Teaching Tools
“Explore the Mystery of Blood” Curriculum
“Explore the Mystery of Blood” is a dynamic high school science curriculum designed to spark interest in the fields of science and medicine, in addition to exposing students to exciting career opportunities in hematology. This new program was created by the American Society of Hematology and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, and was made possible in part by a grant from the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation.
This interactive, hands-on learning experience gives students the opportunity to become familiar with the fascinating field of hematology and the pathology of common blood disorders. Students will learn basic laboratory skills, such as making observations using a compound microscope, and see how scientists use these skills to diagnose diseases. Students will also perform case study analysis of laboratory data and research the use of model organisms, an essential component of medical science today. Lesson plans build on themes from the hematology documentary “Blood Detectives” and information from www.BloodTheVitalConnection.org, and align with national education standards for science, technology, and life skills.
This curriculum has been distributed to 50,000 high school science teachers and science club advisors nationwide with the possibility of reaching more than 4 million students. If you have not yet received your copy, we encourage you to download the following program components for use in your classroom or visit www.Scholastic.com/hematology.
- Teaching Guide
A colorful 20-page guide complete with lesson plans and student worksheets.
- PowerPoint Slides of Blood Smears
These images can be used in lieu of actual blood slides and microscopes to engage students in sample analysis.
- “Blood Detectives” DVD
Previously aired on the Discovery Health channel, this one-hour film will be airing throughout the United States on PBS-affiliated stations in 2009 and 2010. Check the schedule available on this site or see your local listings for a more accurate list of air dates and times.
- Short Videos About Hematology and Blood Diseases
Educational videos that explain blood functions and disorders, what hematology is and what hematologists do, why students may want to consider choosing hematology as their specialty, and the importance of biomedical research.
If you do use any of these materials in your classroom, we would love to hear from you! Please e-mail us at
webmaster@hematology.org about your experience using the materials, the students’ reactions, and any suggestions you have about ways we can improve the program.
PowerPoint Slides – Blood Smears
A drop of blood can be used to help determine how healthy a patient is – or what may be going wrong. Under the microscope, hematologists look for changes in the size, shape, color, and number of blood cells to diagnose blood diseases. To see examples of both healthy and unhealthy blood smears, students can review the following slides:
The full set of slides can also be downloaded or printed for use as an educational tool. These slides were derived from the ASH Image Bank. Teachers are welcome to use this free online database to search for additional images of blood cells and blood diseases.
Videos
A number of educational videos are also available that explain blood functions and disorders, what hematology is and what hematologists do, why students may want to consider choosing hematology as their specialty, and the importance of biomedical research.
Teachers are encouraged to use these videos in the classroom to educate students about the field of hematology.
ASH Teaching Cases
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) provides teaching cases as a resource for medical students and hematology instructors. The interactive cases are designed to simulate the steps involved in diagnosing a patient, from taking the history and performing a physical exam, to ordering and interpreting lab tests, to making a final diagnosis and following the clinical course of the disease. While working through each case, students are challenged to consider the right questions to ask at each step in the process. At the same time, they can learn more about the pathophysiology of the disease through the explanatory text, graphic images, and glossary. View the ASH Teaching Cases index on the ASH Web site for a full list of available cases.