The Cancer Center at Moore Middle School

On September 30, Ms. Martin's 7th grade science classroom J.T. Moore Middle School was transformed into a cancer center. As students settled into their chairs, the little physicians were divided into groups of two or three and were given two ziploc bags, one labeled normal and one labeled cancer, and 10 additional items representing the components of cells. They were challenged with the task of determining what materials are found in a normal cell and a cancer cell.

After a short presentation explaining how normal cells become cancerous, the little physicians were given a more challenging task, preventing cancer (food mold). Each small group created an organ composed of cheese, lemon slices, bread, and grapes. As a group they had to develop a hypothesis and create an 11-day treatment plan using one or a combination of several medications. Each day all groups treated their organs according to the designated treatment plan and recorded their observations. At the conclusion of the experiment, each group presented their experiment in detail to their fellow physicians.

Although we lost a lot of patients (all experimental groups grew mold) we all learned a lot about cancer and are determined to continue in the fight against cancer.

Shared by Sydika McKissic, a Ph.D. candidate in Vanderbilt's Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology and 7th grade Science Teaching Fellow at John Trotwood Moore Middle School through the Scientist in the Classroom Partnerships.