Description:
This activity allows students to demonstrate proficiency in understanding how the immune system responds to a viral infection such as with the human immunodeficiency virus.
Core Themes: Theme 3: Microorganisms and humans
Theme 6: Teaching and learning
Microorganisms Present: None used
Microbiology Keywords: AIDS, Antibodies, Antigen, Cytokines, Immune System, Infectious Disease, Viruses
Pedagogy Keywords: Assess, Learn, Teach, Active Learning
Science Discipline Keywords: Immunology, Microbiology, Virology
Audience: Allied Health majors
Biology majors
Nonscience majors
Science education majors
Core Skills: Thinking: Analysis
Thinking: Cognitive Process
Thinking: Communication
Learning Time: 1 hour
ACTIVITY
Learning Objectives.
Students will:
(a) learn the roles for the major cells involved in humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to a viral infection.
(b) be able to explain why both the humoral and cell-mediated responses are necessary to clear a viral infection.
(c) learn what happens to a virus during an immune response.
Background.
This activity is useful for students with basic knowledge on how the immune system functions. Students should be knowledgeable about basic virus and cell structure and the idea that viruses are obligate intracellular parasites.
PROCEDURE
Materials.
Materials can be duplicated to run multiple plays in the same classroom.
Virus—can make multiples per play to reflect viral replication!
· One 4-inch styrofoam ball
· 24 pipe cleaners, cut in half
· 48 brightly colored plastic beads
· Glue or hot glue gun
Directions: Glue one bead on one end of each pipe cleaner; insert pipe cleaners around styrofoam ball to represent virus spikes.
Immune cells and player name tags
· 8 ½” x 11” paper (one sheet per student)
· Masking tape
· Labels with the following written on them:
1. Cell “The Host”
2. CD4+ T cell “The Stimulator” (x2)
3. Cytokines “The Signalers” (x2)
4. Chemokines “The Recruiters”
5. Macrophage “The Engulfer”
6. CD8+ T cell “Pre-Attack Cell”
7. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) “The Attacker”
8. B cell “The Humoralist”
9. Plasma cell “Antibody Machine”
Props
· Plastic bag with several 1-inch styrofoam balls; “toxic granules” for the CTL
· Six hinged clothespins; "antibodies” for the plasma cell
· One pipe cleaner cut in half with a plastic bead glued to each end for “major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and antigen” (both for the infected cell)
· Two pipe cleaners (a different color than that for MHC class I) cut in half with a plastic bead glued to each end for “MHC class II and antigen” (two for the macrophage and two for the B cell)
· Two 6-inch pieces of pipe cleaner twisted together at the base and then shaped to form a Y; “T cell receptor (TCR)” for CD8+ T cell
· Four 6-inch pieces of pipe cleaner (of a different color than that for CD8+ TCR) twisted together in pairs at the base and then shaped to form a Y; “TCR” for CD4+ T cells
The Play “Much Ado about Infection”
Instructor Version.
Classroom preparation.
Before the play:
a. The class period before the play, assign the roles and have students learn about the characters. If doing the HIV extension, have all students answer these questions specifically for HIV as well.
i. Where do I “live”?
ii. What is my “job”?
iii. With whom do I typically “hang-out”?
b. Make copies of the student version of the play (one per student) and assessment tool (two per student).
c. Make props (~20 minutes).
Some weblinks are included in the References portion of this activity for the instructor to review if necessary.
The day of the play:
d. Have each student complete the preassessment self-report.
e. Provide each student with a copy of the play.
f. Have all props ready to hand out to their respective actors when directed.
g. If you have a larger class (>20 students), you may want to set up multiple versions of the play to create more student engagement. For example, in a smaller class, you can make more cytokine sheets to include more students or let a student serve as narrator. For a class of 48, you can run the play simultaneously on two sides of the room with two identical sets of materials. You can have each class do the play twice and change the actors playing the roles so that each student has a chance to be in the play as well as be an audience member observing the play. Pausing after each scene allows for visual assessment of actor and prop placement.
h. Have assessment tools ready. (Two copies of the survey per student if using the tool provided with this activity; one handed out before the activity and one after it.)
i. Direct the play (and serve as the narrator or assign this to a student as well) and assign a student as the props manager. For nonmajor students, it may work best for you to be both the director and props manager with a student narrator at least the first time through the activity. Students like to share these roles as they gain more confidence with the activity and content.
j. Notes to the director are included in bold italic font to the right of the script. These will aid in the direction of actors, use of props, and general placement on the stage, as well as provide answers to the student version questions.
k. Have each student complete the postassessment self-report.
l. Each student should turn in their script with the questions answered or answering the questions can be assigned as reflective homework to turn in during the next class period.
Safety Issues.
None
Suggestions for Determining Student Learning.
