Page 1
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
Lesson: Are Viruses Alive?
Glencoe Biology: The Dynamics of Life
Unit 6, Chapter 18, Section 18.1
Context of Lesson
This lesson follows the study of viruses in Chapter 18, section 18.1. One of the most fascinating issues in
recent science is whether viruses are a form of life. Scientists have gone back and forth over the past
100 years first classifying viruses as alive and not alive. The characteristics of life can be interpreted in
different ways, leading to different classifications of the virus over time.
In this lesson students make an argument, either with their peers or on their own, about whether they
think viruses are alive. This lesson reinforces both the changes in scientific knowledge and the role of
interpretation in scientific understanding. This lesson also reviews virus structure, virus life cycles, and
the characteristics of life learned in Chapter 1.
Main goals/ Objectives
As a result of performing this investigation, students will be able to:
 Form an argument for the classification of viruses based on scientific knowledge
 Defend their argument for the classification of viruses with their peers
 Describe both the structure and life cycle of the virus
 Review the characteristics of life
 Explain that scientific knowledge is tentative due to new evidence and/or new interpretation
Materials
Overheads, if desired, of virus structure and life cycle (see Ch. 18 transparencies from Glenco Biology)
Are Viruses Alive? handout for students (included)
Poster board (optional)
Markers, crayons, colored pencils (optional)
Facilitation 35 minutes
Notes to the Teacher
Students can also view the video clip of the Lysogenic Cycle, found on the Interactive Chalkboard disc
for Ch. 18. The Foldable for Ch. 18, comparing viruses and bacteria would provide a good follow-up to
this lesson.
Homework Chapter 18, section 18.1 should be completed before this lesson is taught.
Bell Ringer (5 minutes)
After instructing students to take out their notebooks, on the overhead or on the board write:
In Chapter 18 you learned about viruses. A very important question that has puzzled scientists is
whether viruses are alive. How would you decide if viruses are alive?
Hopefully students will write that they would watch the virus, they would see what it ate, etc. Student
responses should mention some of the characteristics of life they learned about in Chapter 1.
Lesson (30 minutes)
The teacher should ask for volunteers to share their answer to the bell ringer. If their answers don’t
make a direct connection to the characteristics of life, try to connect some of their responses back to the
characteristics. The teacher might ask:
Page 2
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
What are the characteristics of life that you learned about in Chapter 1?
Hopefully when prompted for these the students would be able to contribute these characteristics. It
would be a good idea to list these somewhere, either on an overhead or on the board.
i.e.
Have an orderly structure
Produce offspring
Grow and develop
Adjust to changes in their environment
The teacher should suggest to the students that they try to decide whether viruses are alive or not. The
following set of thought-provoking questions can be completed in a variety of ways depending on the
needs of the students and the teacher. Although the lesson can be completed verbally, it is
recommended that the students be asked to write/draw their answers so both the student and the
teacher have a record of the ideas presented. Options A – D are examples of how this lesson can be
implemented.
Options for lesson stucture:
A. Each group of students can work through all five questions, coming to a final conclusion about
whether viruses are alive.
B. Each group of students can be assigned one question to answer. Then each group shares their
answer with the class. After each group shares their answer the class as a whole OR in groups
OR individually comes to a final conclusion about whether viruses are alive.
C. This lesson can be completed in whole class discussion with the teacher calling on students or
groups to answer the questions aloud.
D. This lesson could be assigned as homework after completing Chapter 18.
Regardless of how the lesson is completed, since the debate about whether viruses are alive is ongoing,
it is important that the teacher reward good arguments, rather than one perspective over another.
Essentially, both the idea that viruses are alive and that they are not alive is correct. The distinction
between excellent work on the part of the student is how well they support their inference with correct
evidence about viruses.
The student handout is included at the end of this lesson. Below are the questions students are asked to
complete in the handout. It is up to the teacher to decide if they will complete this handout as a class, in
groups, or individually. Likewise, there may not be enough room for students to record their ideas on the
handout so other materials may be given out, such as poster board or large sheets of paper.
1.) Living things have an orderly structure.
Many scientists say that all living things are made up of cells. Other scientists say that all living
things have an orderly structure. Do you think viruses satisfy this requirement? Do viruses have
an orderly structure? Explain and draw a picture to support your answer.
2.) Living things produce offspring.
Do you think viruses produce offspring? Why or why not? Explain your ideas using what you
learned about how viruses spread.
3.) Living things grow and develop.
You may have heard your families talking about a flu shot. The flu shot is a vaccine that protects
people from getting the flu virus. Each year a new vaccine must be made to match that year’s flu
virus. What does this tell you about a virus’ ability to develop? Do you think viruses grow and
develop? Why or why not?
