West Nile Virus: Vectors and Hosts Game

Topic

Resource Type

Level

High School — General High School — AP/IB College

Saved By

18 Users

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Description

This activity is a game that enacts the complexity of viral infections that involve different vectors and hosts.

Students play the West Nile virus game to learn how the virus spreads and how the outcome changes depending on the species that is infected. Students take the role of either the vector (mosquito) or one of several hosts, as detailed and explained on the game cards, to simulate how infection by West Nile virus spreads. They then act out the results of West Nile infection as described on the cards. This activity complements the concepts explored in the Click & Learn From Birds to People: the West Nile Virus Story.

The “Card Images” ZIP file contains individual image files for the cards used in this activity that can be used in the classroom, particularly in online courses. A document within the ZIP file contains suggestions for their use. These card images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CCC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license. We would ask that you attribute these to BioInteractive and not use them for commercial purposes.

Student Learning Targets

Differentiate the roles of vectors and hosts in West Nile virus infection.
Explain how a virus spreads through a community.
Explain and communicate how some hosts play a role in spreading a virus and others don’t.

Estimated Time

One 50-minute class period.

Key Terms

insect, mosquito, viral disease

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.