West Babylon UFSD

West Babylon Junior High School students in Mrs. Kowalik’s classes participated in a hands-on lab activity to explore how diseases spread through a population. Each student began with a cup of “respiratory droplets,” though one cup secretly contained the “disease.” Through three rounds of exchanging droplets with different partners, students simulated real-world transmission.

After completing the exchanges, the class tested each sample to determine who became infected. Students then stepped into the role of epidemiologists — analyzing evidence, tracing contacts and using deductive reasoning to identify the original source of the outbreak.

This engaging lab brought science to life while helping students better understand public health, transmission and the importance of data-driven investigation.