Immune System, Viruses and Importance of Vaccination

Immune System

Cartoon By BP

#learnfromthevaccine This picture shows how the vaccine teaches the immune system how to fight of the virus. The immune system is made up of white blood cells.

#staystrong The vaccine makes the immune system stronger so the nose, throat, or lungs don’t have to suffer from the sickness.

#scienceiscool The white blood cells are also known as lymphocytes and are made up of t-cells and b-cells. They remember the bad cells through receptors, which is how the body becomes immune to another attack and can destroys the invader. Each receptor only matches one pathogen, which is why these cells are very specialized. 

#happyeveryday Thankfully, the immune system can fight off the virus with the help of a vaccine. Vaccines are important in our everyday life so that we can be healthy and happy!

Immune System - Video Notes 

Influenza (nose, throat, and lungs.)

Flu vaccine to prevent getting flu (vaccination.)

Immune system is a defense system. It is made of organs, tissues and cells.

The body can be attacked by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.

Pathogens are germs which include bacteria and viruses.

The immune system has:

• the innate immune system which protects the body by attacking germs
• the adaptive immune system which gives immunity to disease.

Special cells build someone immune

White blood cells (lymphocytes) are responsible for adaptive immune response.

T-cells and b-cells are the common ones.

They remember the bad cells and that is how the body becomes immune to a second attack.

They recognize germs through receptors. 

Each receptor only matches one pathogen.

It destroys the invader.

Symptoms:

• Fever - body temp rises
• Inflammation
• Redness
• Swelling
• Soreness

Vaccinations teach immune system to fight certain infections.

The Importance of Vaccination

Cartoon By BP

#deadly Viruses multiply and kill cells that keep the body alive. Some diseases can become infectious, meaning that they can spread from one person to another. These deadly disease kill millions of people and most of them are caused by viruses.

#falseinfo Some people think that vaccines create more damage than benefit, but this is false because smallpox, measles and polio were cured and eliminated by vaccines. In 1796, an English doctor named Edward Jenner eliminated smallpox by making the world’s first vaccination. He used the cowpox virus to make the vaccine. The body became immunized

#scienceiscool The scientific method was used to make the discovery of the first vaccine and all after that. First, he did observation and he noticed that dairy maids who got cowpox, never got smallpox. Then he made a hypothesis, which was that cowpox infection would help cure smallpox. After, he tested it by infecting someone with cowpox and then smallpox. Smallpox was immunized and couldn’t spread by 1980.

Vaccination and Scientific Method Notes

Viruses multiply and kill cells that keep the body alive. Virus diseases can become infectious, meaning they can spread from one person to another. Many viruses have killed millions of people. Smallpox, measles, and polio were very bad viruses.

In 1796, Edward Jenner, an English doctor, found a way how to stop smallpox by making the world’s first vaccination. He used the cowpox virus to make the vaccine. The name vaccine, comes from the word vacca, or cow, because of the cowpox used for the vaccination. 

Edward Jenner used the scientific method to make that discovery.

• Observations - he noticed that dairy maids who got cowpox, never got smallpox
• Hypothesis - he thought cowpox infection would help cure smallpox
• Test - he infected someone with cowpox and then smallpox

Smallpox was immunized and couldn’t spread by 1980.

Measles is easily passed on but also we have a vaccine for it. An obvious symptom is a rash over the whole body. In 1968, Maurice Hilleman made a vaccine and measles was whipped out in the Americas in 2000.

Polio is another contagious disease caused by a virus. It attacks the nervous system and creates paralysis. In the 1950s, it was one of the most serious diseases in children. The iron lung was used to treat the virus and it helped people breathe. In 1955, Jonas Salk made polio vaccine and in 1968, Albert Sabin made an oral polio vaccine. In 1979, there was complete elimination of polio in the U.S.

How Vaccine Works

Cartoon by BP

#vaccinesareimportant Vaccines give immunity to fight off infections because they stimulate the immune system and help the body create protective proteins called t-lymphocytes, which make antibodies against antigens and later pathogens. 

#scienceiscool The antibodies detect and remember the pathogens and fight them. Antigens are part of the pathogen which stimulates the immune system but are not strong enough to kill the antibodies. Antigens are bits of a virus of bacteria.

#communityimmunity Community immunity is when vaccines protect the whole community, even those who aren’t vaccinated. Community immunity is important because then the virus gets completely eliminated from the community. Let's hope that a vaccine for COVID 19 is made soon!

