Rare Diseases and Scientific Inquiry
- Helps students understand challenging medical issues that confront our society
- Grades 6–8 | © 2011 | Standards based
- Five lessons designed to be taught in sequence over ten 45-minutes classes, featuring web-based components including interactive database and simulations
- Developed using the BSCS 5E Instructional Model
- This complimentary module is available from National Institutes of Health (NIH)
In Rare Diseases and Scientific Inquiry, students explore some of the most challenging and engaging medical issues that confront our society. Rare Diseases complements existing life science curriculum and is consistent with National Science Education Standards. Middle school science teachers, medical experts, education specialists, scientists, representatives from the NIH Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR), and BSCS curriculum-design experts created the activities.
Rare Diseases and Scientific Inquiry has two primary objectives: to help students understand
- that studying rare diseases is not only important to the people affected by the deseases, but it also contributes to understandings that researches can apply to other, more common diseases or, more generally, to how the body works, and
- the process of scientific inquiry through studying rare diseases.
The supplement comes with a complete set of printed materials for teachers, including extensive background and resource information, detailed lesson plans, and masters for student worksheets. The website accompanying Rare Diseases features interactive materials to support the lessons.
This curriculum supplement was funded by the National Institutes of National Institutes of Health Office of Rare Diseases Research (NIH ORDR). It was developed by BSCS in cooperation with NIH ORDR.
Student Lessons
- What is a Rare Disease?
- What Causes Rare Diseases?
- The Difficulty of Diagnosis
- The Importance of Medical Research
- Comunicating about Rare Diseases
To order your complimentary copy of this supplement or for more information, visit NIH Curriculum Supplement Series.