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Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week), First Time in Kingsville, Texas: The Immune System
Author(s) -
Johnson Rachel Ann
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.734.5
Subject(s) - wonder , antigen , immune system , antibody , theme (computing) , immunology , psychology , biology , computer science , social psychology , world wide web
In November, approximately 100 seventh grade students came to the Texas A&M University ‐ Kingsville campus to learn about the human immune system. Students were introduced to three main aspects of the immune system: antibodies, antigens, and B‐cells. When discussing the concept of immune responses, a superhero theme was used. Therefore, Anti‐Man was a representation of the antibody, Director B was a B‐cell, and the Germinator was an antigen. Technology was used to explain the individual role each of these play in an immunological reaction. After actively participating in the presentation, students' knowledge was tested in a modified game of rock‐paper‐scissors. In this activity, the scissors represented antibodies, rock was called B‐cell, and paper became antigen. Students were then divided into two groups, each group had to agree on being either antibodies, B‐cells, or antigens. The two teams showed their agreed signs, and then had to decide which team won. For the purposes of this activity, antibodies were beat by B‐cells, which were beat by antigens, which were beat by antibodies. This game allowed students the opportunity to further understand the chain effect of the antibody, B‐cell, and antigen interactions. The wonder upon each of the children's faces as they came to comprehend the complex interactions of the human body gave proof to their grasp of the topic.