How Vaccine Works - Video Notes

Vaccines give immunity to fight off infections.

The vaccines stimulate the immune system and help the body create protective proteins called antibodies.

They detect the pathogen and fight it.

Antigen is part of the pathogen which stimulates the immune system. Antigens are bits of a virus of bacteria.

The antigen makes the body create t-lymphocytes. They make antibodies which go against antigens and help the cell remember the pathogen, or virus and cells can respond with the right antibodies

Community immunity is when vaccines protect the whole community, even those who aren’t vaccinated.

How to Be Happier in Your Daily Life – Yale University FREE Online Course

Basia with Friends

Yale University is offering a FREE course online, 

The Science of Well-Being by Laurie Santos,

Approx. 20 hours to complete

Suggested: 3 hours/week

Sign up here for free

https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being?ranMID=40328&ranEAID=EHFxW6yx8Uo&ranSiteID=EHFxW6yx8Uo-ydlk5CEIzuLr_E6F8E_1Cg&siteID=EHFxW6yx8Uo-ydlk5CEIzuLr_E6F8E_1Cg&utm_content=10&utm_medium=partners&utm_source=linkshare&utm_campaign=EHFxW6yx8Uo

Anyone can audit it for FREE or opt for a $49 certificate of completion.

Happy Family at The Dead Sea, Israel

The course can teach each of us how to be happier.

In this course a participant will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase his own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. The participant will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into his life.

Professor Laurie Santos taught a class called Psychology and the Good Life first in spring 2018 in response to concerning levels of student depression, anxiety, and stress.

The course covers the following topics in weekly installments:

• Misconceptions about happiness
• Why our expectations are so bad
• How we can overcome our biases
• Stuff that really makes us happy
• Putting strategies into practice

The course includes video lectures, optional readings, and "rewirement" activities to do each day to build happier habits. Research suggests that if someone do these rewirements as prescribed, he should get a boost in his mood and overall well-being.

What to expect from the class?

To make the class pleasant and welcoming professor Laurie Santos shot it in his own home, with a handful of Yale students in the audience so the participant can see how the material lands with other people. It feels intimate, and Professor Laurie Santos' tone is approachable and casual.

It feels relieving, watching a group of unguarded people commune over personal happiness and how to use intellect and research to untangle it.

There's absolutely no required reading. All the information the participant needs to know is summarized within the lecture. If someone wants deeper context, Professor Laurie Santos provides links to complementary readings. Everybody can work at his own pace.

Book Recommendation: “The Amazing Brain” by Cheryl Reifsnyder

New information I learned from this book:

The brain weighs only 2 percent of your total body weight but uses more than 20 percent of our energy. There are 86 billion neurons in our body. They carry the electrical signals needed to think, and have memories, and feelings. Neurons form a network with more than 125 trillion connections called synapses. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is almost 75 percent of the brain’s volume and almost 85 percent of its weight. This is where most high-level brain activity takes place. The cerebrum interprets information from the senses. Ignoring things is an important part of the cerebrum’s job. Senses always give the brain information. The cerebrum is divided into two halves. A bundle of nerves called the corpus callosum connects the hemispheres and carries messages between them, which allows the two halves to work together. They control opposite sides of the body. The left hemisphere sends the signal to raise right hand and the other way around. Although some tasks can be done by sides, they are not the same. The right brain usually controls creativity, artistic skills, and interpreting what you see. The left brain generally controls speech, writing, and math skills. The corpus callosum allows the left brain to tell the right brain what it saw so that the right brain can decide what the vision meant. Each brain part has four sections, or lobes: the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, and the temporal lobe. Each lobe processes specific information or has a special job.

For a long time the brain was not known about. People did not know about the lobes until Gage got his injury. They also learned a lot from the soldier’s brain injuries in WWI. Scientists needed a way to study healthy brains without damaging them to learn how the brain functions. In the 1920s, a German scientist named Hans Berger made a machine (electroencephalogram) that could measure the electrical activity in the brain. An EEG measures electrical signals through electrodes placed on the head’s surface so that researchers can “see” brain activity. The brain wave rhythm that an EEG measures is called a Berger’s wave after this scientist-inventor. An EEG can only detect signals near the brain’s surface. Observing activity deeper in the brain was difficult and dangerous until the test fMRI came out in the 1990s. FMRI identifies and maps active brain regions by measuring blood flow. This technique, which is noninvasive, gives an indirect measurement of brain activity because electrically active neurons require more oxygen. An fMRI allows scientists to detect the precise brain regions used when we do different things.

