Lesson Plans : Social Studies
The Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
This peer-reviewed lesson was published in Science Scope in March 2015. Science Scope is the peer-reviewed journal for middle school science teachers. Our lesson presents authentic data that helped scientists discover the field of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD). This lesson has been reviewed by scientists and teachers to introduce the concepts at a middle school level. Materials for this lesson are found at the bottom of this page. Estimated Lesson Duration: 55 minutes (can be extended to a multi-day lesson if desired) Overview: In this jigsaw activity, students analyze five authentic data sets to explore some of the same patterns…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Protected: Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease Supplemental Materials
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
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Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Dutch Hunger Winter
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 1 class period Overview: The Dutch Hunger Winter took place in the Netherlands at the end of World War II, November 1944 to the spring of 1945. The survivors were a well-defined group of people, who suffered just one period of malnutrition at exactly the same time. The immediate and long-term effects of this famine were completely unexpected to scientists. Students will learn about the immediate and long-term epigenetic effects of the Dutch Hunger Winter. Students will read and create an epigenetic pedigree chart. Students will learn how healthy and unhealthy choices can affect the epigenome. Key Concepts…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Your Baby’s Genome, Epigenome and More
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 2-3 class periods Overview: Students learn how genes are passed down from parents to child; how genes determine traits, and how environmental factors affect the expression of the genome. This lesson begins with the Desert Vista High School Genotype to Phenotype Simulation Booklet and once the students have selected their baby’s genome they will add a layer of epigenetics onto their baby’s DNA and draw the resulting adult. Background: The epigenome is a layer of markers that are placed on, or taken off of, your DNA when you’re exposed to certain environmental factors. Your DNA is set…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Art, Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Data Analysis and Action Plan – That’s not just a number, that’s me!
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 3 days Overview: Small groups briefly research a health problem to understand causes, measurement and risk. Each group then analyzes related data from the Let’s Get Healthy! fair and identifies areas to be flagged for risk. Groups list variables that will affect health outcomes and present their findings. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Cause, measurement, risk, analyze, research, presentation Standards: Download the briefing sheet about how this lesson meets standards (.docx) The standards listed were identified using key concepts from each individual lesson. These key concepts were aligned with the specific Oregon State Standards, Common…
Grade Levels: Elementary, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Physical Education, Social Studies, Technology
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Healthy Choices, Using Data
Science Inquiry Using Humans and the Ethical Considerations
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Three – 15-25 minute lessons Overview: Students will develop a question and hypothesis based on their interpretation of one of the Let’s Get Healthy! graphs. Then they will design a hypothetical experiment to test their hypothesis. Following this, students will share their experiments and discuss the ethical implications of each. Once the ethical issues have been identified, students working in a small groups will chose one experiment and design an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to further explore and resolve ethical implications. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Question, hypothesis, interpretation, institutional Review Board, ethics, human research, data…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Health, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Fair Preparation, Research Methods
Correlation/ Cause and Effect – Sharks vs Ice Cream
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 45 minutes Overview: Is there a connection between shark attacks and ice cream sales? Knowing and recording information is important, but making correct conclusions is the key to meaningful knowledge and accurate understanding. Students will use graphs and data from the “Let’s Get Healthy” fair to identify comparative strengths of correlations and how correlations correspond to cause and effect. They will identify graphs depicting comparative strengths, analyze data from the “Let’s Get Healthy” fair, and determine correlations don’t always show a cause and effect. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Objectives • Students will identify graph depicting comparative…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Research Methods, Using Data
Applying “Project Citizen” to Let’s Get Healthy!
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Varies with level and resolution. Students focusing on identifying an individual goal and writing it up as a S.M.A.R.T. Goal will take about 45 minutes. Project Citizen will require a more extended commitment of time to complete all six steps and to present final portfolio(s) to a governing body whether that is a school's administration, school board, local city council or state legislative committee. Overview: Project Citizen, a program co-sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, is a curriculum where students learn how to influence public policy by studying problems in their own community. It is designed…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Math, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, Technology
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Healthy Choices, Using Data
Student Advocacy for Healthy Schools
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Students explore how various health factors affect their ability to learn. Then, discuss changes to school policy and how those proposed changes would affect various stakeholders in an educational community as part of simulated public meetings. Student Advocacy for Healthy Schools Estimated Lesson Duration: 5 classes Overview Students will learn how health factors, such as sleep and diet, affect their ability to learn. Students will compare general information with specific data from their age set and assess the degree to which their school supports student health. Using this information, students will consider changes to school policy and determine…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Healthy Choices, Using Data
Who did it? – John Doe vs Coronary Heart Disease
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 90 minutes Overview: This role play begins with the premise that John Doe died from a heart attack brought on by coronary heart disease. Who and/or what was responsible for this heart attack? This is the question students confront as they evaluate the major risk factors. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Unhealthy choices can negatively impact our health and result in disease later in life. Key terms: Unhealthy diet, overweight, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, coronary, heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart muscle, heart attack, mock trial, saturated fat, trans fat, LDL, sodium, obesity…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Health, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Healthy Choices
