Teachers TV: Demonstrating Biology: Aviflu

Pupils at Garth Hill College are amazed to find out how quickly viruses can spread when they play a harmless but fun game of Aviflu with their classmates. Year 9 teacher Diane Wilson begins her lesson by getting her pupils to think about different types of viruses and then to come up with five questions to investigate avian flu. Each group looks at a different question, produces a poster and reports back to the class. Once finished Diane tells them that while they've been working she and Nigel Heslop, the creator of Aviflu, have aleady been playing the game on them without them knowing. Nigel explains that the game centres on simulating the transmission of the virus within the class using a harmless, invisible, fluorescent dye. A dusting of the dye is sprayed on the resources the pupils use which transfers to their hands, mimicking the way a virus can spread. Nigel outlines what's needed to play the game, how role-play makes it exciting and gives some tips on what works well.