Scientists are wondering if it is possible to decode brain signals. If a computer could understand a brain’s electrical signals, people might learn to control an artificial body part.  Electrodes detect the brain signal, which is decoded by a computer, and the information can be used to control a mechanical device. This technique could also be used to send brain signals from one person to another. This type of human brain-to-brain communication was first done at the University of Washington in 2013.

Exercising the brain helps it grow. Also, feed your brain. Blueberries and walnuts have lots of the right nutrients to keep your brain working smoothly. There are many activities which help the brain grow. Brain changes usually occur only in regions directly involved with activity. Physical exercise, especially one that raises your heart rate has benefits for the brain. Children who exercise have better memories and attention and do better on tests. Dancing relieves stress. Now that we are in the time of the Corona virus and have more time, we can do some of these activities. For example, we can learn a new language (do Duolingo and try to get a long streak), do research on an interesting topic, play games, do a quiz, or watch academic movies.

Sleep helps the brain too. Brain replays memories during sleep. That may help skills and information “stick” in a person’s memory. Getting too little sleep decreases your ability to learn and think. The best amount of sleep is 7-9 hours. Shock-absorbing fluid, called cerebrospinal fluid, and a hard skull guard the brain against some injuries. If someone falls on concrete, though, it can crack the skull or bruise the brain (concussion). Serious concussions can cause swelling or bleeding inside the skull, which can cut off the brain’s blood supply quickly and the brain can survive only a few minutes without oxygen.

Summary on the section "Three Brains in One" (pg.5-8):

There are neurons in the brain which deliver instructions to muscles and bring back information from the senses. They also connect the three main parts of the brain, which are the brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebrum. They each have jobs to control specific body activities, and are connected so that each part can communicate with the others. The brain stem controls breathing, digestion, heartbeat, and other autonomic body processes, the cerebellum coordinates muscle movements, regulates balance, motor control, stores memories of muscle movement (unconscious memory of how to do something), and the cerebrum controls thought, speech, learning, and emotions, and interprets information from the senses. The cerebrum is divided into two halves and nerves called the corpus callosum connect the hemispheres. The hemispheres control opposite sides of the body. The right brain controls creativity and the left brain controls speech, writing, and math. Each brain hemisphere has four sections: the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, and the temporal lobe. Each lobe has a special job, which scientists discovered not long ago. Scientists learn new things everyday which are important to cure sicknesses and help us in our everyday life.

My Unity Story

Me and my Friend

What role has unity played in your life? Write a story about a positive experience of working together with others to meet a common goal. The story can be based on your life or other events. Then write a slogan to summarize this experience, or choose one of the slogans on this page. 

Once upon a time, there was a flock of doves that flew to search for food. One day, they had flown a long distance and were very tired. The leader of the flock encouraged them to fly a little further. The smallest dove picked up speed and found some rice scattered beneath a banyan tree. So all the doves landed and began to eat. Suddenly, a net fell over them and they were all trapped. They saw a hunter approaching carrying a huge club. The doves fluttered their wings trying to get out, but it did not help. The leader had an idea. He advised all the doves to fly up together carrying the net with them. He said that there was strength in unity. Each dove picked up a portion of the net and together they flew off carrying the net with them. The hunter looked up and was very astonished. They were flying high over hills and valleys. 

They flew to a hill near a city of temples where there lived a mouse who could help them. He was a faithful friend of the leader of the doves. When the mouse heard the loud noise as they approached, he hid. The leader of the doves gently called out to him and the mouse was happy to see him. The leader explained that they needed the mouse’s help to set them free. The mouse agreed and said that he would set the leader free first but he insisted that the mouse first free his subjects. The mouse understood the king’s feelings and obeyed him. He began to cut the net and one by one all the doves were freed including the leader dove. They all thanked the mouse for her kind heart and flew away together, united in their strength.

SLOGAN: When you work together, you are stronger.

Book Recommendation by BP - “Just the Facts Down Syndrome” by Kristina Routh

Question: 

Does the author of your text have an opinion about this nonfiction topic? What is their point of view on the topic? Respond using two paragraphs and evidence from the text.

