Emerging Infectious Diseases: Global Threats

Active learning works for emerging infectious diseases because the topic demands synthesis of ecological, social, and biological systems. Students must connect abstract drivers like deforestation to concrete outbreak outcomes, which hands-on activities make visible and memorable.

• Year 12
• Biology
• 4 activities
• 35 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the interconnectedness of environmental changes, human activities, and the emergence of novel infectious diseases.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of current public health strategies in preventing and responding to zoonotic spillover events.
3. Predict the potential impact of antimicrobial resistance on the re-emergence of previously controlled infectious diseases.
4. Synthesize information from case studies to explain the factors driving pathogen transmission in urbanized and globalized populations.

Jigsaw

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Jigsaw: Zoonotic Outbreaks

Divide class into expert groups on cases like COVID-19, Ebola, and Nipah virus; each group researches one factor (e.g., deforestation) and its role. Regroup into mixed teams to share findings and create a class infographic. Conclude with whole-class synthesis.

Prepare & details

Analyze the environmental and societal factors that contribute to the emergence of new pathogens.

Facilitation Tip: During the Case Study Jigsaw, assign each group a different zoonotic outbreak and provide structured guiding questions to focus their comparative analysis.

Setup: Flexible seating for regrouping

Materials: Expert group reading packets, Note-taking template, Summary graphic organizer

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Simulation Game

⏱ 40 min·Pairs

Simulation Game: Pathogen Spread Model

Provide dice or cards representing transmission factors (travel, resistance); students in pairs simulate outbreaks over 'generations,' tracking variables like mutation rates. Adjust parameters and graph results to predict vaccine challenges.

Prepare & details

Predict the challenges in developing effective treatments and vaccines for rapidly evolving viruses.

Facilitation Tip: In the Pathogen Spread Simulation, limit initial parameters to 5 variables so students can isolate the impact of each factor on transmission speed.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

World Café

⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Debate Carousel: Factor Prioritization

Post stations with factors (climate, globalization); pairs rotate, debating and ranking their impact on emergence with evidence cards. Vote class-wide on top threats and justify.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the role of zoonotic spillover events in the origin of many human pandemics.

Facilitation Tip: For the Debate Carousel, rotate student roles every 3 minutes to ensure all voices contribute and time pressure builds clarity in argumentation.

Setup: Small tables (4-5 seats each) spread around the room

Materials: Large paper "tablecloths" with questions, Markers (different colors per round), Table host instruction card

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

World Café

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Data Mapping: Global Hotspots

Using online tools or printed maps, small groups plot recent outbreaks, overlay environmental data, and hypothesize drivers. Present findings to class for peer critique.

Prepare & details

Analyze the environmental and societal factors that contribute to the emergence of new pathogens.

Facilitation Tip: While students map Global Hotspots, provide a color-coded legend to help them link environmental, demographic, and public health data visually.

Setup: Small tables (4-5 seats each) spread around the room

Materials: Large paper "tablecloths" with questions, Markers (different colors per round), Table host instruction card

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by moving from concrete examples to abstract systems. Start with case studies to build empathy and context, then use simulations to reveal hidden variables. Avoid overwhelming students with too many factors at once—build complexity gradually through structured layers. Research shows role-play and mapping activities improve retention of complex systems by up to 40% compared to lectures alone.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students tracing pathogen jumps across ecosystems, prioritizing risk factors with evidence, and explaining how human choices shape disease spread. Their work should show cause-and-effect reasoning, not just recalling facts.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Case Study Jigsaw, watch for students attributing outbreaks solely to hygiene practices in affected regions.

What to Teach Instead

Use the jigsaw’s structured prompts to redirect attention to the provided ecological and demographic data, asking groups to identify deforestation rates or wildlife trade patterns that preceded each outbreak.

Common Misconception

During the Pathogen Spread Simulation, watch for students assuming vaccine development will always catch up to viral mutations.

What to Teach Instead

Have students run the simulation with high mutation rates and observe how rapidly vaccine efficacy declines, then require them to propose realistic timelines for vaccine deployment.

Common Misconception

During the Debate Carousel, watch for students treating all transmission routes as identical.

What to Teach Instead

Use the rotation structure to assign each group a specific pathogen and its transmission pathway, then require them to defend why their route demands unique control strategies.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Debate Carousel, pose the question: ‘Which societal factor from today’s carousel discussions poses the greatest immediate risk for a new pandemic, and why?’ Allow students to reference their carousel notes and debate different perspectives.

Quick Check

During the Pathogen Spread Simulation, provide students with a real-time data dashboard showing a hypothetical outbreak’s R0 value and ask them to identify which factor from their simulation most likely caused the spike.

Peer Assessment

After the Case Study Jigsaw, have students swap their outbreak summaries and use a rubric to assess clarity of connections between ecological disruption and human cases, plus inclusion of key vocabulary terms like ‘spillover’ and ‘reservoir’.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a public health campaign targeting one mapped hotspot, including specific policy recommendations and stakeholder roles.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: provide pre-filled data tables with some connections already made, then ask them to extend the links.
• Deeper exploration: invite a local public health professional to review student maps and provide feedback on real-world accuracy and gaps.

Key Vocabulary

Zoonotic Spillover	The transmission of a pathogen from a non-human animal to a human population, often initiating an outbreak or pandemic.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)	The ability of microorganisms, like bacteria, to withstand the effects of drugs designed to kill them, making infections harder to treat.
Pathogen	A biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host, such as a virus, bacterium, fungus, or parasite.
Epidemic	A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time, affecting a large number of people.
Pandemic	An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people globally.