Cancer Education Initiative
A cancer education curriculum for underserved elementary school children created through a partnership between the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the USC Wonderkids Program – Originally Published April 16, 2018
Video by Cecily Pulver
In Spring 2018, the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, in collaboration with USC Joint Educational Project’s (JEP) WonderKids program, designed a Cancer Education Initiative focused on the science and biology of cancer for local first through third grade students. The outreach team presented four topics — Oncology, Genetics of Cancer, Biotech & Cancer, and Nutrition & Cancer Prevention — to three LAUSD neighborhood schools (Vermont Elementary, Weemes Elementary, and 32nd Street/USC Visual and Performing Arts Magnet). The four units introduced the science of cancer, the role of family history, robotic surgery and current treatment technologies, and cancer prevention.
K-3 Students of Vermont Ave Elementary school with the guest scientist, Dr. W. Martin Kast, holding the models of viruses that cause cancer
WonderKids is an after-school program offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach and education through JEP’s ReadersPlus program. WonderKids is designed to inspire a sense of curiosity about the breadth of topics and myriad careers in science to first through third grade students. Wonderkids introduces various science fields in two-week blocks through literature and hands-on activities. The final lesson in each science unit is presented by guest speakers from the field of study who share more about their work and engage children in fun, hands-on activities that make them feel like young scientists.
The Oncology unit introduced the fundamentals of science governing cancer. The module included activities that assess prior cancer knowledge to measure student learning gained through the cancer education curriculum. The cumulative lessons assured students that some cancers are treatable.
Guest speaker, Santosh Peddi, for the Wonderkids Cancer Initiative discusses his expertise oncology at Weemes Elementary.
Speakers:
- Dr. W. Martin Kast, a cancer researcher the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Gina LaBeaud, researcher and student in the Keck School of Medicine
- Liz Dunn, Global Medicine student volunteer
- Aili Vinson, Global Medicine student volunteer
The Genetics of Cancer unit is designed to demonstrate to students how genetics and cancer are closely interlinked. The curriculum first introduces a lesson on DNA structure and evolves into a DNA extraction. While learning about DNA during the genetics unit one of the students, Nathan, made the observation that genes provide information that can tell us a lot about ourselves as humans.
Speakers:
- Anupam Singh, researcher Molecular and Computational Biology Department & Cancer education specialist
- Celja Uebel, researcher Molecular and Computational Biology Department
- Jill Patel and Sejal Mehta, WorldMed participants
A student at 32nd street school showing a double helix model of DNA made with gummy bears and toothpicks. The order of pairing red gummy bears with green ones and yellow bears with white denotes the systematic pairing of Adenine with Thymine and Guanine with cytosine.
The Biotechnology & Cancer unit presented students with the technologies used in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Education instructors engaged students in such activities as a simulation of a cancer removal surgery which included a webcam to show children the inside of the body and the difference between healthy and cancer cells.
Whereas all the other students had given up on performing this surgery, first grader Alejandro was determined to succeed. After carefully examining the gray and white cells laid out in front of him, he eagerly picked up his surgical tool and slowly maneuvered it with precise movements. “I got it!” he exclaimed as he proudly held up a gray cancer cell that he had captured, but he didn’t just stop there. He continued to work until he had removed every single cancer cell from the body.
Above is a first grade student at Weemes Elementary school trying the robotic surgery. She has grabbed the “cancer cell” with her robotic surgical arms. Below are the successful cancer surgeon holding “healthy cells”. The healthy cells were a surprise take home gifts from the cancer curriculum.
Speakers:
- Santosh Peddi, research student in the USC School of Pharmacy
- Cecily Pulver, research student in the USC Integrative and Evolutionary Biology Department
- Valerie Thomas, research student in the Molecular and Computational Biology Department
The Nutrition & Cancer Prevention unit is driven by the words of Louis Pasteur, that “prevention is better than cure”. This unit teaches students that the prevention of many diseases including cancer is through healthy living, which includes eating well and exercising. This component of cancer prevention and physical well-being is the main focus of the nutrition module.
Speakers:
- Lisa Welter, cancer researcher at the USC Bridge Institute
- Alya Fadil and Krupa Shah, WorldMed participants
- Avanti Baronia and Shervin Shahsavari, WorldMed participants
Students at Weemes Elementary participated in a nutrition acvtivity related to Oncology.
Acknowledgements:
We thank the personnel below, Hinde Kast for infographics, and Susan Harris, Christina Koneazny, Rita Barakat for editing our manuscript. Funding for this Cancer Education Initiative came from the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center through their NIH grant P30 CA014089.
Personnel:
Head of the URM K-12 Cancer Education Program: Dr. W. Martin Kast
STEM Programs Manager of USC Joint Educational Project: Dieuwertje J. Kast
Cancer Education Specialist: Anupam Singh
Infographics: Hinde R. Kast
Cancer Education Instructors: Alex Stella, Evan Lum, Angeline Pan, Surbhi Bansil
Cancer Initiative Staff pictured at JEP House!