Purpose of activity: To learn
about how the cells of your immune system work together to fight pathogens.
Description: A large grid is mapped out on the floor for the "body"
playing area. Students are assigned roles; they could be a virus, a bacteria, a T cell, a B cell or a macrophage (phagocyte).
There are rules of play for how players can move around on the playing grid and how each pathogen or body cell acts.
(Rules of action are designed to simulate (as much as possible) the actions of a real immune system. For example, B
cells may only tag the pathogens with an antibody tag, they cannot destroy them. Killer T's and macrophages can destroy
pathogens, but only ones that already have antigen tags on them.) Body events are read out loud and cells must act
accordingly. Sometimes the pathogens get the advantage, sometimes the body cell get the upper hand. It's a back
and forth struggle. In the end one side wins out, this ending the game.
Target age group: ages 8-12
Time allowance: About 45 minutes to play the game (Assembly ahead of time: marking
out grid on floor and making name tags for types of cells)
Materials you will need: Materials to make grid on floor (your choice: chalk on pavement, yarn taped
on floor, painter's masking tape on floor, or whatever), plus either colored paper or felt squares and permanent markers to
make cell name tags for players to wear.
