Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does Mother Nature Know Best?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Investigate herbal medicine in the science or health classroom with this lesson from the New York Times. After a discussion about class members beliefs about and experiences with herbal medicines, pupils read an article that might...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Echinacea No Cure all for Kids

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students look at real data and answer the question of whether or not they would recommend Echinacea to cure a cold. In this investigative lesson students describe whether the data supports the hypothesis that echinacea shortens the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Performance Poppers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the controversies surrounding the use of performance-enhancing supplements in sports by interviewing athletes and writing feature articles that compare the skills required to compete in different sports.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Herbs: Healthy Alternatives or Bad Medicine??

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students compare herbal and pharmaceutical remedies for common ailments.
Lesson Plan
Michael Hunter and Fiona Kisby

Robert Boyle and Medical Reform in the 17th Century

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Introduce pupils to the work of Robert Boyle and his influence on medical practice through a series of informational texts and discussion questions.
Interactive
Curated OER

Breaking News English: Alternative Medicine

For Students 5th - 10th
In this alternative medicine worksheet, students read the article, answer true and false questions, complete synonym matching, complete phrase matching, complete a gap fill, answer short answer questions, answer discussion questions,...
Interactive
Curated OER

Subject/Verb Agreement

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this subject/verb agreement worksheet, students select the correct verb to complete sentences. Students may check answers by clicking on a "button."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking Pills Isn't the Answer

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars explore performance-related drug use. In this health journalism lesson, students read the USA Today article titled "Taking Pills Isn't the Answer", respond to discussion questions regarding the article, and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Healthy Tonic: Label Reading

For Students 6th
For this factual text worksheet, 6th graders read a bottle label for a delicious tasting tonic for optimal health. Students must read the factual text and answer the six reading comprehension questions that follow.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: To Herb or Not to Herb

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This unit allows students to research some common herbal supplements to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the herb. Students will compare the herbal supplements to pharmaceutical medicines to judge which is the better choice....
Website
Other

Natural Health and Longevity Resource Center: Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
Good source for articles about herbs and herbal remedies, including the latest research and products on the market. This site contains a good deal of information about specific herbs, as well as many links to other herbal and alternative...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs: A Different Way to Heal?: A Survey of Inconsistency

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Explore the government regulations, marketing and sales of herbal remedies designated as "dietary supplements" by the Food and Drug Administration. Analyze the labels of various brands of Echinacea for discrepancies in dosage and usage...
Handout
US National Library of Medicine

Medline Plus: Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal Information

For Students 9th - 10th
A guide to more than 9,000 prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) in the USP DI and Advice for the Patient.
Website
University of Wisconsin

The Why Files: Alternative Medicine

For Students 9th - 10th
Alternative medicine has been debated over for many years. This site covers several pros and cons of several of the common practices.
Handout
Other

Austin Nutritional Research: A Reference Guide for Herbs

For Students 9th - 10th
Site describes and discusses the health benefits of some commonly used herbal remedies. Provides a lengthy overview of herbal remedies and promotion of products.
Website
US Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Topics a to Z

For Students 9th - 10th
More than just food and nutrition links can be found in this index of health topics. The USDA's Food and Nutrition Information Center provides access to a world of health information.
Website
PBS

Pbs Frontline: The Alternative Fix

For Students 9th - 10th
Investigate the expanding industry of alternative medicine, pondering whether this is good medicine or just good business. Analyze the role of government in regulating the industry, and explore alternative treatments and therapies...
Website
National Institutes of Health

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is the home page of a professional organization of physicians and other healthcare providers who specialize in complementary and alternative medicinal practices.