Connect students directly to the concept in a personal way. Capture students' attention by initiating a group problem-solving activity before delivery of instruction. Begin with a situation that is familiar to students and builds on what they already know. Construct a learning experience that allows diverse and personal student responses. Facilitate the work of cooperative teams of students.

Students remember the last time they were sick with a virus.

Objective: To give the students a reason to want to learn about viruses by prompting them to recall previous, personal experiences of being sick from a viral infection.

Activity: The teacher begins the class by asking students to raise their hands if they have ever been sick with an infection caused by a virus. Inevitably, everyone, at some time, has had a virus. S/he then asks them to remember what it was like. How did they begin to know that they were sick? Did it happen rather suddenly? What were some of the symptoms? What are some examples of different kinds of viral infections? Are there some symptoms which all viral infections share? How long did it last? Students are usually more than anxious to contribute to this initial discussion by retelling their stories of having stomach viruses, chicken pox, cold sores, etc.

Assessment: Quality of class attention and participation.