Health and H1N1 Flu Lesson Plans

Teachers, parents and administrators all over the country are waging an uphill battle against the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. Recent CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates indicate that as many as six million Americans may have been infected with the virus. In some classes more than half of the students have been out sick at the same time. It might seem pointless to try to fight the trend, but there are ways teachers and parents can help students lessen their chances of getting the flu, and decrease the chance of its spread.

The CDC recommends certain strategies to reduce the chances of contracting the H1N1 virus, including frequent hand washing, not touching your eyes or mouth, and coughing into the crook of your elbow. Sesame Street put out an informational video to illustrate these concepts. While many students may be too old for Elmo, preschool and children in the lower grades may enjoy watching the public service announcement. Another way teachers and parents can help prevent the spread of this virus is by encouraging students to get enough rest and eat right. Teaching students about healthy habits, including information about which foods provide the energy we need to keep our immune systems working well, can help students. By using lessons about nutrition to illustrate healthy habits, teachers also can provide information that will benefit students even when flu season is over.

Since we may be facing flu-related issues for several months to come, teachers can make things easier for themselves, and their students, by developing strategies to prevent children from getting behind in their schoolwork. Teachers may want to figure out a way to communicate with parents, and distribute assignments even when students are missing from school for several days. The U.S. Department of Education has distributed a set of recommendations that can provide suggestions for teachers.

Teachers can also take this opportunity to show students how viruses work. There is an interesting video on NPR that shows how a virus attacks our cells. The H1N1 virus can be a jumping off point for teaching students about other topics such as viruses, bacteria, and how vaccines function.

With the holidays approaching rapidly, teachers and parents want to keep their students healthy and in school. With the right lessons, teachers can help students better protect themselves from the H1N1 virus, and provide the framework for healthy habits in the future. Here are a few of the H1N1 and flu lesson plans you can find on Lesson Planet.

H1N1 Flu Lesson Plans:

Pandemic Panic: This lesson has students examine the H1N1 virus from multiple perspectives, and share their research with others. Students will learn about key terms and participate in class discussions. 

Is it the Flu? What do I do: In this lesson students learn about the flu and prepare a Powerpoint presentation. This would be a good idea for a research project.

Health Services in the Community. In this lesson students learn about how people in the community help to meet their health needs.

Health Lesson Plans:

It Might Come in Handy: In this lesson students learn about hand washing. They also discuss how diseases are transmitted.

Germs and Preventing Illness: In this lesson (found in the first grade area under science -human body) students learn about germs. They use a microscope to take an up close look at bacteria and viruses. They also learn about hygiene. This lesson is designed for younger children, but could be easily adapted to another grade level.

Hygiene Worksheets: Further supplement your lessons about personal hygiene with these resources from our library.