Students compare and contrast the conditions of the 1918 influenza outbreak with those of today. They try to identify prevention strategies for infectious diseases.

Students explore the ways they can incorporate fruits and vegetables into their diets.  In this health activity students and parents list health benefits of more fruits and vegetables in their diets and complete a handout.

Students discuss ways in which diseases affect individuals, families, and society, and view and answer questions about segments from The Forgetting related to the impact of Alzheimer's disease on society and families. They brainstorm...

Young scholars begin the lesson by discussing what they already know about their immune system. In groups, they participate in a true and false game using the facts and myths of HIV/AIDS. They discuss how the disease is affecting their...

Students discuss the facts and myths about HIV. In this health lesson, students explain how diseases spread from person to another. They create a presentation to share their research findings with the class.

Students discuss current H.I.V. prevention strategies and adapt these strategies to address the spread of H.I.V. in developing countries. They analyze the results of an international AIDS conference called "The Urgent Search for an AIDS...

Is obesity a disease or just a preventable risk factor for other diseases? Scholars attempt to form their own opinions by reading a background of the issue and watching videos that explore the main pro and con arguments using an included...

Who actually goes looking for a virus? Expose your class to the high-stakes life of an epidemiologist on the trail of the Nipah virus. Pupils engage in a short video, then examine how scientists predict, model, and find the source of...

How do reverse transcriptase inhibitors work? Young virologists examine the function of azidothymidine, a drug doctors use to treat HIV patients, during a hands-on modeling activity. Groups create a strand of DNA from an HIV RNA strand...

Tenth graders explore the different health risks associated with human papillomavirus. In this health science lesson, 10th graders identify different ways to prevent viral and bacterial infection. They research and develop an awareness...

Learners analyze maps for clues as to why students and mothers in both urban and rural areas of Africa may not fight HIV the same way as those in wealthier countries. They write an essay outlining solutions to the AIDS epidemic.

The plan is to have adolescents work in groups to reserach the effects of smoking cigarettes on the lungs. Once they have collected information, they create a presentation to share with the rest of the class. This is part health lesson...

Students conduct research of the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) or lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV). They obtain the information and create a public announcement in the form of a brochure, newsletter, poster, radio announcement,...

Young scholars identify and discuss health problems that can occur during adulthood. They research one health problem, list the risk factors of the disease, and create a Powerpoint presentation based on their research.

Students consider health care and come diseases in any give community. They examine the differences between HIV and AIDS, and how they are spread. They discuss how the spread of AIDS can be reduced.

Young scholars analyze the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and classify them according to whether or not they are controllable. They discover how to reduce the probability of high blood pressure through diet and exercise.

Ninth graders explore the human body and how disease affects man. After using the internet and other reference materials to complete research, 9th graders write a paper on the cause and effect of a selected disease. In preparation for...

Does having an addict in your family make it more likely to become one yourself? Explore the genetic risk factors, as well as the prominent environmental influences, for substance addiction in a lesson that encourages awareness and open...

What happens to your body when you use drugs? What do you do if your friend wants you to start using? Learn about the signs of addiction and the ways to withstand peer pressure with two classroom activities. After storyboarding the...

What do drugs do to the body and to the mind? What are the dangers of using drugs? How can teens respond to the pressure to use drugs? After reading a series of articles related to drug use and abuse, class members prepare a skit to...

Teach young learners that most drug addictions end in one of three outcomes: treatment, jail, or death. After watching a short video segment on the consequences of drug abuse, class members discuss what they viewed and consider what...

Health and biology learners wear five pound weights on their legs for 24 hours to simulate the extra effort required when people suffer from muscular dystrophy. They research the disability online and write about how it feels to "walk in...

Young scholars explore the food pyramid. In this dietary health lesson plan, students examine the food pyramid on the MyPyramid.gov website and discuss healthy eating strategies. There are various links to websites in this lesson plan.