Cancer Growth Lesson Plan

Abstract

Students will explore a cancer simulation model utilizing a worksheet. Most students have known someone who has had cancer. This lesson is designed to introduce students to the behind the scene components and facts related to cancer. Students will understand how cancer will keep growing until treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation is used to shrink the tumor or kill the cancer. The cancer simulation game will allow students to role play and act like a natural killer cell that can kill a cancer cell. Students will be able to understand what their friend, family member, or acquaintance may have endured during a cancer diagnosis and an implemented treatment protocol. Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in the United States. This lesson is used to bring cancer to the forefront of class discussion. All students will benefit from this lesson because it is hands on allowing students to explore and analyze two model simulations. Students will then construct a graph using excel illustrating the total number of cancer cells present and removed. The primary file is a lesson plan, accompanied by supplemental files. In the supplemental zipped files, you will find: Student worksheets Lesson plan Powerpoint presentations