Lesson Plans : Research Methods
The Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
This peer-reviewed lesson was published in Science Scope in March 2015. Science Scope is the peer-reviewed journal for middle school science teachers. Our lesson presents authentic data that helped scientists discover the field of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD). This lesson has been reviewed by scientists and teachers to introduce the concepts at a middle school level. Materials for this lesson are found at the bottom of this page. Estimated Lesson Duration: 55 minutes (can be extended to a multi-day lesson if desired) Overview: In this jigsaw activity, students analyze five authentic data sets to explore some of the same patterns…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Protected: Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease Supplemental Materials
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
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Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Science Inquiry Using Humans and the Ethical Considerations
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Three – 15-25 minute lessons Overview: Students will develop a question and hypothesis based on their interpretation of one of the Let’s Get Healthy! graphs. Then they will design a hypothetical experiment to test their hypothesis. Following this, students will share their experiments and discuss the ethical implications of each. Once the ethical issues have been identified, students working in a small groups will chose one experiment and design an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to further explore and resolve ethical implications. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Question, hypothesis, interpretation, institutional Review Board, ethics, human research, data…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Health, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Fair Preparation, Research Methods
Correlation/ Cause and Effect – Sharks vs Ice Cream
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 45 minutes Overview: Is there a connection between shark attacks and ice cream sales? Knowing and recording information is important, but making correct conclusions is the key to meaningful knowledge and accurate understanding. Students will use graphs and data from the “Let’s Get Healthy” fair to identify comparative strengths of correlations and how correlations correspond to cause and effect. They will identify graphs depicting comparative strengths, analyze data from the “Let’s Get Healthy” fair, and determine correlations don’t always show a cause and effect. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Objectives • Students will identify graph depicting comparative…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Research Methods, Using Data
Traffic Light Meal and Activity Plans – Red, Yellow and Green choices
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 45 min Overview: Students can use these quick and easy scoring guides to estimate their diet and physical activity (one page each) before or after the Let’s Get Healthy! fair. Serves as an extension activity to get students thinking about their health and answering survey questions. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Not all foods and activities are created equal! Standards: National Health Education Standards (NHES) Grades 6-8 • 8.1 Analyze the relationship between healthy behaviors and personal health. • 1.8.6 Explain how appropriate health care can promote personal health. • 1.8.7 Describe the benefits of…
Grade Levels: Elementary, High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Physical Education
Key Concepts: Fair Preparation, Healthy Choices, Research Methods
Healthy Habits- Pre-activity for Let’s Get Healthy! fair
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 20-40 min Overview: This pre-fair activity helps students orient to what to expect at the fair. The lesson consists of a power point showing the students what to expect at the Let’s Get Healthy! fair, notes embedded in the powerpoint to give the teacher some background on the various stations, a worksheet for the students to fill out during the power point, and worksheet for them to summarize what they learned at the Let’s Get Healthy! fair. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: To prepare students for the Let’s Get Healthy! fair so they can gain…
Grade Levels: Elementary, High School, Middle School
Subjects: Art, Health, Language Arts, Math, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, Statistics, Technology
Key Concepts: Fair Preparation, Research Methods
Physical activity – How healthy are you?
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Five 45 minute lessons Overview: Students will analyze their own physical activity level, present their data, and compare it to the suggested activity level for adolescents. This lesson is a unit consisting of five smaller lessons. It can be used for physical education or health classes or as part of math, statistics or science classes related to how to collect data and administer surveys. Lesson 1: Gathering information – taking an activity survey Lesson 2: What the Experts Say – Wed-based article review in a “Jigsaw” fashion Lesson 3: Making data make sense – creating an organized…
Grade Levels: Elementary, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Math, Physical Education, Science, Statistics
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Fair Preparation, Healthy Choices, Research Methods, Using Data
Graph Literacy
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Three stand-alone lessons, each one class period Overview: This lesson includes three graphing lessons that can be taught independently or as a unit to help students analyze and explain graphs. Includes lessons on 1) using graphs to infer relationships between variables; 2) common mistakes and intentional distortions in graphs; and 3) interpreting a graph and writing a narrative summary. The lessons are intended to help students analyze and explain graphs and are not intended to help students make their own graphs. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: How to read and explain a line graph, pie…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Math, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Research Methods, Using Data
