Drug-resistant MRSA developing into medical crisis

Ben Amato | Educational consultant

Cautionary Essay ELA Standards 1, 3 and 4

A new stain of bacteria is roaming our hospitals, schools, day care centers and gyms. MSRA is a superbug, resistant to most drugs and easily transmitted. Today's lesson looks at this new killer that quietly claims tens of thousands of lives every year.

TV Component
Newsday Interactive Video carried the story of MSRA and the simple way we can defend ourselves against infection. View the video clip twice and then take the Multiple-Choice Quiz.

Newspaper Component
The article in today's Newsday titled "Drug-resistant MRSA developing into medical crisis" explains the emergence of this new threat. Read the article and using the facts and details within, complete the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle.

Language Arts Component

"He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines."
Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat

It is ironic that a new race of superbugs is infecting thousands, for it is the overuse of antibiotics by doctors that may have led to the evolution of this fatal infectious disease.

Situation
Write a CAUTIONARY ESSAY to inform people about the danger of MSRA.

The Nature and Structure of a CAUTIONARY ESSAY
A CAUTIONARY ESSAY seeks to warn readers of some threat or situation that may affect them. It uses facts and details to present the situation and advises the precautions to take to lessen the risk and danger. A CAUTIONARY ESSAY is usually written in three sections.

INTRODUCTION
This paragraph begins the essay with a STATEMENT OF TOPIC. In the opening sentence, DESCRIBE MSRA and how this new form of bacteria is infecting and killing thousands. Present details about the SETTING, where and when the latest study was done, and the CAST - the people involved in the report. End this section with your OPINION about this new medical threat and what can be done about it.

BODY
This section of the essay offers SPECIFIC DETAILS about MSRA and the dangers it brings. Organize this section in ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, with the most critical details coming first and the less important ones later in the paragraph. The point of this style of essay is to WARN and INFORM people about a situation, so be very clear on what people can and should do to remain healthy. Only at the end of the entire essay should your opinions and feelings be revealed.

This section may be longer than just one paragraph, depending on how many facts and details you gather from the article and television news story. Use the Comprehension Crossword Puzzle and the answers to the Multiple-Choice Quiz as a RUBRIC so you can see if all the important facts have been included and described.

CONCLUSION
The final section of the CAUTIONARY ESSAY is where you TELL your readers how you feel about MSRA and how one might elude this killer. End this section with a look to the future. What can be done to combat this new race of superbugs?