Kristina Routh, the author of "Just the Facts Down Syndrome," has a firm opinion on the topic of Down syndrome. She believes that everyone must be cherished and respected for who they are. Her point of view is that they are regular people with normal lives and should not be treated differently. For example, in the book she states that it may take people with Down syndrome longer to develop both physically and mentally, “However, many people with Down syndrome manage well in… school, drive, play musical instruments, succeed at sports, and even act on television. And many have found useful and enjoyable jobs and live in their own homes.” If they work hard, these people can achieve a lot! The author thinks that we should not feel sorry for them because they have very good lives and are very happy. They wouldn’t want others to feel pity for them because it would mean they are not fortunate when they are because they have everything they want. The author includes many quotes that people with Down syndrome wrote and attaches pictures of very skilled people with Down syndrome. For example, on page 4 there is a girl with Down syndrome who is a very talented skater. The author wants to show their many great achievements. A quote that she includes that shows her opinion on this topic says, “People with Down syndrome should not be seen as different, but as people who happen to have some additional needs.” This shows that everyone is worth a life and high regard.

She includes a quote written by a woman named Kay. She said, “Remember that I am a person first and above all. The Down syndrome is a part of me, but it is not my full identity.” She is saying that people should not focus on the fact that she has Down syndrome and treat her differently, but treat her as a normal person, because that is who she is. The story about her states, “Some people are surprised that Kay can read and write so well. "Believe it or not, we don’t all fit the stereotype idea that some people still have of us all!’ says Kay. This portrays what the author wants to say, which is that there cannot be stereotypes about people with Down because they have emotions, great abilities to learn, as well as many talents! The author shows pictures of these people smiling showing that they have good lives and are happy that they are alive, learning and growing every day. 
In summary, the author believes that people with Down syndrome are not any different from us and are very special individuals with many talents.

 Painting

Designing 

 Creating

Exploring

 Cooking

 Joking

Sewing 

Swimming 

Traveling 

 Exercising

 Playing

Writing 

Observing 

Participating 

Taking care of environment 

Reading 

 Assembling

 Gardening

 Kayaking

 Listening

 Reflecting

 Hiding

 Cooking

 Biking

Competing

Old vs. New by BP

Question:  

Some things are best when they are brand new. Some things are best after you've had them for a while. 

In multiple paragraphs compare something new with something used.

Different things have different values depending on their age. Some things are more valuable when they are new. Other items, on the other hand, have more value when they are old. For example, sometimes old things are more expensive because they show history. The things in the museums are very famous because some of them are even prehistoric. They are one of a kind because not many exist anymore and are irreplaceable. A phone can be replicated or fixed, while an ancient vase cannot because even if it is fixed, it will never return to its original condition. The knowledge that these objects give is very valuable for society. Sometimes the value of objects is not monetary but only sentimental. If an old heirloom is passed down from generation to generation, it will be valuable because of the effort people put into preserving it.

Examples of things we would like when they are brand new are clothes or phones. Clothes look much better when they are new. A new phone works a lot better when it is a newer model. People want new phones or clothes also to look cool. These things have a greater value to some people because they are more expensive. An example of something we would like when it is old, on the other hand, is a rare artifact or special heirloom. Artifacts are very special because of the famous and talented people who made them. The value of artifacts increases with age because their long existence means that someone cared for them longer, which costs more. Also, with more time, there is a lesser chance that something is able to survive. An heirloom may be worth the same amount over the years but it is more special because it has many memories and belongs to family. Memories are precious, which is why they have no monetary value. Someone outside the family, that doesn’t know the true value, may say an old doll is worthless trash, when actually, it isn’t for you and relatives because it was your great-great-great grandmother’s. Summarizing, artifacts and heirlooms, may seem valueless for some, but are priceless for the knowledgeable.

In conclusion, the value of things changes with age depending on the object. The value of a phone decreases over time as new versions are made and the value of an artifact increases because it is harder to preserve. The value is also different depending on the person who has the object - some people value artifacts more than a new phone while others think a phone is more important. The fact that we treasure different things is okay because we are all different and can have different interests and priorities in life.

Kids at Home During (COVID-19) Pandemic - Things to Do

Understanding Pandemic, Diagram by BP, 2020

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has quickly changed our daily lives. It would be “irresponsible” to flock to outdoor spaces. While we are home, we are putting our energy towards finding new, creative, and smart ways to engage our kids.

