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The Immune System

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Picture of a body cross section, highlighting various systems involved in immune response

Topic

  • Cell Biology
  • Cell Communication
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Immune System

Resource Type

  • Interactive Media
  • Click & Learn

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Saved By
50 Users
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Description

This interactive module introduces the anatomy of the immune system and walks through the timeline of a typical immune response. 

The timeline includes the differences between the first time a pathogen is encountered versus subsequent infections, including an explanation of how vaccines work. Different tabs, videos, images, questions, and a detailed glossary of terms allow this resource to be explored at varying levels of depth depending on the class. Refer to the “Educator Materials” for implementation suggestions. 

The accompanying worksheets guide students’ exploration. The “General Immunology” worksheet is a guided exploration of the Click & Learn. The “Immunotherapy” worksheet applies the content in the Click & Learn to cancer immunotherapy. The “Vaccine Research Extension” worksheet guides students through an optional research project on vaccines. The glossary and illustrations in the Click & Learn are also provided as slide decks; you may make copies of these slides and adapt them to your classroom.

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
 

Student Learning Targets

  • Identify the main organs and cells of the immune system, and explain their functions. 
  • Compare and contrast the innate and adaptive immune responses, and explain how they interact.
  • Explain the role of memory cells when the body responds to a pathogen it has previously encountered, and apply this knowledge to the function of vaccines. 
  • Interpret graphs to support and/or revise scientific explanations.
     

Estimated Time

One to two 50-minute class periods, depending on implementation.

Key Terms

adaptive immune response, antibody, antigen, B cell, cytokine, dendritic cell, innate immune response, pathogen, T cell, vaccine

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria. Interactive media meets criteria. Other file types meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 06.15.21
Date Updated 03.21.22

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-2; SEP8

AP Biology (2019)

IST-3.A; IST-3.F; SP1, SP2 

IB Biology (2016)

6.3, 11.1

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.2; ELA.WHST.9-12.9

Vision and Change (2009)

CC2, CC5; DP1

Materials

Resource Google Folder (link)
Educator Materials (PDF) 614 KB
Student Worksheet — General Immunology (PDF) 562 KB
Student Worksheet — Immunotherapy (PDF) 459 KB
Student Worksheet – Vaccine Research Extension (PDF) 287 KB
Immune System Glossary (PowerPoint) 874 KB
Immune System Illustrations (PowerPoint) 3 MB

Related Science News

Genetic twist: Medieval plague may have molded our immunity

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