Standard of Learning

 

4.5   The student will access and use health resources to improve personal and family health. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the use of health care agencies, printed materials, broadcast media, Internet, and audiovisual materials;
2. identification of accurate and inaccurate health information.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will be able to identify and access a variety of sources of information designed to improve personal and family health.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• list useful print and media/audiovisual materials designed to improve health.
• locate community, state, and national health care agencies that work to improve dental, mental, emergency, occupational, etc., health for you and your family.
• search for useful health care Web sites.
• listen to news reports on radio, television, etc., to become more knowledgeable about local health resources and health promotional events.

Lesson Ideas  

• Assign each student an agency; using a computer, locate health care agencies and gather information on their services and programs.
• Students work in groups to brainstorm people or places in the community that help take care of health needs, then select a health worker to research, describing their responsibilities and their importance to the community.
• Bring in articles form newspaper& magazines talking about a health issue.

Sample Lessons

LifeSkills Training
Grades: K-5
Model substance abuse prevention and competency enhancement program focusing on the major social and psychological factors causing substance use and abuse. Teaches drug resistance skills, personal management skills, and general social skills. Focuses on self-esteem, decision-making, influence of media, stress, communication, and assertiveness issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Oral Health Education: Saving Smiles Series- “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”
Grades:  4 & 5
Lesson Plan (1) Identify the components of a balanced meal and describe carbohydrates and their impact on oral health. (SOL 4.1b, d ; 5.2b)
Lesson Plan (2) Develop an awareness of community health resources available (SOL 4.5a,b ; 4.6a ; 5.4a,b ; 5.5c,d,e,f)
Lesson Plan (3) Describe the causes of dental diseases including the role of bacterial plaque, and describe how dental diseases can be
prevented. (SOL 4.4b,d ; 5.2a)
Lesson Plan (4) Identify laws related to the purchase of tobacco products and describe the effects of tobacco on oral health and the body. (SOL 4.4b,d ; 5.2a) 
Sponsor: Virginia Department of Health, Division of Dental Health
Contact: http://www.vahealth.org/dental/oralhealtheducation/index.htm (curriculum resources)
Free

Teaching TV: Critically Evaluating TV
Aimed at grades 1 to 6 this lesson is one of a five-part unit that provides teachers with ideas for teaching TV in the elementary classroom. In this lesson, students learn that each television product has unique characteristics that can be critically evaluated.
Sponsor: Media Awareness Network
Contact: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources
Free

Teaching TV: Learning With Television
Aimed at grades 1 to 6 this lesson is one of a five-part unit that provides teachers with ideas for teaching TV in the elementary classroom. In this lesson, students learn about television as a source of information, and how this information is presented from a particular point of view.
Sponsor: Media Awareness Network
Contact: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/
Free

You Can't Judge a Book by It's Cover
The objective of this activity is to have students learn that how something is packaged is not necessarily the way it really is. It is very important for children of this age to know whom to trust and how to receive the real, accurate message regarding something they are going to do, buy, or support. Learning to question the truth of messages sent to children this age can often be a first step to understanding that questioning first is better than wishing you had questioned after action was taken.
Sponsor: American Council for Drug Education
Contact: http://www.acde.org/educate/k3plan1.htm
Free

Additional Instructional Resources  

• Consumer Product Safety Commission's Kidd Safety - http://www.education-world.com/parents/health/safety.shtml
• CyberBee - http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/MMStocs/MMScybertoc.html
• Fact Monster - http://www.factmonster.com
• Healthfinder – http://www.healthfinder.gov
• Internet Detectives - http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives
• KidsClick - http://www.kidsclick.org/
• Yahooligans! The Web Guide for Kids - http://yahooligans.com

Assessment Ideas

The student will identify and access 10 sources of information designed to improve personal and family health.

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