This activity is designed to be conducted in one 50-minute class period, however, discussions can take place during the following class meetings as well. This is also a good review tool before a summative assessment is administered. Formative assessments can include handing in the notes and questions, writing reflections in a journal, doing an assignment to further each student’s understanding, or giving a pre- and postsurvey such as the one provided with this activity (Table 1). This in-class survey assessment gives immediate feedback to the instructor about areas which are still unclear to students.
TABLE 1. Student self-reporting pre- and postactivity assessment
|
Question
|
Response
|
|
Not at all
|
OK
|
Well
|
Very well
|
|
Q1. I know how CD4+ T (helper) cells assist in an immune response.
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
Q2. I understand how antibodies affect viral infection.
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
Q3. I understand how cytotoxic T cells kill virus-infected cells.
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
Q4. I understand how HIV can affect CD4+ T (helper) cell activity.
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
Q5. I understand why HIV infection leaves a person vulnerable to other infectious diseases.
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
Science Major’s Student Data
Responses to the survey questions (Q1 through Q5) for science majors are provided. Presurvey data is from surveys administered prior to the activity. Postsurvey data is from surveys collected following the activity. Majors include 53 respondents (n = 53) with three students having taken my immunology course the semester prior to this microbiology course. One did not respond to Q3 on the presurvey (n = 52), and two did not respond to the postsurvey (n = 51).
Nonmajor’s Student Data
Responses to the survey questions (Q1 through Q5) for non-science majors are provided. Presurvey data is from surveys administered prior to the activity. Postsurvey data is from surveys collected following the activity. Non-science majors include 117 respondents (n = 117).
Field Testing.
This activity was initially created due to lack of student background in the fundamentals of how the immune system deals with a viral infection. Because many students may not have formal training in immunological responses before they enroll in an introductory microbiology course, it becomes difficult for students to truly comprehend how HIV impacts an individual’s immune system. This activity has been used in introductory-level biology courses as well as in non-science major biology courses. It has been performed with less than 20 and close to 50 students. The activity can be repeated as many times as necessary to clarify student misconceptions or to “test” student hypotheses regarding the impact of HIV on the immune system. Likewise, the actors are also changed for a second rehearsal to give everyone a chance to both act and observe the interactions among the players. This activity gets students talking the lingo of an immune response without having to memorize definitions and then try to apply them. It also eases them into a fairly complex area of content without being intimidating due to their lack of prior knowledge. Students really get into their roles as the play unfolds and tend to identify with the role their cast member plays in an immune response. This activity allows for repetition and adaptability to different scenarios while still promoting student critical thinking skills each time it is used.
Assessments of learning objectives: In addition to student reporting, the following data were collected from student answers to course exam questions and address the objectives described.
Students will:
(a) learn the roles for the major cells involved in humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to a viral infection.
(b) be able to explain why both the humoral and cell-mediated responses are necessary to clear a viral infection.
(c) learn what happens to a virus during an immune response.
Science majors in an introductory microbiology course:
When asked “What is the difference between an antibody and an antigen?” 100% (n = 19) of the majors-level science students correctly characterized antibodies as protective and indicated that they are made in response to antigens; 21% specifically addressed the role of plasma cells in the generation of antibodies. (Objectives addressed: a, b) Sample answers included:
Student A: "Antigen is made by the virus and allows the immune system to recognize a foreign substance. An antibody is made by a plasma cell and is used to deactivate viruses by binding to the antigen, deactivating it, and marking it for degradation."
Student B: "An antibody is produced from B cells that have differentiated into plasma cells. They bind to antigens as an immune response. An antigen is a foreign invader of the body that signals the release of antibodies to fight it off."
“Mounting an effective immune response to HIV is difficult for several reasons. List two reasons why this is true.” (Objectives addressed: a, b, c) Sample answers included:
Student A: "HIV lowers the number of CD4+ T cells, which release cytokines for both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Less CD4+ T cells leads to less signaling for response."
Student B: "Since these (CD4+ T) cells are a critical part of the specific immune response, it is even more difficult for the immune system to fight HIV."
Student C: "It is difficult because HIV infects CD4+ cells, meaning those must be killed; however, they are extremely crucial to the effectiveness of the immune system."
Student D: "HIV targets a main contributor to the immune response, CD4+ T cells. This in turn doesn’t allow them to signal for help to other immune cells and also continue in the immune response in releasing cytokines."
Students taking a nonmajors biology course:
FIG. 1. In response to the question, 76% (n = 42) of non-science major students indicated that antibodies are used to neutralize and opsonize a virus during infection. (Objective addressed: c)
FIG. 2. Out of 40 non-science major students, 45% responded that virus-infected cells are usually killed by the immune system using toxic granules; 37% chose antibodies, 3% chose antigens, and 15% chose macrophages as a response. (Objectives addressed: a, b, c)
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