Learning through news Reading Thinking Speaking Listening Writing Discussing
FirstNews Look Closer
Weekly In-Depth Reading Comprehension
Look Closer for Issue 328
21 - 27 September 2012
Science: The death of a disease
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Contents:
Page 2: This week’s Look Closer Article
Pages 3 & 4: Pupil Question & Answer Sheet
Page 5: Question Only Activity Sheet (for use if pupils
are writing their answers in exercise books)
Pages 6 & 7: Teacher Answers
Resource Explanation
Look Closer encourages pupils to look closer at one article in the week’s newspaper and
analyse it in detail. Each week the questions will enable children to find the facts, interpret
the information and work out why journalists wrote and presented the story the way
they did. These questions are based on the assessment focus strands (AF2-7) which are
referenced in the Teacher Answers along with suggested levels.
For a simpler activity for lower ability pupils, why not use the simplified story and discussion
questions found in this week’s Year 1, 2, 3 activies.
For an extension word level work, try the Year 7 & 8 10-minute News Challenge.
Uses
Ideal for:
l guided reading
l booster sessions
l homework activities
l SATs practice
l whole class starters
l cross-curricular functional skills practice
l extension activities
l individual assessment focus (AF2-7)
teaching opportunities by focusing on
one question in a plenary session
l a handy record of pupils’ reading
performance and ideal APP evidence
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FirstNews Look Closer
Weekly In-Depth Reading Comprehension
Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
FirstNews
SCIENCE
21-27 September 2012
ISSUE 328 21-27 SEPT 2012
For more science news, go to www.firstnews.co.uk/discover
The death
of a
disease
Rinderpest has been a major
problem for cattle owners for more
than 2,000 years. It can kill 90% of
a herd within days, and there is no
treatment for affected animals.
Since three quarters of poor
people in rural areas of Africa rely
on cattle for food and income,
rinderpest was a very major problem.
Experts writing in the journal
Africa
WIKI: Copyright held by Dr. Rajnish
A NEW report tells the story of how scientists worked
with herders in Africa to wipe out a deadly cattle plague
called rinderpest. It is only the second time that humans
have ever successfully rid the world of a disease.
The now irradicated
rinderpest virus, shown under
a microscope
Science say that two main
factors were responsible for
the victory over the disease.
The first was an improvement
in the vaccine that was used
to prevent rinderpest. The first
vaccine scientists had was
very effective, but had to be
kept refrigerated. This meant
it was almost impossible
to transport and use in
remote areas of Africa. Then
researchers developed a new
vaccine that could be stored at
temperatures as high as 37°C
for eight months.
The second factor was the
Learning through news
The disease affected cattle, buffalo
and other cloven-hoofed animals
expertise of the African herders.
Their knowledge of the size, location
and movement of cattle herds was
invaluable to scientists, and they also
could spot early signs of outbreaks of
disease long before the scientists.
Before the victory against
rinderpest, smallpox was the only
other disease that science had
helped to rid the world of.
GLOSSARY
Vaccine - A vaccine protects
people or animals against
disease. Vaccines are made
from tiny amounts of slightly
altered germs that cause a
disease. When your body
comes across these harmless
germs it quickly defends itself.
Having made the defences
you become immune to the
disease itself.
Smallpox - A serious,
contagious disease that
caused a fever and a rash, and
was often fatal. It was wiped
out in 1973.
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Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
21-27 September 2012
Can you:
Find the facts?
Interpret the information?
Work out why the journalist wrote and presented the story in the way that they did?
Carefully read the article ‘The death of a disease’ and then answer the following questions:
1) What are the names of the only two diseases which humans have managed to eradicate (get rid of )?
1. ............................................................
2. ............................................................
2) Who did the scientists need to work with to wipe out the cattle disease
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
3) The world was officially declared to be rid of rinderpest in June 2011. Why is this story in the news this
week?
..............................................................................................................................................................................................
4) Why is the eradication of this disease such good news?
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
5) True or False?
• Rinderpest was a recent problem: ...........................
• Scientists managed to get rid of this disease through vaccination: ...........................
• Once animals get rinderpest they can be cured: ...........................
• The scientists published their report in Nature magazine: ...........................
• The second vaccine developed could be stored for up to 8 months: ...........................
6) Experts say there were two important factors responsible for the victory over the disease. What are they?
1. ..............................................................................................................................................................................
2. ..............................................................................................................................................................................
7) Why couldn’t the first vaccine be used to get rid of rinderpest?
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
Learning through news
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Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
21-27 September 2012
8) Why was it important that the scientists worked with African herders in order to get rid of this disease?
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
9) The journalist uses the word ‘victory’ twice in this article about rinderpest. Victory is usually a word
associated with battle and war. Why do you think it has been used in this story?
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
10) The headline of this article is The death of a disease. This headline makes you stop and think twice. Why
do you think it is an interesting headline?
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................................................................................................
Extension Activities
A. SMALLPOX
Smallpox used to be one of our deadliest
diseases and was feared throughout the
world. Can you find out:
• What this disease was like
• Some facts which show how deadly it was
• How it changed history
• How they got rid of this disease (you might
want to look at ‘B’ for this)
Learning through news
B. EDWARD JENNER
Edward Jenner invented the world’s first
vaccine. It stopped people getting smallpox.
The word ‘vaccine’ comes from his pioneering
work.
For a simple introduction to Edward Jenner
and to find out how he invented the
smallpox vaccine, go to:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/
famouspeople and choose Edward Jenner.
www.FirstNews.co.uk
Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
21-27 September 2012
Can you:
Find the facts? Interpret the information?
