‘Contagious’ Science Lesson Shows West Babylon Students How Illness Spreads

WEST BABYLON, NY — West Babylon Junior High School students in Jennifer Kowalik’s classes stepped into the role of epidemiologists during a hands-on lab that demonstrated how quickly illnesses can move through a population, school officials said.

Each student began with a cup of simulated “respiratory droplets,” though one contained the hidden “infection,” according to the district. Over three rounds, students exchanged droplets with different partners to model how real-world disease transmission occurs.

After the final exchange, the class tested each sample to see who became infected. Students then analyzed the results, traced contacts, and applied deductive reasoning to pinpoint the source of the outbreak.

District officials said the interactive lesson helped bring science to life while strengthening students’ understanding of public health, transmission patterns, and data-driven investigation.