Lesson Plan

• Describe the role of antigens in vaccines.
• Explain how vaccines trigger primary immune responses and the formation of memory B‑ and T‑cells.
• Compare different vaccine types and the immune responses they elicit.
• Evaluate the importance of booster doses for maintaining long‑term immunity.

• Projector and screen
• Slide deck covering antigens, immune activation, and vaccine types
• Printed handout with the vaccine‑immune response flowchart
• Whiteboard and markers
• Images of different vaccine platforms (e.g., mRNA diagram)
• Exit‑ticket cards or digital clicker system

Begin with a quick poll asking students how many COVID‑19 vaccine doses they have received, then ask what they think makes a vaccine work. Connect this to prior knowledge of antibodies and ask them to predict how a vaccine might “teach” the immune system. State that by the end of the lesson they will be able to describe the antigen’s role, explain memory formation, and compare vaccine platforms.

1. Do‑Now (5'): Students write a brief answer to “What is an antigen and why might it be useful in a vaccine?” – collect responses.
2. Mini‑lecture with slides (10'): Explain antigens, APCs, T‑cell help, B‑cell activation, plasma cells, and memory cells.
3. Group activity – label flowchart (10'): Using the printed handout, groups annotate the steps from vaccine administration to memory B‑cell formation.
4. Compare vaccine platforms (10'): In pairs, examine the provided table and discuss how antigenic form influences the type of immunity.
5. Guided practice (10'): Scenario questions (e.g., “Which vaccine type is safest for an immunocompromised patient?”) with teacher feedback.
6. Check for understanding (5'): Exit ticket – one sentence summarising why antigens are essential for long‑term immunity.

Recap the pathway from antigen exposure to memory cell creation and highlight the role of boosters. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign a short homework: read a recent article on emerging vaccine technologies and write a paragraph describing how its antigen design may affect durability of protection.