Work out why the journalist wrote and presented the story in the way that they did?
Carefully read the article The death of a disease and then answer the following questions:
Q1) What are the names of the only two diseases which humans
have managed to eradicate (get rid of )?
Q2) Who did the scientists need to work with to wipe out the
cattle disease?
Q3) The world was officially declared to be rid of rinderpest in
June 2011. Why is this story in the news this week?
Q4) Why is the eradication of this disease such good news?
Q5) True or False?
• Rinderpest was a recent problem.
• Scientists managed to get rid of this disease through vaccination.
• Once animals get rinderpest they can be cured.
• The scientists published their report in Nature magazine.
• The second vaccine developed could be stored for up to 8 months.
The now irradicated
rinderpest virus, shown under
a microscope
Q6) Experts say there were two important factors responsible for the victory over the disease. What are they?
Q7) Why couldn’t the first vaccine be used to get rid of rinderpest?
Q8) Why was it important that the scientists worked with African herders in order to get rid of this disease?
Q9) The journalist uses the word ‘victory’ twice in this article about rinderpest. Victory is usually a word
associated with battle and war. Why do you think it has been used in this story?
Q10) The headline of this article is: The death of a disease. This headline makes you stop and think twice. Why
do you think it is an interesting headline?
Learning through news
www.FirstNews.co.uk
Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
21-27 September 2012
The teacher answers are intended to provide a guide as to the AF strand of the question and possible responses from pupils
working at different levels. In the level 4/5 answers we try to provide the most complete answer possible in order to provide
teaching points when discussing the answers with pupils.
1) What are the names of the only two diseases which humans have managed to eradicate (get rid of)?
AF2 - understand, describe, select, retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text
Possible answers:
L3 – identifying obvious points
1. rinderpest
2. smallpox
2) Who did the scientists need to work with to wipe out the cattle disease?
AF2 - understand, describe, select, retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text
Possible answers:
L3 – identifying obvious points
• African herders.
3) The world was officially declared to be rid of rinderpest in June 2011. Why is this story in the news this week?
AF2 - understand, describe, select, retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text
Possible answers:
L3 – identifying obvious points
• Because of a new report.
L4 – identifying relevant points
• Because a new report has been published in the journal, Science.
4) Why is the eradication of this disease such good news?
AF3 – deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts
Possible answers:
L3 – simple inference
• Because it killed lots of cows.
L4/5 - more complex inference with explanation
• Because it used to kill lots of cows very quickly - it could kill 90% of a herd within days.
• There was no cure once cows got sick.
• Poor people in Africa rely on cattle for food and money, so this disease had a very bad effect on humans too.
5) True or False?
AF2 - understand, describe, select, retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text
Possible answers:
L3 – identifying obvious points
L4 – identifying relevant points
• Rinderpest was a recent problem. False
• Scientists managed to get rid of this disease through vaccination. True
• Once animals get rinderpest they can be cured. False
• The scientists published their report in Nature magazine. False
• The second vaccine developed could be stored for up to 8 months. True
6) Experts say there were two important factors responsible for the victory over the disease. What are they?
AF2 - understand, describe, select, retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text
Possible answers:
L3 – identifying obvious points – one factor identified
L4 – identifying relevant points
1. The new vaccine.
2. The expertise of the African herders.
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Science: THE DEATH OF A DISEASE
21-27 September 2012
7) Why couldn’t the first vaccine be used to get rid of rinderpest?
AF3 – deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts
Possible answers:
L3 – simple inference
• It had to be kept in the fridge / it couldn’t be transported.
L4/5 - more complex inference with explanation
• The first vaccine had to be kept in the fridge. This meant it couldn’t be transported across Africa and used in remote areas.
• This would mean that cows would still have rinderpest in those areas.
8) Why was it important that the scientists worked with African herders in order to get rid of this disease?
AF3 – deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts
Possible answers:
L3 – simple inference
• Because they knew about the cows.
L4/5 - more complex inference with explanation
• They had the expert knowledge about the cows – without working with the African farmers, scientists wouldn’t have been able to get rid
of the disease.
• The farmers knew where the cows were and where they were going so that scientists could vaccinate them.
• The farmers could also spot early outbreaks of the disease which would have been useful information for the scientists as they tried to
get rid of this plague.
9) The journalist uses the word ‘victory’ twice in this article about rinderpest. Victory is usually a word associated with battle and
war. Why do you think it has been used in this story?
L3 – a few basic features of writer’s use of language identified
• Because they got rid of the disease / because we won.
L4/5 – basic/various features identified with simple/more complex comment
Reference to:
• The fact that people ‘won’ this fight against the disease.
• This word is often used in war, where people die, and this disease killed our cows.
• You could consider it a ‘fight’ or a ‘battle’ against the disease, as the disease killed our cows and we wanted to kill, or defeat, this disease.
10) The headline of this article is: The death of a disease. This headline makes you stop and think twice. Why do you think it is an
interesting headline?
AF6 – identify and comment on writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect of the text on the reader
Possible answers:
L3 – identifies main purpose with personal response
one of the following, or similar, points
• It tells you what the article is about.
• It’s about death so it makes you feel sad.
• It uses two ‘d’ sounds.
L4/5 - main purpose identified with comment on overall effect on reader
• It is a headline which makes you think because it is disease which usually causes death, but this headline says ‘death of a disease’. You
don’t usually think of a disease as dying. The headline makes you want to find out what this story is about.
• It uses alliteration, which makes a headline sound catchy and memorable.
Learning through news
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