Standard of Learning

4.4   The student will demonstrate an understanding of health concepts and behaviors that prevent illness and disease. Key concepts/skills include

1. the body's defenses;
2. the spread of germs (viruses, bacteria, and fungi);
3. the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases;
4. the importance of early detection of health problems;
5. the role of regular physical activity, nutrition, and healthy choices.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand that the body has defenses that protect against diseases and germs.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define a pathogen. (a germ that causes diseases)
• define an antibody. (a substance in the blood that helps fight pathogens)
• define immunity. (protected from a certain disease)
• define a vaccine. (a medicine that has dead or weak pathogens in it)
• identify how the body fights diseases. (unbroken skin, cilia - tiny hairs in air passages, mucus - moist coating that lines your nose and throat, tears, stomach acids, white blood cells, and antibodies)
• describe how good health affects the immune system. (the healthier the body, the better the immune system will function.)

Sample Lessons

An Ounce of Prevention
Provides information on some simple things individuals can do to prevent getting sick. Background information on infectious diseases, personal hygiene, taking care of pets, antibiotic use, food borne illness and immunizations are also provided.
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Contact: http://www.cdc.gov/ounceofprevention/
Free

Be a Germstopper
Encourages healthy habits to prevent the spread of illness in schools and at home. Provides links and resources for teachers on food safety, hand washing, the flu and nutrition.
Sponsor: CDC
Contact: http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/index.htm
Free

Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases
Lesson plan for student to apply information they have learned about the immune system, germs, and diseases to a physical activity in which the correct method of treating an illness is selected.
Sponsor: Virginia Department of Health
Diseases.pdf
Free

Glo Germ
Hand washing lesson plan that teaches about disease transmission, germs and how frequent hand washing helps to prevent illness.
Sponsor: Glo Germ
Contact: http://www.glogerm.com
Free

Stalking the Mysterious Microbe
Interactive website with information about microbes, what they are and where they live. Interesting facts, activities and general information to teach about microbes.
Sponsor: American Society for Microbiology
Contact: http://www.microbe.org/index.html
Free

Texas Department of Health
This lesson will help children recognize that personal health decisions and behaviors affect health throughout life. Following this lesson students will be able to identify and practice personal health habits that help individuals stay healthy. Sponsor: Texas Department of Health
Contact: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/kids/lessonplans/default.shtm
Free

Lesson Idea

• Teach this SOL during cold/flu season.

Additional Instructional Resources

• American Museum of Natural History - http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/infection/
• Do Bugs Need Drugs? - http://www.dobugsneeddrugs.org/teachers/index.html
• Hand Washing – http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/Subjects/eatsmart/handwa~1.htm
• Health Departments
• http://www.kidshealth.com
• Illness & Disease – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (health & fitness 3-5)
• PBS Antibiotic Resistance - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/clock/index.html and http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/10/4/l_104_03.html
• Preventing Infectious Illness - HealthTeacher.com – http://www.healthteacher.com
• Save the Antibiotic - http://www.savetheantibiotic.com/public_html/index2/index2.html
• School Nurse
• Virginia Department of Health – Antibiotic Worksheets - Antibiotic_Worksheets.pdf
• Virginia Department of Health – Antibiotic Pretest - Antibiotic_Pretest.pdf
• Virtual Museum of Bacteria - http://bacteriamuseum.org/

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• explain how to prevent the spread of disease.
• describe how the body's defenses protect you from different kinds of pathogens.

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