Malaria Challenge
Peace Corps Challenge Game
Print this Page- Subject(s): Language Arts & Literature, Environment & Health, Cross-Cultural Understanding
- Grade Level(s): 6–8, 9–12
Overview
As a Peace Corps Volunteer assigned to the village of Wanzuzu, students playing the Peace Corps Challenge game are faced with many challenges they must solve using realistic solutions. In this challenge students are just beginning their second year of Peace Corps service in Wanzuzu. Currently, the village is facing many struggles including a long rainy season—which has many negative effects such as soggy fields and a high number of malaria cases. By visiting the clinic and speaking with the doctor and other community members, students learn the causes of malaria and find ways to minimize and control the malaria outbreak.
Background Information
Factoids from the game:
Between 350 million and 500 million people contract malaria each year, and more than a million people a year die of the disease. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
More than two-fifths of the people in the world live in areas where malaria is transmitted, including Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Islands in the Pacific. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Occurrences of malaria can be reduced by managing water resources, for example, by preventing standing water from accumulating in communities. Source: World Health Organization
Procedures
The following WebQuest strengthens concepts learned in the Peace Corps Challenge game. In the WebQuest, students explore the global issue of malaria and take the role of a Peace Corps Volunteer working to prevent the spread of the disease. Students analyze data and use their knowledge of life cycles to consider prevention strategies. (Grades 6-12)
Explore the Malaria Challenge WebQuest (pdf)
Play the Malaria Challenge (Flash)
Additional Resources:
Coverdell World Wise Schools:
Other Sources:
- World Health Organization: Malaria
- President's Malaria Initiative
- UNICEF: Malaria
Framework and Standards
Enduring Understandings
- Malaria is a large global issue affecting millions of people around the world, through education and simple measures its impact can be decreased.
- Cultural beliefs often affect how members of a society view, treat, and overcome a disease or illness.
Essential Questions
- What are some of the ways disease and illness affect a community?
- How does where a person lives affect their ability to overcome illness and disease?
- How can long held cultural beliefs and practices change to meet the needs of a society?
- How does socio-economic standing affect a communities ability to meet the needs of its members?
Standards
Social Studies:
Thematic Strand I: Culture
- How culture influences the ways in which human groups solve problems of daily living
- How people from different cultures develop different ways of interpreting experience
- Language, behaviors and beliefs can both contribute and pose barriers to cross-cultural understanding
Thematic Strand IX: Global Connections
- The causes and consequences of various types of global connections
- The actions of people, communities, and nations have both short and long term effects
Thematic Strand X: Civic Ideals and Practices
- Perspectives of various stakeholders in proposing possible solutions to issues
Thematic Strand IX: Global Connections
- The causes and consequences of various types of global connections
Geography:
Essential Element II: Places and Regions
- Physical and human characteristics of places
Science:
Content Standard C: Life Science
- Characteristics of organisms
- Life cycles of organisms
- Organisms and environments
- Diversity and adaptations of organisms
- Interdependence of organisms
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
- Personal health
- Science and technology in local challenges
- Personal and community health
- Natural and human-induced hazards
- Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges