Student Field Trip Experience
(10-30 students)
Students Calen McKenzie and Farish Jerman work on calculating outbreak related data in an Outbreak Investigation workshop.
Students MD Stekis,Berkmar High School and Maheen Shermohammed, Brookwood High School, try on the Biosafety Level 4 lab suits.
Length of visit: Approximately 2.5 hours
Arrival time: 9:30 AM
Group Size: 10-30 students
What to Expect
The small group field trip experience is available for groups of 10-30 seventh-twelfth graders. During the field trip, students will learn about CDC’s history, CDC’s current work in preventing disease and promoting health, and detailed information about various infectious diseases. Upon arrival to the Global Health Odyssey Museum, the group will be greeted and oriented to CDC on the Global Symphony platform. The Global Symphony is a media installation featuring three, three-minute stories that describe CDC’s contributions to the elimination of polio, an historic Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, and the battle to stem the rise of obesity in the United States.
Following the orientation, students will participate in a guided tour of the GHO Museum’s exhibits. Tours include the current temporary exhibit and GHO Museum’s permanent History of CDC exhibit. For information on the current temporary exhibit, click here. Through the context of the history of CDC exhibit, students will learn about infectious and chronic diseases studied at CDC, the bacteria, viruses and risk behaviors that cause diseases, and prevention methods like immunizations and healthy lifestyles.
Finally, a mysterious outbreak will break out in the group! Students will take part in a 50- minute Outbreak Investigation workshop that shows how math and science help solve disease mysteries. The workshop also covers recent outbreaks and lab techniques used during an outbreak investigation.
Following the guided tour and workshop, students will have the opportunity to try on a Biosafety Level 4 lab suit and explore the exhibit area independently.
Teacher Instructions. Additional information regarding parking and security will be sent via email in a field trip confirmation email.
Prior to Visit
- Submit a reservation request. Your tour is not scheduled until you receive a confirmation email.
- Submit a complete list of attendees’ names to GHO Museum Educator, Trudi Ellerman. The list may be faxed (404-639-0834) or emailed to tbothmaellerman@cdc.gov.
- Review museum behavior expectations with students. Students not adhering to museum behavior guidelines will be asked to return to the waiting platform for the remainder of the tour.
- Coming Soon! Review the Teacher’s Guide to the History of CDC exhibit for ideas on incorporating CDC’s work into your existing curriculum.
During Visit
- Please help museum staff by being an active chaperone! Help us model proper behavior by refraining from talking during the tours, using a cell phone or bringing food and beverages into the museum space.
- Bring a camera. You may want to take pictures of your students as they try on BSL 4 suits! Please note that cameras are only allowed in the museum area; pictures may not be taken anywhere else on the CDC’s campus.
After Visit
- Complete evaluation form and return to GHO Museum Educator.
- Coming Soon! Review the Post Outbreak Investigation Workshop Teacher Guide for ideas on incorporating epidemiology into your existing classroom curriculum.