Currently our kids have been receiving education by remote learning structures using multimedia or real-time instruction. The primary platforms for instruction are Google Classroom, Google Tools, Zoom or other.

Floral sketches by BP, 2020

Many new online programs have been created to keep our minds fresh! For example:

• Mind-Benders for the Quarantined! at mindbenders.momath.org
• Alaskan Wildlife cams http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.webcams
• Coding with Star Wars https://code.org/starwars
• Tons and tons and tons of games some learning some just fun     https://www.crazygames.com/
• Crafts, projects, science, recipes for young children https://www.funology.com/
• Amphibian unit studies https://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-mom/amphibians-unit-study-resources/
• Engineering challenges with things you have at home https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/paper-structures-engineering-challenge/
• Online photograph jigsaw puzzles (from 6-1000+ pieces) https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/
• Toddler and preschool age ideas https://preschoolinspirations.com/
• 100 free online educational program ideas https://savingdollarsandsense.com/free-educational-resources-for-kids/?fbclid=IwAR2UGmsPc7PImViwJ9mID1u7NKS9Vccq_CO1NAR0VqesLkj4Vog7HJbhZJ8
• Bible story resources early childhood - 6th grade https://www.life.church/kids/media/
• Art and its' history online https://smarthistory.org/

Drawings by BP, 2020

Virtual Museums: Experience the best museums from London to Seoul in the comfort of your own home. Take virtual tours of museums like

• National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.,
• Musée d’Orsay in Paris,
• Pergamon Museum in Berlin,
• Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museums in Amsterdam,
• The New Museumin New York,
• Uffizi Gallery in Florence,
• MASP in São Paulo,
• National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City and more! 

East cake by BP, 2020

Online Learning Resources:

• There are over 1,000 online courses available on topics ranging from Archaeology to basic coding that you can click here to access through Open Culture.com. If you have trouble keeping focused at home, check out these amazing tips to keep you focused and productive while learning and working from home.
• You can also access free movies (click here) and over 800 free E-books via Open Culture. Remember, there is so much available to all of us, even in this time of limitation.

Books recommended by BP, 2020

"Anne of Green Gables" Series by L.M. Montgomery

New York Public Library looks for new, creative, and smart ways to continue serving the public. Information about it can be found on our website and in NYPL Connect e-newsletter.

Here are a few highlights:

• Online tutoring service, essentially giving all PreK–12 students in NYC access to private tutors via chat "after school."  The chat service are be available from 2 PM to 11 PM every day, including the weekends, in English and Spanish. The new service is part of a robust suite of resources, tips, and tools NYPL has available for kids, teens, and their families, which you can find on our website.
• Few days ago NYPL added EBSCO’s academic databases to our list ofresearch resources accessible from home.
• These services and many more are available for free with an NYPL library card. If you don’t have one and you live in New York State, you can get one today for digital borrowing via SimplyE and start exploring immediately.

Celebrate "Read Across America"

"The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."  by Theodor Seuss Geisel

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

- Dr. Seuss

Read Across America

"If you never did you Should. 
These things are fun, and fun is good."

- Dr. Seuss

Interesting fact

The first Read Across America day was held twenty-two years ago.

It was 1998 and new books on the market included 

Holes by Louis Sachar, Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig, 

And Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. 
You can steer yourself any direction you choose."
- Dr. Seuss

Today you are you! That is truer than true! 
There is no one alive who is you-er than you!
- Dr. Seuss

From there to here, and here to there, 
funny things are everywhere.
- Dr. Seuss

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, 
nothing is going to get better. It's not."
- Dr. Seuss

“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” 

- Dr. Seuss

“Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, 
it’s a way of looking at life through 
the wrong end of a telescope.”

- Dr. Seuss

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, 
until it becomes a memory.”

- Dr. Seuss

“It’s not about what it is, 
it’s about what it can become.” 

- Dr. Seuss

“Take every chance. Drop every fear.”

- Dr. Seuss

“It is fun to have fun but you have to know how.”  

- Dr. Seuss

You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! 

Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!

- Dr. Seuss

“Life’s too short to wake up with regrets. 
So love the people who treat you right, 
forgive the ones who don’t and 
believe that everything happens for a reason. 
If you get a chance, take it. 
If it changes your life, let it. 
Nobody said it’d be easy, 
they just promised it would be worth it.”
- Dr. Seuss

“You’re on your own. And you know what you know. 

And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.”

- Dr. Seuss