Page 3
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
4.) Living things adjust to changes in their environment.
One example of a change is: when an organism’s energy levels drop it needs to get more energy,
usually in the form of food. Plants use light from the sun to make food while animals, for
example, eat other organism’s to get energy. Viruses cannot get energy on their own. How do
viruses get the energy they need? Do you think viruses adjust to changes in their environment?
Are there other examples you can think of to support your argument?
5.) Today, many scientists think viruses are alive while many scientists think viruses are not alive.
Why are there different opinions? What would you do to convince someone who disagreed with
your ideas about whether viruses were alive or not?
The lesson is ideally completed by students working in groups, working through all the questions or just
one question assigned by the teacher. The teacher should monitor student progress by walking around
the classroom and asking groups what they have been discussing. After students have had time to
complete the assignment the teacher should ask each group to share their conclusions (to all questions
or just the question assigned). The teacher should emphasize that Question 5 is an example of how
scientific knowledge can be tentative, because of new evidence and/or new interpretations.
Extensions
 Students could present their ideas as a poster with both drawings and descriptions of virus
characteristics of life (or not life).
 Some of the resources listed at the end of this lesson could be distributed to students prior to
completing the lesson, as homework. This would be appropriate for more advanced students.
 The following article describes the declines in bird populations, due to the avian flu virus, and
includes implications for continued population declines, towards extinctions
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041220023334.htm
Modifications/Adaptations
Since students ideally would be discussing their ideas in groups or as a class with the teacher’s guidance,
the verbal nature of this lesson is well suited for students with special needs. Pairing challenged
students with regular education students is also an appropriate accommodation if students will be
working in pairs or in groups. Challenged students should be allowed to answer orally or to make
drawings of their ideas about whether viruses are alive or not.
Evaluation
Student responses to the questions, either verbally or in writing, are the assessment of student
understanding for the lesson. Ideally students will have written their ideas and included drawings of the
structure and life cycle of a virus. Again, this can be completed by a group or by individuals. If this
lesson is completed as class, students should be instructed to keep a record of the class discussion; this
can be guided by the teacher’s indication of what should be included in the record.
Teacher Learning Platform
During professional development, teachers will experience and practice debriefing the nature of science
component of this activity as well as other similar discussions about inquiry and the nature of science.
The resources also provide excellent support for teachers who would like more information on the
debate about viruses as a life form.
Resources
The links below are excellent resources to help teachers discuss issues of viruses as life or not with their
students. The first link leads to a PDF that would make a very nice overhead for this discussion.
Page 4
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
What is life? Are Viruses Alive?
http://library.thinkquest.org/C003763/pdf/origin06.pdf
All the Virology on the WWW FAQ’s
http://www.tulane.edu/~dmsander/garryfavwebfaq.html#whatis
What is a Virus?
http://www.mcb.uct.ac.za/tutorial/virwhat.html
NEWTON Ask a Scientist
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01490.htm
Are Viruses Alive? Simple Socratic Questions
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/socratic/examples/viruses.html
2/16/16
Page 1
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
Are Viruses Alive?
Name
________________________
Group Members:
____________________________________________________________
Use what you’ve learned about viruses to explain whether they are alive or not. Your
teacher will tell you whether you will work with a partner, with a group, by yourself or
as a class to complete the assignment. Use a blank sheet of paper to develop your
ideas and record your final ideas below. Your teacher may give you other materials to
record your ideas.
1.) Living things have an orderly structure.
Many scientists say that all living things are made up of cells. Other scientists say that
all living things have an orderly structure. Do you think viruses satisfy this requirement?
Do viruses have an orderly structure? Explain and draw a picture to support your
answer.
Page 2
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
2.) Living things produce offspring.
Do you think viruses produce offspring? Why or why not? Explain your ideas using what
you learned about how viruses spread.
3.) Living things grow and develop.
You may have heard your families talking about a flu shot. The flu shot is a vaccine that
protects people from getting the flu virus. Each year a new vaccine must be made to
match that year’s flu virus. What does this tell you about a virus’ ability to develop? Do
you think viruses grow and develop? Why or why not?
Page 3
IIT/FIELD MUSEUM - High School Transformation Project
2/16/16
4.) Living things adjust to changes in their environment.
One example of a change is when an organism’s energy levels drop it needs to get
more energy, usually in the form of food. Plants use light from the sun to make food
while animals, for example, eat other organism’s to get energy. Viruses cannot get
energy on their own. How do viruses get the energy they need? Do you think viruses
adjust to changes in their environment? Are there other examples you can think of to
support your argument?
5.) Today many scientists think viruses are alive while many scientists think viruses are
not alive. Why do you think this is? What would you do to someone who disagreed with
your ideas about whether viruses were alive or not?