Quest, this week, was all about medical devices. First, the Falcons learned about different types of scans (e.g., MRIs, CT scans). Then, each learner chose their favorite scan and created an infographic about it. The Falcons also learned about EKGs and their output, as well as about blood tests and different blood types. Then, for the last challenge of the week, each squad received a fingertip pulse, oximeter, and sphygmomanometer, and, together, they learned how to use them.
For Genre, the Falcons working on E-ship received their parents' monthly expenses and analyzed them using Google Sheets. The Falcons also tried to earn as much money as possible in the game Coffee Shop. (Tip: Ask your Falcons about the Coffee Shop game.)
The Falcons who are working on Medical Fund pitches this session wrote the rest of their pitches (i.e., the Logos and Ethos parts) this week. They then shared their pitches, received warm and cool feedback, and offered critiques focused on idea development and organization.
For Civ, the Falcons finished listening to the series, "Guns, Germs, and Steel." One of the questions they discussed was:
As President of the United States, how would you address the malaria epidemic in Africa, and why? Would you:
send American scientists and doctors to Africa, even if it meant sick people in the United States would have less medical help;
send more foreign aid to Africa so that African countries could address the problem, even if it meant raising taxes on poor Americans;
send a chemical to Africa that is no longer approved to kill mosquitoes in America, knowing that it works but may damage the environment; or
do nothing.
Finally, during Monday morning's launch, the Falcons discussed the Placebo Effect and its ethical aspects. On Thursday, the discussion centered around how pain relievers work. The Falcons had an exciting conversation about which factors would help you, if you were a doctor, in deciding how much access to pain reliever you should give to your patients: symptoms, emotions, or their medical history.