Learning Segment Theme: Understanding the relationship between social movements and
disease
Grade/ Subject: 11-12th grade Science
Created by: Megan Batty
Title of text: How does the body fight off a virus (Edited text also available online)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/22028517?print=true
This article is about the different cells in the body that are part of the immune response.
Title of video: Understanding how vaccines work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDyHXAvLVT8
This is a brief video explaining how vaccines work to protect our bodies against viruses that
have not yet made us sick.
Resources/ Assets the ELL’s are likely to bring to the text:
 Many of the ELL students might have experience with vaccines since often this is a
requirement for entrance into the United States
 Many ELL students have strong motivation to learn and do well in school and many of
them might find science interesting
Potential Difficulties of the Text
 The text contains science content vocabulary
 There needs to be some background about the immune system
 Some of the language used for comparison in the video and text might be confusing
Common Core Standard(s)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a
problem.
Associated ELP Standard(s)
ELP 11-12.1 Construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text
through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing
 Level 2:
 Level 3
 Level 4
ELP Level 2 adaptations should be written in red
ELP Level 3 adaptations should be in blue
ELP Level 4 adaptations should be in green
Learning Goals
Content Goal: (What grade-level academic content
Assessment: (How will students show their mastery of
learning will students achieve?)
the content goal?)
Students will be able to depict and describe
how viruses fit in with the immune system to
protect our bodies against viruses.
The pictures they are drawing to show they
understand the immune system components.
Language Goal: (How will this lesson specifically
Assessment: (How will students show their mastery of
facilitate English language development? What will
students do that requires them to use English to
communicate and/or develop increased understanding
about language?)
the language goal?)
Students will be able to use argumentative
language to support their position
What would you do activity?
Literacy Goal: (How will this lesson develop literacy
Assessment: (How will students show their mastery of
skills/strategies that will transfer to other contexts?)
the language goal?)
Students will be able to compare and explain The white board activity and the pictures of the
to a partner key details about the immune
immune system comparison
system and vaccines.
Pre-reading/ Viewing/ Listening
a. How will you build/activate prior knowledge, create interest, and establish a reason for
engaging with this text?
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Ask students what their experience is with vaccines; do they know if they had them when
they were little, did everyone get vaccines?
o Show a picture on the screen of a vaccine and write the word on the board
Ask students to think of a time when they were sick
o What were some things that happened to them?
o Have the students draw pictures/ words on their whiteboards in groups
 Cough/ stay in bed/ tired
o Share together as a class
o Tell the students that this is an example of their immune system working to fight
off viruses- Write the word immune system on the board
b. Pre-Teaching (quick mini-lesson to teach key vocabulary, text structure, and/or
literacy/academic skills/strategies)
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Show students a picture of a medieval soldier and ask students what they think of when
they see this
o What is his job? Here I am trying to illicit from the students words like protect,
fight, destroy, raise an alarm, defense etc.
o Have them brainstorm in smaller groups and then discuss as a class
Explain to the students that is similar to what the cells in our body do in an immune
response
o Write this word on the board!
o Show students pictures of different immune cells that are mentioned in the text
and give their names underneath
Ask the students what happens to a soldier after he gets wounded
o Show a picture of a soldier in battle and after battle, and ask students “Is he
weaker?” “If they tried to come back and fight would he win?”
 Here you want students to show they understand that the soldier would not
be able to fight again because he would be weaker and broken down
o Let the students know that immune cells are the best kind of warriors because
they get stronger when they fight the virus again because they have a memory of
its attack plan
 If they are still confused ask students what would happens when they go
through the airport?
 They have to have their picture to go through so the airport can make sure
their face is not in a database with bad people
Do a semantic web of the word “immune”
o Write the word on the board and give the definition
 When the body is protected against an invader
 Remind them again of what we have been discussing with the soldier
analogy
 Ask them to give words that are related to this and at this point you can
replace their BICS vocabulary with academic language below
 Immunization
 Immunity
 Immune system
 Immune cells
c. Establish a purpose (Clarify how to approach the text – e.g. “As you read, I want you to look
for answers to these questions,” or “After we watch this video clip, we’re going to discuss your
opinions about _____.”)
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As we read the text highlight the words that you think are the immune cells
Pay attention to what the cells do and how they create a memory about the virus
Let them know that after the text we are going to watch a short video about vaccines and
you will be asking about how the vaccine and the cells are related
During-Reading/Viewing/Listening
a. What will students do while engaging with the text? (e.g. Should they take notes? Complete a
graphic organizer? Jot down questions? Just enjoy?)
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Enjoy
Highlight or underline the cells that you think are the immune cells in the body
o Take note of the words surrounding them, are they included in our web?
Write down or circle any words you are confused about
b. How will you support thoughtful interaction with the text while reading/viewing/listening?
(e.g. Ask questions, summarize, pause to discuss with a neighbor, etc.? Depending on the length
and nature of the text, you might choose to do nothing.)
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Walk around the room and see the words they are circling
o Ask them what they do?
Pause the video and asked questions about the vaccine in relation to the cells
Post-Reading/Viewing/Listening
(How will you provide opportunities for students to question, discuss, and learn from the text?
How will students use the text to extend their learning? How will you assess student
understanding?)
 Cells are like…Activity:
o Level 2: Give the students pictures of the different components of the immune
system and pictures of what they might be like (ex: a guard dog, castle walls etc.)
and ask them to write brief sentences about it
o Level 3: Ask students to write about things one of the cells might be like
o Level 4: Ask students to write about things that the cells might be like- give them
a list of the cells that you want them to write it about
o Have students share with a partner
 Features of a vaccine:
o Ask the students to diagram how a vaccine works on their white boards
 Level 2: Draw pictures of what is happening, for example a virus going
into an injection and then antibodies being made
 Level 3: Briefly give bulletin point explanations of how a vaccine works,
can use pictures to supplement
 Level 4: Give a more detailed summary of how a vaccine works
 What Would You Do? Part 1
o Level 1: Write a sentence about: Will you get vaccinated, why or why not?
o Level 2: Write a few sentences about whether you would get vaccinated and why?
And other possible ways you might protect yourself against viruses?
o Level 3: Take a position on whether you agree with vaccination or not? Show
understanding of a point from both sides.
 Consider some other ways you might be able to protect yourself
Extension:
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In the next lesson we are going to learn about how vaccines are made
In the video it mentioned that vaccines contain viruses but not in the way we think:
o Brainstorm in a group what might be ways to get the virus into the vaccine in a
less harmful way?