problems by defining and using medical vocabulary and research.
Funded by:
Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
Dr. Laura Hare Charitable Trust
Indiana Academy of Science
Overview
Students will use information gained from a patient’s medical case narrative (case study) to explore possible assessments and treatment plans. Students will explore the vocabulary, patient history and techniques used to predict a diagnosis. They will begin to understand the processes in identifying a patient’s illness or disorder through an interview, physical examination, medical tests and other procedures. Students also will translate medical terminology into a layperson’s terms.
Background information
Diagnosing a case study – In this lesson, students will follow medical investigation steps to complete a case study. The case study is based on experiences from The Timmy Foundation’s international partners. Each case study represents a specific disease or condition common to the region. The clinical information in each case study narrative represents a typical patient. Students work in consultation teams to complete the investigations. A complete unit of study is can be found on the Indiana Expeditions website.
Connections to the Indiana Academic Standards for Science, Grades 3 – 7
The following standards contain the grade-level standards and indicators addressed in this lesson. 4.4.10, 4.4.11; 5.1.3, 5.4.9; 6.4.11; 7.4.12, 7.4.13, 7.4.14, 7.6.1, 7.6.2, 7.6.3, 7.6.4; Biology: B.1.17, B.1.20
Science Process Skills
· Communicating
· Hypothesizing and predicting
· Inferring
· Posing questions
· Researching information
Estimated Time Requirement
One 45- minute session
Materials
· Internet
· BioFacts Medical Vocabulary (two pages)
· Student Case Study Narrative Worksheet (one page)
· Teacher Key: Physical Exam Translation Form (three pages)
· Timmy Foundation Information (one page)
Vocabulary – BioFacts Sheet: Medical Vocabulary
Objectives
Students will use reference material to be able to:
define medical vocabulary from a reference source,
identify and diagnose an illness from a case study and
present a possible treatment plan for the patient.
Procedure
Anticipatory set:
· Visit the website: www.IndianaExpeditions.org
· View the Medical Miracles Indiana Expeditions segment
· View the video lesson from the this episode
Lesson sequence:
· Introduce the Medical Explorer project by asking students to define a “case study.”
· Case study narrative: Have students investigate a clinical case study to determine the assessment and treatment plan. Provide each group with these handouts:
o Student Case Study Narrative Worksheet (one page)
o BioFacts Medical Vocabulary (two pages)
· Ask students the following focus questions:
o Describe the geography and climate of the area where the child lives.
o What types of diseases are found in this area?
o What factors affect the child’s hygiene and diet?
o Is drinkable water available in the area?
o How does the child’s family make a living?
· Review with the class the project steps. Students will:
o read and study the case history of the child
o understand medical vocabulary and terminology
o extract important medical history from the provided clinical narrative
o determine significant information from a narrative of the child’s physical exam
o analyze and put in their own words information from the medical evaluation
o work in small consultation teams to learn information and share it with the class
o provide detailed reports about the region where the child lives
o research the climate and diseases endemic to the region
o report to the class information collected during the team’s research
o come to a consensus on a medical assessment of the child’s condition
o research selected diseases or medical conditions
o research selected treatment plans for the child
o outline a treatment plan for the child
o present findings to the class.
· Students should write the steps in their science journals. It is recommended that students partner with local health care professionals for assistance or consultation. The Timmy Foundation (www.timmyfoundation.org) provides medical information and resources for this project.
· For each case, students will:
o analyze a case study narrative
o develop patient history
o complete the Student Case Study Narrative Worksheet (one page)
o work in consultation teams to research tasks
o use medical vocabulary
o explore geography
o learn about the patient’s socioeconomic history
o learn about culture and language
o study epidemiology
o work in consultation teams to present their research
o write a medical assessment
o confirm diagnosis with the Teacher Key: Physical Exam Translation Form (three pages)
o come to a class consensus for assessment
o collaborate on additional team research
o research the disease or condition from assessment
o create an outline for treatment
o present treatment options, such as hygiene, vaccination, nutrition, medical treatment or surgical treatment
o confirm plan with Teacher Key Physical Exam Translation Form (three pages)
o consult local health care providers.
Closure:
Present findings: After the students complete the research, they should present their findings to the class. Teachers should contact The Timmy Foundation to share the project findings and presentations.
Suggested Student Assessment
Objectives:
Ask students to present their diagnoses and treatment plan to the class. Invite medical experts into the classroom for consultation. Contact the Timmy Foundation for additional resources such as medical or service projects for your students.
Extending the Lesson
Students can complete additional Medical Explorer case study lessons from the Timmy Foundation. The entire unit of study is available as a PDF file on the IndianaExpeditions.org website.
Source of Lesson
Rick Crosslin
This lesson adapted from the Timmy Foundation Medical Explorer unit of study and lessons from BioWorksU.com sponsored by the Indianapolis Private Industry Council Inc. The interactive website has many outstanding activities and lessons.
To learn more, visit the website at www.IndianaExpeditions.org