3 Profiling a potato killer

By Rebecca Hite

Provided by Kenan Fellows Program.

In this lesson, students use internet resources to determine the factors behind the potato blight that led to the most destructive famine in human history. Students will use the scientific method and inquiry to determine how the pathogen spread over the world and learn some of the historical context surrounding this tragedy.

CSI Dublin: The Hunt for the Irish Potato Killer is an integrated unit incorporating earth science, biology, biotechnology, and art to allow students to apply their understandings of epidemiology and plant pathology into the historical context of science and human health. This unit plan is best used after previous units or discussions on DNA, biotechnology, taxonomy, bacteria, viruses, plants, protists, fungi, and immunity, but is not necessary for this individual lesson plan.

Learning outcomes

The learner will:

• Employ the scientific method to inquire why the famine was worse in Ireland than in any other location
• Evaluate internet resources to understand the historical context of late blight
• Relate plant pathology and poverty to serious risks to human health

Teacher planning

Time required

This lesson requires 50 to 90 minutes of class time. The activity may be finished at home.

• Pre-activity discussion: 5 minutes depending on student questions
• Student activity: 45 to 90 minutes depending on student ability (reading) levels
• Post-activity discussion: 5 minutes depending on student questions

Student handouts

Technology resources

Students will need access to computers with internet connections.

Pre-activities

Prior knowledge and vocabulary

Students should understand the steps of the scientific method as well as terms such as pathogen, epidemic, pandemic, and host. They do not need to know any information about Phytophthora infestans or the Great Famine, as they will learn about these topics within this lesson.

Activities

1. To open the activity, the teacher should review the concepts from the prior days or perhaps review student maps. The time the teacher wishes to dedicate to this activity will vary depending on the nature of the class.
2. The teacher will explain that P. infestans was the pathogen that caused the Irish potatoes to rot, however there were other factors that caused the Great Famine. Using the lab sheet, have student complete the observation section of the activity. They will be looking at a population graph of Ireland and Europe and considering factors that contribute to population decline. The will also study a map showing the geography of of Ireland and Europe to hypothesize how the potato blight was carried from Belgium to Ireland. The teacher should help students brainstorm possible answers to the questions as they perform this part of the activity.
3. Students should create a hypothesis based upon the information from their observations as well as the pre-lab discussion. Make sure all students have recorded their own unique hypotheses before they begin their web research.
4. Have students use the following three websites, also provided on their laboratory sheet, and begin their data collection.
   • “The Fungus That Conquered Europe” from The New York Times
   • “The Irish Famine” from the BBC
   • “Irish Potato Famine” from The History Place
5. Allow students 40–90 minutes to work independently answering the questions on their lab sheets while monitoring their progress. You may wish to give them an additional day in class to complete this activity on a normal schedule or the entire period on a block schedule.
6. If students finish their data collection, have them begin the analysis and conclusion questions. They will be answering the following questions:
   • Do you think that P. infestans has a Central American or a South American origin? Explain your answer.
   • Based upon your research, why do you think the pathogen thrived in Europe, Ireland, and the United States instead of its point of origin?
   • Different sources estimate different figures of how many people perished due to the Great Famine. Why do you think there is such a discrepancy?
   • Along with starvation, many Irish people died of epidemic disease. How do you think starvation is linked to outbreaks such as typhus, dysentery, and fever?
   • P. infestans caused the blight of the potatoes, however the Irish Potato Famine is often described as a famine due to poverty. Explain this statement.
   • Re-read your hypothesis. Was it supported or rejected? Why or why not?
7. In the last remaining minutes of class, review what students have done and find out if there are any questions. Students who did not finish in class should complete their data and/or analysis and conclusion questions for homework (or the next day in class.) Assure students that only their data questions will be assessed upon accuracy whereas the rest of their score depends on the thought and quality of their responses. Ensure that all students can complete the assignment.
8. Following is an optional homework assignment. It can be also used by a history or English teacher to help students write in a historical or different person’s perspective.

Profiling a potato killer optional narrative assignment



Open as PDF (152 KB, 2 pages)

Assessment

• The teacher will score the student responses based upon completion of each step of the scientific method. The twenty-nine data questions should be assessed upon accuracy and quality of student responses as well as the one extra credit question. The six conclusion questions should be graded based upon use of critical thinking skills.
• The optional homework should be assessed by the rubric included in the handout.

