Total Duration: |
31 to 60 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
Bloody Facts handout Access to The Blood Type Game (no sign-up required) Access to The Red Cross website for information and statistics about blood donation (no sign-up required) Teacher Instructions for Quizziz Pre-made quiz on Quizziz (free teacher sign-up required, no student sign-up necessary and meets student privacy guidelines)
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Technology Resources Needed: |
Projector connected to a computer or tablet Device with internet access for teacher (minimum) and each group/student (ideal) |
Background/Preparation: |
Humans have three main types of blood cells: platelets, white, and red. Platelets stop bleeding by clogging up punctures or tears in the arteries, veins, and capillaries and look like tiny pieces of fraying yarn. White blood cells are part of the immune system and fight invaders such as bacteria or viruses by engulfing and destroying them, and while they have various shapes and sizes typically they are shown in textbook illustrations to look like snowball snack cakes. Red blood cells carry oxygen, and while they are usually described as donut-shaped in textbooks they actually look more like Werther's Originals hard candy. These three types of cells travel around the body floating in plasma that is white/yellowish but appears red because of the red blood cells, just like Kool-aid makes water appear red. Red blood cells, erythrocytes, lack a cell nucleus and most organelles and are produced by bone marrow. This disposable sack of hemoglobin makes up almost half (40%-45%) of the blood's volume, circulates through the body about once a minute, and typically lasts for about a 100-120 days before being broken down and recycled by the body. (Statistics from Wikipedia.org) There are eight different human blood types caused by three different antigens that can be attached to red blood cells. These antigens are called A, B, and the Rh factor which is represented by a + or - sign. If A and B are not present, an O is used to show their absence. The eight human blood groups are O-, O+, A-, A+, B-, B+, AB-, and AB+. If incompatible blood types are mixed, the blood will begin to clot which could be fatal. An incompatible blood type is one which contains one or more of the three antigens that the patient lacks. A blood type kit consists of three chemicals, a drop of blood is placed in each chemical and if the blood clots then it contains that antigen. This is illustrated beautifully in the Blood Type Game when the students must withdraw blood and place a drop in three tubes to see which (if any) clot to determine the blood type of the patient prior to choosing which types of blood to administer to the patient. Sick or injured people might require a blood transfusion so their body can transport enough oxygen to all parts of their body. The Red Cross is the largest non-profit group in the United States that gathers donations and delivers them to people in need. Blood types are genetic and can be used in paternity cases to identify fathers but are much less reliable than modern genetic testing. Blood transfusions were mostly unsuccessful until blood types were identified in the early 1900s and doctors still aren't sure of the evolutionary value of these mutations but suspect that different blood types might give us added immunity to different cancers and diseases. (BBC.com) |
Before: Pre-test student knowledge of blood and blood types with this Quizziz in timed mode. Notes: Thirty seconds per question timed mode is the default, but all presets can be edited by scrolling down the page underneath the Play button. Have students use identifiable names to track progress. Quizziz has a spreadsheet function that allows teachers to download and save game results. Occasionally a student will be disconnected, and it will be necessary for them to watch the game or force everyone to restart. Despite this occasional problem, it is a fun way to pretest knowledge and engage the class. During: Groups/Students play The Blood Type Game in instance mode. Notes: This activity can be played with the teacher or one student choosing bags of blood to administer to the patient according to popular demand, if necessary. The cartoon patient will scream entertainingly when administered the wrong blood type, so be aware that screaming patients don't necessarily mean the students aren't comprehending the blood donation rules. The teacher should lead the class through one or two instances demonstrating how to take and test blood by dropping some in each of three tubes to test for the three possible differences (A, B, and +), and administering both correct and incorrect blood afterwards. Allow students ten to fifteen minutes to play the game in groups or singularly. Send groups/students to The Red Cross website with instructions to find answers to the Bloody Facts handout questions. After: Post-test student knowledge of blood and blood types with the same Quizziz in homework mode. Notes: Homework mode can be untimed on the settings page just before starting the quiz. Make the quiz available and give the code to the class. Students can log in and start at their own pace and restart if disconnected so it can be used for assessment if students use identifiable names. Results can be downloaded. |
Assessment Strategies |
Informal assessment options: 1. Observe students playing The Blood Types Game. 2. Play Quizziz (use linked game or create your own) in timed mode Formal assessment options: 1. Play Quizizz (use linked game or create your own) in homework mode. 2. Use the attached Quizizz questions as a printed test. |
Acceleration: |
Research and report on blood types in different species, such as cows who have sixteen blood types. Have students write a script for explaining blood types to a young child. Research and report on progress being made in creating synthetic blood. |
Intervention: |
Have students work in partners or groups, rather than individually. Allow extra time to play the Blood Type game until student grasps the "rules" of the game. Reduce answer choices on the written test. |
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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