Health Smart Virginia Sample Lesson PlanGrade 8 – Unit 2
Grade 8 Sample Lesson Plan:
Unit 2 – Communicable Diseases
SOLs
8.1.C Examine the health risks caused by food contaminants.
8.1.G Analyze the risk factors associated with communicable and non-
communicable disease.
Objectives/Goals
Students will learn about communicable diseases and analyze the different risk
factors associated with communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Materials
Internet access
Optional: Videos that provide an overview of communicable diseases
Procedure
Provide students with an overview of communicable diseases and the pathogens
that cause them. Communicable diseases are diseases spread from one person to
another through a variety of ways that include: contact with blood and bodily
fluids; breathing in an airborne virus; or by being bitten by an insect. Some
examples of the communicable diseases include the flu, pinkeye, the Zika Virus,
Hepatitis, measles, and salmonella and other food borne illnesses.
o Ask students to name other types of diseases that are communicable,
including recent diseases of national concern (e.g., HINI flu, Zika, Ebola,
Meningitis, MRSA, Mono).
Share with students that the manner in which these diseases spread depends on
the specific disease or infectious agent and that some diseases have multiple
methods of transmission (e.g., Zika). Some ways in which common and emerging
communicable diseases spread are by:
o physical contact with an infected person, such as through touch
(staphylococcus), sexual intercourse (gonorrhea, HIV), fecal/oral
transmission (hepatitis A), or droplets (influenza, TB)
Health Smart Virginia Sample Lesson PlanGrade 8 – Unit 2
o contact with a contaminated surface or object (Norwalk virus), food
(salmonella, E. coli), blood (HIV, hepatitis B, Zika), or water
(cholera);
o bites from insects or animals capable of transmitting the
disease (mosquito: malaria, Zika, and yellow fever; flea:
plague); and
o travel through the air, such as tuberculosis or measles.
The risk factors above can be reduced through prevention.
o Ask students, whether the transmission of diseases can be prevented? Ask
them to share ways of preventing communicable diseases. Add and discuss
methods from the list below that students don’t mention.
The primary ways of preventing communicable diseases including:
o frequent handwashing
o safe food preparation and handling
o cleaning and disinfection of commonly used surfaces (e.g., kitchen,
bathroom),
o coughing and sneezing into your sleeve,
o not sharing personal items (e.g., toothbrushes and razors, sharing towels,
needles);
o getting vaccinated;
o avoiding touching wild animals,
o eliminate standing water, use of pesticides, insect repellant
o staying home when sick;
o practices to prevent STDs (including Zika)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides instructions for 6
activity- based lessons on infectious diseases at CDC- BAM! Body and Mind-
Infectious Disease Epidemiology- Teacher’s Corner-Activities: including a
Handwashing Activity and Poisoned Picnic – an activity to identify the cause of a
disease outbreak.
An online lesson plan for 5-8 hours of instruction on communicable diseases
including the following template for a student project to develop a PSA is
available at this site: Communicating About Communicable Diseases!
Have students review videos and discuss the risk factors for communicable
versus non- communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cances
(e.g., Florida PASS Program videos: Is it Communicable or Non-Communicable?,
Preventing Communicable Disease, and Preventing Non Communicable
Diseases
o How are the risk factors different? What are the implications of the
different risk factors for prevention?
Assessment Idea
Evaluate student participation in discussion and activities
Health Smart Virginia Sample Lesson PlanGrade 8 – Unit 2
Develop a comparison worksheet on risk factors and prevention of communicable
and non-communicable diseases.
References
American Public Health Association
Alameda County Public Health Department
http://www.acphd.org/communicable- disease.aspx
Virginia Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
o Food born Germs
o Diseases
o Habits
Lessons:
Communicable Disease Lesson Plan
Communicating About Communicable Diseases!
CDC- BAM! Body and Mind- Infectious Disease Epidemiology- Teacher’s Corner-
Activities
Kids Health Food Safety Teacher’s Guide Grades 6-8
PE Central Communicable or Non Communicable Disease Lesson Plan
PE Central AIDS Fact Quilt
Preventing Communicable and Non Communicable Diseases
YouTube Videos:
Is it Communicable or Non-Communicable?
Preventing Communicable Disease
Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases
