Biology

Standard 3, Objective 1

Title: Doctor for a Day

Brief Activity Description:

In small groups, students will research symptoms, results, and treatment for a patient if a specific organ were to fail. They will write a “case study” of a fictitious patient that will be used by other groups in the classroom. All groups will trade studies and find the problem and results for their “patient.”

Objective:

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the heart, lungs, and skin, by explaining the symptoms and results for a patient if one of these organs were to fail somehow. They will also be able to based on symptoms, identify the organ/system involved and describe the resulting impact on the body.

Materials: Computer Lab, textbooks, hat

Time Needed: 120-150 minutes

Safety/Security Issues:

Be sure students treat computers with respect and sign out any computers that are being used. At the end of the class period be sure all computers are accounted for.

Teacher Procedures:

1. Make a copy of Group Assignments. Cut out each individual assignment and place them in a hat or can of some sort. Prepare the Overhead. Make enough copies for your students of the student sheets.

2. Schedule computer lab time or check out Intel Mobile Lab for at least 2 days.

3. After students have settled into class, as a hook, begin to tell them you haven’t been feeling yourself the last little while. Describe the symptoms on the overhead as if they were your own. (A note of caution: Do not do this in a mocking manner, there is a high likelihood one of your students will have diabetes) This may spark discussion some students may even know what the problem is. Explain to students that they will be doctors for the next couple days.

4. Pass out student sheets. Allow students to read over the background information, purpose and procedures. Review the overhead with students as an example.

5. Divide students into groups.

6. Have each group pick an assignment from a hat.

7. Provide students with time to research and complete their assignment.

Sample Scoring Guide:

Requirement /

Points Allotted

Research (Thorough, correct, detailed, pertinent) / 15
Data (Thorough, correct, detailed, pertinent) / 60
Conclusions (Complete sentences, pertinent) / 15
Total / 90

Group Assignments 1 of 4

System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Respiratory / Lung-Alveoli / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Respiratory / Trachea / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Circulatory / Heart Valve / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Group Assignments 2 of 4

System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Circulatory / Heart Chamber / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Skeletal / Vertebral column / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Muscular / Diaphragm / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Group Assignments 3 of 4

System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Nervous / Spinal cord / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Digestive / Stomach / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Digestive / Large Intestine / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Group Assignments 4 of 4

System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Digestive / Liver / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.
System / Organ / Problem / Symptoms / Results
Excretory / Kidney / Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ. / Because of the malfunction, what are the symptoms that the individual would experience? / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Overhead

Doctor for a Day

Symptoms: A patient comes in to your office complaining of unusual thirst for the last few weeks. The patient also complains that they have been urinating frequently. However, they assure you the urination is probably because they have been so thirsty and drinking so much. You decide to take a urine sample. The test results show unusually high levels of glucose.

Organ System Involved:

Endocrine

Organ Malfunctioning:

Pancreas

Problem: Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ

The pancreas is not releasing insulin into the bloodstream.

Results: What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Insulin signals the cells in the body to remove sugar from the bloodstream and store it as fat. With insufficient insulin, too much sugar enters the bloodstream. In extreme cases, this sugar can damage organs like the eyes (resulting in blindness), and block the arteries reducing blood flow (resulting in the loss of limbs). The kidneys will actually excrete glucose in the urine to try and get rid of the extra sugar.

Student Sheet

Title: Doctor for a Day

Name:______Period:______

Background Information:

Doctor’s face countless diagnosis’ each day as patients enter their offices. They must use their knowledge to correctly ascertain what is ailing the patient based on the symptoms the patient demonstrates and describes. Sometimes correct diagnosis is a life or death matter. If a doctor cannot identify the ailment from sight, she or he will run lab tests; consult colleagues, reference books, and legitimate sites on the Internet for help.

Purpose:

As a small group, you will be given an organ from one of the organ systems of the human body. You will first decide what the problem is in the organ. You will next research the physical symptoms the patient would display, and finally the resulting impact on the body. You will then write a case study describing the patient’s symptoms, to be used by other groups in the class. Groups will exchange case studies and using reference books and the Internet will determine the physiological problem affecting the organ and the results in the body.

Procedures:

1. Obtain a slip of paper from your teacher with a system and organ.

2. Decide on the problem of the organ and identify observable symptoms.

3. Explain the results on the body on a microscopic and macroscopic level from this problem.

4. Write up a case study to be used by other groups in the classroom. This should describe the situation that may have caused the problem and the observable symptoms. Please do this on your own sheet of paper. (Each person in the group should write this up)

5. Exchange case studies with 4 other groups.

6. Complete Data Table 1: Case Study Research.

Research:

Organ System Involved:

Organ Malfunctioning:

Problem: Describe what has malfunctioned with the organ.

Symptoms: Describe what the patient is experiencing and any traumatic events that were involved with the organ problem that the patient experienced.

Results: What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Data:

Data Table 1: Case Study Research

System
2 points / Organ
2 points /

Problem

5 points / Symptoms
1 point / Results
10 points
Research to find the system to which the affected organ belongs. / Research to find the organ that is mal-functioning. / What is specifically going wrong with this organ? / Fill in the symptoms given you in the case study. / What is actually happening in the body because of the malfunction? This should include macroscopic and microscopic descriptions.

Conclusions:

Please explain 3 things that you learned by completing this assignment. Be sure to be detailed and include significant concepts or ideas. Use complete sentences.