Blood Lab
Purpose: To help students understand the anatomical structure and function of blood cells and the mechanism of the clotting cascade.
The goal of the activity is to match the type of blood cell with questions below and the diagrams. The hope is to establish a behavioristic type of association with the material. In later semesters, students will need to identify blood cells in lab work and medication effects. Establishing this baseline is vital to those later courses.
As with the prior activity, this one is designed for students to also learn basic recall. The reason why we need them to memorize all the steps and factors of a blood clot is to later use that knowledge in understanding the disease mechanism. A cognitive association between steps and disease is also vital for understanding proper treatment protocol and drug administration.
This final activity does not directly influence the learning goal, but it still has an essential role in helping establish a learning community. Blood typing is a fun activity, but it also brings many students out of their comfort zones. They often use their classmate to help lancet their fingers. And by the end of the activity, they are comparing their blood types. This activity is designed to evolve student relationships from a learner community of association to a relationship-based learning community. This sense of belonging is essential for later semesters and clinical experiences.