Our body does a pretty remarkable job of keeping us healthy. Every day, we are bombarded by germs, yet we generally stay pretty healthy. In this section, you will learn about what the body does to prevent germs from making their way into the body, and what happens if the germs do somehow get in.

This is important because knowing what makes us sick, and what the body does about it, can help you make choices that will keep you and those around you healthy. If you do get sick, knowing these things will help you get well as soon as possible.

Scientific Concepts:

  • The difference between infectious and noninfectious diseases
  • How infectious diseases can be prevented
  • How your skin protects your body against infection
  • The importance of inflammation, fever, mucus, and fever in stopping infections
  • What an immune responses is, and how white blood cells are involved in them
  • How people develop immunity to disease


Select a Lesson

What’s THAT called?
If you’re like me, you like to know about the cool instruments doctors use when they poke and prod you in the standard office visit. I was always curious about what optometrists use during their eye exams. I found an instructional video that teaches optometrists about their tool for examining the fundus here:   Today, …
Eye Problems
Do you or someone you know where glasses or contact lenses. Glasses and contacts are used to correct vision problems. The two most common eye problems are myopia and hyperopia, and each is fixed a different way. Myopia is sometimes called nearsightedness. About one third of people have this problem. Myopia happens when the eye …
Can Bacteria Get Sick?
When you hear the word “bacteria” what do you think of? If you’re like most people, you probably think of things that can make you sick. Although some bacteria do make us sick, this is not true for all of them. In fact, as we’ll see a little later, some bacteria are very helpful. Did …