Unit 4: Disease & Disruption of Homeostasis














Unit Description 
The incidence of disease at different point in history, and in different communities, is affected by lifestyle, access to healthy infrastructure, emerging pathogens, and new treatments. In this unit students will explore both the disappearance of certain diseases thanks to antibiotics and vaccines (strep and polio for example), and the emergence or growth of other diseases (such as asthma and diabetes). As a part of this unit, students may review cellular processes such as cell division. Accessing data from maps, graphs, and other non-print texts -- and using that data to draw conclusions and ask further questions -- is a key component to this unit.


Unit Essential Questions

  • Why are certain diseases prevalent in our community, while others have completely disappeared? 
  • Why do some diseases only affect old people or young people?