Key points
- The CDC NERD Academy curriculum introduces grade 6–12 STEM students to epidemiology and public health.
- The eight curriculum modules were designed by teachers.
- Modules include lesson plans, videos, activity demonstrations, and career spotlights.
- Use the curriculum to educate and empower students. You can download lesson plans in English or Spanish.
Overview
Welcome to the CDC NERD Academy! Teachers can use this resource to introduce STEM students to epidemiology and public health.
CDC NERD Academy is a standards-based STEM curriculum. It covers eight basic concepts in public health and epidemiology. The curriculum features a fictional "novel emerging respiratory disease," or NERD for short. While NERD is fictional, modules use real scientific data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The curriculum is a collaboration between STEM teachers and CDC experts. Curriculum modules were designed by teachers and are age appropriate. They use relatable scenarios that engage students while learning about public health. Beyond STEM, students also practice skills in the liberal arts, and the humanities.
Modules were designed for all teachers, including those who are new to public health. Modules include detailed English and Spanish language STEM lesson plans. Lesson plans include student activities and handouts, and career spotlights. Modules also include an animated educational video for students and an activity demonstration videos for teachers.
Learn how CDC NERD Academy teaches students to apply STEM concepts. See how it empowers them to make informed health decisions and pursue STEM careers.
Attend a CDC training on how to use NERD Academy!
Partner resources
Curriculum
The CDC NERD Academy curriculum modules can help students answer the following key public health questions:
- Module 1: What exactly is a pandemic?
- Module 2: How does disease spread?
- Module 3: Who is at risk?
- Module 4: Where do public health data come from?
- Module 5: How are public health data visualized?
- Module 6: Why do laboratory testing?
- Module 7: Why is contact tracing so important?
- Module 8: How is an outbreak investigated?
Modules can be used sequentially as a comprehensive series. They can also be reordered or used as standalone lessons. The first page of each lesson plan lists STEM connections to indicate which disciplines are covered in the module.
Each module has:
- STEM lesson plans* (for teachers)
- Educational videos (for students)
- Activity demo video (for teachers)
- Career spotlight poster* and videos
- Glossary*
*available in Spanish
Standards alignment
Learn how CDC NERD Academy modules are aligned with STEM concepts, key problem-based skills, Epidemiology and Public Health Science Core Competencies, the National Health Education Standards, and the Next Generation Science Standards:
This information can also be found on the first page of each lesson plan.
Resources
Background
The CDC NERD Academy curriculum was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Science Ambassador Fellowship (SAF) program with input from STEM teachers and public health experts. Support for the curriculum is made possible through a partnership between the CDC Foundation and CDC, using funding provided to CDC Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. SAF is located in CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center, Division of Workforce Development, Epidemiology and Laboratory Workforce Branch. Videos for the curriculum were developed and produced by Osmosis.
Disclaimer
NERD (Novel Emerging Respiratory Disease) is a fictional disease created for this curriculum. NERD etiology, data, events, and information presented in the CDC NERD Academy curriculum are loosely based on the understanding of COVID-19 prior to a vaccine becoming available. Some details have been generalized for educational purposes.
The CDC NERD Academy curriculum is in the public domain and may be used without restriction. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated (see Citation below). Links to nonfederal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations nor their programs by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content contained on these sites. Web site links listed were current as of the date of publication. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The findings and conclusions in the NERD Academy curriculum are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of CDC.
Suggested citation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC Science Ambassador Fellowship—CDC NERD Academy, Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2022. Available at: www.cdc.gov/nerd-academy/about/index.html.