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Public-Health Outbreak Simulation

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Grades 9-1275-90 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Teens model how a simulated illness spreads through a small population, then have to communicate uncertain public-health decisions—like when to recommend closing a school—to a worried mock community. It captures just how messy real epidemiology decisions actually are.

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Every level teaches the same core idea — pick the one that fits your time, budget, and energy today.

Prep: 10 minActivity: 30 min1 session~$2/groupOne table for the Public-Health Outbreak Simulation evidence and prototypeBeginner-friendly

Setup

Print or handwrite the four Public-Health Outbreak Simulation challenge steps and place common paper supplies on one table. Prepare one small sample, dataset, scenario, or recycled-material model drawn directly from the project description; no device, paid tool, room decoration, or purchased kit is required.

Activity

  1. Read the Public-Health Outbreak Simulation challenge aloud, then set up a small population using tokens and predict how fast an illness might spread if nothing is done.
  2. Use paper, index cards, recycled objects, or facilitator-provided sample data to run the simulation round by round, rolling dice to determine transmission, and graph the case count over time.
  3. Run one tabletop trial and introduce a wrinkle—like limited test kits or a rumor spreading faster than the data—and adjust the response plan under that new uncertainty.
  4. Finish by deliver a short public-health briefing recommending an action, openly stating what the team is and isn't confident about; record the evidence that supports the decision.

Done when: The group completes a defensible Public-Health Outbreak Simulation solution, records at least one test result or comparison, changes one claim or design in response, and supports its final decision with that evidence.

Materials

dice, colored beads or tokens, graph paper, poster board, markers

Shown for the Quick Start version — switch tabs above to see what changes.

Disclosure: Materials links below go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Steps

  1. Set up a small population using tokens and predict how fast an illness might spread if nothing is done.
  2. Run the simulation round by round, rolling dice to determine transmission, and graph the case count over time.
  3. Introduce a wrinkle—like limited test kits or a rumor spreading faster than the data—and adjust the response plan under that new uncertainty.
  4. Deliver a short public-health briefing recommending an action, openly stating what the team is and isn't confident about.