Modifications

• Some schools may or may not have access to computers with internet access. In this case, save and print the articles. These print-outs can also be distributed to students who do not finish in class and do not have technology access at home.
• ESL and ELL students may use an online translator such as Babelfish to translate entire web pages into their preferred language. They can print these pages to take home, if needed.

Extensions

• Extended topics include agriculture, horticulture, world history, economics, English, art, music, and statistics.
• Agriculture and horticulture: To extend this lesson into agriculture or horticulture visit the International Potato Center website for more information about potatoes.
• Economics: To extend this lesson into economics, you may wish to check out the article from Slate, “Putting All Your Potatoes in One Basket: The Economic Lessons of the Great Famine.”
• History: It is possible to extend this lesson into history and include research on political turmoil due to various types of famine. Following are some links with ideas related to this lesson.
  • Issues of food insecurity including Irish and British relations over time are covered in “Poor Pat Must Emigrate: 19th Century Irish Immigration” from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
  • This list of sample lesson plans from the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections includes a lesson you can download called “Irish Famine: An Exploration of Primary Sources.”
• Immigration issues: Immigration issues are an interesting extension to this lesson. See Destination America from PBS, in particular Episode One “The Golden Door.”
• Genealogy: A list of genealogy resources is also provided by Destination America.
• Art: There are many artistic, historical representations of the Great Famine. See Views of the Famine compiled by Steve Taylor at Vassar.
• Music: Songs about Famine and Emigration, part of a History 200 website assembled by Thomas J. Archdeacon, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an opportunity to collaborate with your school’s music teacher.

Comments

• Because P. infestans is the causative agent of the potato disease and subsequent famine, be vigilant and ensure that students do not acquire the misconception that every time there is a P. infestans outbreak, there will be a famine.
• It is important for students to understand the importance of observations in formulating a hypothesis. Teachers should foster the creative and unique thought processes and emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer, only supported or not supported.
• Some students may not have access to internet resources or a computer at home. Encourage students to stop by at the end of the school day (or other convenient time for student and teacher) to get printed copies of the material to read at home.
• It would be a good idea to meet with your students’ teachers in the disciplines mentioned in the extensions to determine what activities can be done together to help reinforce student engagement and learning.

• Next: Identifying a potato killer via PCR and gel electrophoresis

National standards

In addition to meeting objectives of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, this lesson plan addresses the following national standards

Content Standard A

As a result of activities in grades 9–12, all students should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understandings about scientific inquiry.

Content Standard C

As a result of activities in grades 9–12, all students should develop understanding of:

• interdependence of organisms

Content Standard F

As a result of activities in grades 9–12, all students should develop understanding of personal and community health, population growth, natural resources, environmental quality, and natural and human-induced hazards.

Content Standard G

As a result of activities in grades 9–12, all students should develop understanding of science as a human endeavor, nature of scientific knowledge, and historic perspectives.

Sources and credits

• Bourke, P. M. “Emergence of Potato Blight, 1843–46.” Nature, no. 4947 (August 22, 1964): 805–808.
• Donnelly, Jim. “The Irish Famine.” BBC, Jan. 2001.
• Gavin, Philip. “The Irish Potato Famine.” The History Place, June 12, 2000.
• Reader, John. “The Fungus that Conquered Europe.” The New York Times, Mar. 17, 2008.
• Population of Ireland and Europe. Wikimedia Commons, March 14, 2005.
• Liuzzo, David. Location of Northern Ireland in Europe. Wikimedia Commons, April 6, 2008.

Contents: CSI Dublin

• Next: Identifying a potato killer via PCR and gel electrophoresis
• Previous: Isolating a potato killer

Learn more

• Views of the Famine: Illustrated London News Articles related to the Irish tragedy of 1845–51 from The Illustrated London News. The articles include seventy-two engravings. Some illustrations are available in high-resolution format, suitable for printing. Part of a website created by Steve Taylor at Vassar.

Related topics

• Search LEARN NC for more resources on English language learners, Irish Potato Famine, Phytophthora infestans, biology, diseases, history, plant pathology, science, and scientific method.

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