LESSON PLAN FOR VIRUS (1 hrs 45 minutes)

OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Virus
Envelope
Genome
Transmission
Infection
Host range

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this topic, students able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Describe any real life situation related to viruses

Explain the concept of virus in their own words
Apply the concept of virus in terms of analogies
Explain the impact of viruses in public health & agriculture
Conduct a mosquito trapping project

INTRODUCTION
a) Perspective:
Teacher asks students about their opinion regarding to Dengue which is
one of the most common virus associated in Malaysia. Teacher may ask
the student What is the cause of dengue?, How can you get infected
with dengue?, What are symptoms of dengue? and What does the
causative agent of dengue look like?.

By asking these questions,

students able to relate the concept of virus according to their real life
situation.

b) Background:
The very first virus discovered is credited to the St. Petersburg
Academy of Science on the 12th February 1892 by Dmitri Iwanowsk
(1864-1920), a Russian botanist. While studying mosiac tobacco
disease, he found that the agent causing the disease was small enough

for pass though ceramic filter that are small enough to trap all bacteria.
This is generally accepted as the beginning of Virology.
Six years later, 1898, Martinus Beijernick (1851-1931) confirmed
Iwanowski's results on tobacco mosaic virus. He developed with the
term "contagium vivum fluidum" which means soluble living germ as
first the idea of the virus.
The same year, the German scientists Friedrich Loeffler (1852-1915)
and Paul Frosch, observed that a similar agent was responsible for footand-mouth disease. There was strong resistance that suggested these
were not associated with human diseases.
Yellow fever was a devastating plague that was the first virus to be
identified by humans. Yellow fever has killed over tens of millions of
deaths in past centuries. Yellow fever was thought to be as a mosquitoborne infection. It was not until 1901 that Walter Reed (1893-1902)
discovered yellow fever was caused by a virus. Once mosquitoes were
identified as the virus carrier, the introduction of aggressive mosquito
control helped to suppress the problem.
In 1915, Frederick Twort and in 1917, Felix D'Hrelle were first to
describe

bacteriophages,

or

viruses

that

infect

bacteria.

Many

scientists started to use their findings to investigate virus structure,

genetics, and replication.
In 1928, penicillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered by
Alexander Fleming. However, antibiotics cannot cure viruses and there
were no drugs developed at that time that could fight them. Viruses are
hard to cure because they live inside the bodys own cell, making if
hard for the immune system to attack. It was not until the 1970s that
there were drugs available to the general public. In 1798, the first
vaccine against viruses was created by Edward Jenner against
smallpox.
In 1930, the first virus was seen by the human eye. New technology
advances and the introduction of the electron microscope helped us to
vaguely

see

what

virus

looks

like.

Detailed

identification

and

characterization of viruses began as better techniques at studying viruses

and more powerful microscopes were developed.

Today, modern day technology and medical advances are changing

and advancing each day. Thanks to these new advances we have a better
understanding of viruses and new techniques to fight viruses. There are
still many viruses where a cure is yet to be discovered. However, with the
new advances, hopefully well find a way to cure them all.
c) Key concepts:
1. Analogy- USB drive
Key concept- a virus can only be activated when it infects a specific
host
2. #teacher introduce students to mode of infection & concept of vector
#in case of Dengue virus, the vectors are mosquitoes
Key concept- a vector carries the virus but does not die of the
infection
d) Terminology:
Endemic growing/existing in a certain place
Protein capsid- the protein coat surrounding the nucleic acid of a
virus
Epitope- the surface portion of an antigen capable of eliciting an
immune response &
combining with antibody produced to counter that response
Host specific- a virus that can affect only one type of host
Elicits- to draw out/ provoke (mendapatkan)
Ex: when immune system of host recognizes a virus, it elicits
a response that may
involve the secretion of antibodies
Antibodies- are proteins that produced by immune system to prevent
harm from occurring
-stick to antigens & tell the immune system what type of
antigen it is, so it can
be destroyed
Vectors- an organism that does not cause disease itself but spreads
infection by
transporting pathogens from one host to another
Ex: Mosquito serve as vectors for deadly disease Malaria
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) a nucleic acid that carries genetic
information in cells & some
viruses

RNA (ribonucleic acid) act as messenger carrying instructions from

DNA for controlling the
synthesis of proteins
Enveloped virus
- enveloped by a glycoprotein or lipid layer
-less virulent
- released by budding & rarely cause host cell lysis
- sensitive to heat, acids & drying
- induce cell mediated & antibody mediated immune response in host
- Mode of transmission: through blood/ organ transplants/ secretions
Naked virus
-does not envelope by glycoprotein/ lipid layer
- more virulent
- released by lysis (killing the cells)
- resistance to heat, acids & drying
- induce antibody production in the host
- mode of transmission: through fecal, formites & dust
Endocytosis process where materials move into the cell
*virus enters cell by endocytosis
Exocytosis process where materials exported out of the cell via
secretory vesicles
*virus exits cell by exocytosis
PLAN SPECIFIC LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Teacher introducing the students concept of viruses through query

based approach

Teacher assigning the students a mosquito trapping project:

-

Teacher engage in the learning process by doing supervision

because the mosquitoes that have been trapped need to be
killed to dismantling the trap

PLAN TO CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

Teacher make evaluation for the progress of learning by looking at:

Knowledge- ability of students to recall key concepts related to

virus

Comprehension- ability of students to explain key concepts of

viruses in their own words

Application- ability of students to explain the concept of virus by

using analogies

Analysis ability of students to delve into concept & expand the

topic of virus

Synthesis- ability of students to blend 2 concept & arrive at

definitive conclusion

Evaluation- ability of students to assess situation & apply related

to virus

DEVELOP CONCLUSION

Viruses in Malaysia

How many kinds?

Where? Location?

How do they impact society, economy, agriculture?

How will I use this background to generate awareness in an urban

setting?

How will I use this background to generate awareness in an

agricultural setting?

CREATE A REALISTIC TIMELINE

Learning outcomes & introduction ( 25 minutes)

Conduct specific learning activities ( 45 minutes)

Check for understanding ( 15 minutes)

Develop conclusion ( 20 minutes)