Unit Summary
Students as Cancer Society volunteers conduct an in depth study about cancer, interview Oncologists to get an insight about the causes and preventive measures. They interview patients to collect first hand information about the nature of patients suffering from cancer. They perform skits and create flyers, to spread awareness about cancer, suggest preventive measures and really make a difference. Students reach out to the global community by wiki to spread awareness about cancer and share their learning of the project.

• Essential Question
  How can we make a difference?
• Unit Question
  What can we do to spread awareness about cancer in the community?
• Content Questions 
  What is cancer?
  What are the different types of cancer?
  What causes cancer?
  What are symptoms of cancer?
  What are cancer diagnostic techniques?
  What are different types of treatment given to cancer patients? 

Assessment Processes
View how a variety of student-centered assessments are used in the Unit Plan. These assessments help students and teachers set goals; monitor student progress; provide feedback; assess thinking, processes, performances, and products; and reflect on learning throughout the learning cycle.

Instructional Procedures
Prior to instruction

• Share the project details with the principal and parents.
• Submit a project concept paper to the local cancer hospital and GCS with time lines, requesting their support. If possible personally visit the hospital and cancer society to explain the requirements clearly.
• Prepare questionnaire, list of web sites, research log, research checklist to facilitate students.
• Prepare flyer score sheet and wiki rubric.
• Prepare a presentation on behalf of Gujarat Cancer Society, including project details. 
• Organise field visit to cancer hospital and interview with the patients.
• Arrange sessions with Drama teacher to guide students to perform skit.
• Arrange schedule with Computer Lab teacher for smooth implementation of the project.  

Set the stage (1^st and 2^nd period)
Pose the essential question How can we make a difference? for brainstorming. Randomly divide the students in small groups and ask them to discuss the question amongst themselves and note down their response in their journals. Encourage students to think in different perspective – economy, family, school, their lives, community, etc. Have each group select a presenter and share five best responses to the question. Sum up the outcomes of the discussion and motivate the students that they can play an important part in different fields if they wish to.

Introduce the scenario
Describe the following scenario:
You have been asked to work with the Gujarat Cancer Society (GCS) as volunteers to conduct an in depth study about cancer, the causes and preventive measures. You have been given the responsibility conduct to survey using the questionnaire provided to collect first hand information about the nature of patients suffering from cancer. You have to also devise an awareness plan which can include skits, awareness rally, poster/flyer making, etc. You have to ensure that you reach out to the global community to spread awareness about cancer. GCS* has sent a presentation (PPT 420KB) to make you aware about the deadly disease and seek help in spreading awareness about cancer in the community.

Make students discuss in their groups about the project and write down the questions they have about the project in their journals. Have presenter from each group give their understanding about the project, ask questions and voice out their role and responsibilities once they become volunteers of GCS. Give opportunity to other groups to try and answer the questions posed by each group. Ask students: How can we make a difference? and have students note down the responses in their journals. Hold a discussion about their role as responsible citizens in the community. Instruct students to make entries in their journal as they work on the different aspects of the project.

Research (3^rd & 4^th period)
Provide time to search for information on the internet and books related to the content questions: 

• What is cancer?
• What are the different types of cancer?
• What causes cancer?
• What are symptoms of cancer?
• What are cancer diagnostic techniques?
• What are different types of treatment given to cancer patients?

Provide a list of related websites (DOC 32KB) for students to look for the information and encourage them to refer more related web sites to get deeper understanding. Ask students to refer to the site http://www.cancer.gov/* to get answers to some frequently asked questions on cancer.

Request the students to note down the summary of their research and cite the sources in the research log (DOC 37.5KB). Provide research checklist (DOC 42KB) for students to self assess their research process.
Make students sit in their groups. Encourage students to discuss about their research with their group members. Here, teacher needs to make sure that students fully comprehend the topic before proceeding with the project. Ask students to note down their questions, doubts, clarifications and spend time with each group to clarify their doubts and answer their questions.

Note: Students might become very sensitive about the topic, if someone close them has been affected by cancer. Orient these students that we are doing a project to help the community by spreading awareness and also make a difference in the society. Take help of school counsellor if needed.

Visit to GCS
Plan visit to the Gujarat Cancer Society for getting first hand information about cancer and other details. Have students clarify doubts from doctors and visit the cancer exhibition. Accompany students to provide guidance and guide students to make visit reports. Have students take digital cameras for taking photographs. 

Provide time for students to sit and discuss the visit in their groups and prepare report (DOC 573KB) with photographs.

Prepare for the field visit (5^th to 7^th period and Lab period)
Inform students that they will go to cancer hospital next week for conducting Oncologist’s interview and collect data using the questionnaire provided by GCS.   

Interview
Explain students about that, Oncologists are physicians who study, diagnose, and treat cancerous tumors. They practice in hospitals and medical centers, university hospitals, and research organisations.

Provide time for students to discuss, frame questions, discussion points for the scheduled interview. Assist each group to finalise their questions, discussion points and provide inputs. Provide interview checklist (DOC 34.5KB) to help them self assess and improve their interviewing techniques.

Collection of data
Make students sit in their groups and discuss the questionnaire (DOC 38KB) provided by GCS. Spend time with each group to clarify their doubts and ensure that they understand all questions.

Explain students the process of getting the questionnaires filled. Ask each group to administer questionnaire on 10 patients. Instruct them that they will have to ask questions to patient’s relatives in the hospital ward and ensure that the patients are not disturbed. Ask students to seek permission of the patient’s relatives before taking data. 

Explain students about the safety measures that they need to follow in the hospital. Provide safety measures handout to each group and clarify doubts.

The Field Visit
Accompany students to the cancer hospital. Provide time for students to complete survey to gain first hand information about the nature of patients suffering from lungs and throat cancer. Have students interview the Oncologist to gain information about the causes and the safety measures.

Analyse (8^th to 11^th period)
As the student groups complete the survey and interview exercise, hold team meetings with the groups. Discuss their survey and interview experience and have them note down their learning in their interview checklist. Ask students to compile their interview notes and discuss it within their groups.

Tell them to analyse the data and compile the field trip data present it in the form of a spreadsheet. Instruct that groups have to share their survey data with other groups for analysis purpose.

If students are not familiar with spreadsheet software, introduce them to the spreadsheet as a tool for organising, representing, and analysing data. Using a projector, provide students with a spreadsheet overview, showing them how to:

• Create a new worksheet
• Type in a title
• Enter headings and data 
• Create charts

Ask students to choose several quantifiable responses and combine their data into a spreadsheet (XLS 22.5KB). Encourage the students to prepare graphs to represent their data.

Spread Awareness (12^th to 17^th periods)
Ask unit question: What can we do to spread awareness about cancer in the community?

Make students sit in their respective groups and think of all the possible ways to spread awareness about cancer. Make students note down their responses in the journal and discuss their group’s strategy to spread awareness. Spend time with each group and learn about the strategies designed to spread awareness. Make a list of different strategies and ask students to prioritise the strategies. Chalk out an action plan based on each group’s response.

Organise an awareness campaign and guide students to make flyers and prepare skit with the help of drama teacher. Share flyer score sheet (DOC 32.5KB) to share the expectation. Have each group work on different theme based on their experience of hospital visit and research. Provide time for students to prepare flyer and practice skit.

To talk to their friends and relatives about the dangers of chewing tobacco and smoking, inform students to hold group meeting to discuss and plan their work. Spend time with each group to monitor their progress and take notes about each group’s progress.

Have students distribute flyers (DOC 78KB) and perform skit (DOC 702KB), the neighbourhood, school assembly and parents teachers meetings.  Ask students to maintain a photo journal (DOC 566KB).

Culminating Activity (18^th to 21^st period)
Encourage students to reach out to global community and share their findings and experience of awareness campaign by creating a wiki*. Give them the wiki rubric (DOC 44.5KB) to help them guide their work.

Have each student write a short reflective piece about their journeys in the journals. Ask them to consider the Essential Question again, How can we make a difference? Describe how their thinking has changed since the beginning of the unit. Encourage students to examine the self-growth and discovery that resulted from their journey. This can be done as homework.

Things you need

• Conceptual Knowledge: Different types of diseases, its causes, prevention, basic knowledge about human anatomy and physiology, health and hygiene.
• Technical Knowledge: Knowledge on Internet research, collect materials and consolidate.

Differentiated Instruction
Resource Student

• Present instructions using visual media and allow them to learn in their own pace.
• Put them in teams where they are comfortable with to discuss and communicate.
• Allow extra time to students/teachers to complete assignments.
• Include checkpoints and positive reinforcement throughout the unit and assigned projects.
• Rope in the support of parents, volunteers and past pupils to guide them through the project.
• Have them engaged in digital camera.
• Provide URL for research.

Gifted Student

• Have them conduct survey of hospital students and to coordinate with the team.
• Have them search for extra material that would enrich the project.
• Have the student serve as motivator and an expert on the subject.
• Ask the student to provide more in-depth information or analysis in the project. 
• Have them provide suggestion or solution that are feasible and usable to the local community.

Credits
Kanchan Kalra and Nikita Kedia from St. Kabir School, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India participated in the Intel® Teach Program, which resulted in this idea for a classroom project. A team of teachers expanded the plan into the example you see here.