Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Online Environmental Resources for Educators: Health

Mercury Messes with the Environment
Follow Blue the Heron and friends to learn how mercury affects the environment and your health in this activity book.

Lea en español: El Mercurio Causa Problemas para el Medioambiente
Grades: K-5
Type of Resource: Activity Book

Asthma
Asthma and upper respiratory illnesses information from EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

Chemical Safety Resource for Middle School Teachers
In this lesson students will participate in a chemical survey activity regarding the household chemicals and cleaners used in and around their house. They will conduct a simple survey with parental supervision and answer questions about how many and what kind of chemicals they found. Students will also brainstorm on how chemical safety can prevent pollution at home.
Grades: 5-8
Type of resource: Lesson plan

A Citizens Guide to Radon (pdf)
A complete guide to taking action to lower the radon level in your home. It offers strategies for testing and discussions of what steps to take after you have tested, discussions of the risk of radon and radon myths.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Guide

EnviroAtlas: Connecting Ecosystems and Human Health
This engaging lesson plan module introduces students to the connections between ecosystems and human health by using an interactive web-based tool and a hands-on activity.
Grades: 4-12
Type of Resource: Lesson Plans

Health Effects of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke can cause health problems in children and adults. Read about the risks of environmental tobacco smoke and find links to research studies about the issue.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website

Hold the Mold
In this lesson, students will learn about the different kinds of mold and how it grows.
They will conduct an experiment to grow and observe the growth of different kinds of food molds
and understand the health effects of mold and how to recognize and prevent mold growth.
Grades: 5-8
Type of Resource: Lesson plan

Lead Blockers
In this lesson students will learn about the health effects of lead and through a game of tag.  Students will model the process of certain nutrients that can block lead absorption. As part of the activity, students will brainstorm on ways to prevent lead exposure at home.
Grades: K-8
Type of resource: Lesson plan

Lead in Paint, Dust and Soil
Find information about lead hazards and lead poisoning prevention in the home.
Grades: 9-12
Type of resource: Website

Tribal Lead Curriculum
Find practical, on-the-ground, and community-based resources to reduce childhood lead exposure in communities.
Grades: 6-Postsecondary
Type of Resource: Curriculum and outreach materials

Mercury Bioaccumulation Tag
This activity lets students model the processes of mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification in an aquatic food chain. Students will understand the health effects of mercury and demonstrate an understanding of how mercury becomes present in fish.
Grades: 5-8
Type of resource: Lesson plan

Recipes for Health Kids and a Healthy Environment
A nine-lesson program designed to excite kids about environmental health and to empower them to take steps in their everyday lives to improve the environment for their community and reduce environmental risk.
Grades: 4-8
Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

The Ultraviolet Index
Several publications explaining the Ultraviolet Index and steps you can take to minimize the risks from overexposure to the sun's rays. Each is available for reading online and downloading.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Website and database

Water on Tap: What You Need to Know
Where does your drinking water come from? How is it treated? How do you protect it? This is the place to get the answers to these and other drinking-water questions.
Grades: 9-12
Type of Resource: Factsheet/brochure

The following links exit the site

Environmental Health Science Education
Lesson plans and classroom activities for teachers on environmental health science from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Grades: K-12
Type of Resource: Lesson plans, activity guides, factsheets

National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC)
Everything you ever wanted to know about pesticides in one easy location. This cooperative effort between EPA and Oregon State University provides information from EPA, state agencies, academia and Canada, including information for health care providers.
Grades: 9-12

Ready Kids!
Disasters happen everywhere, and every member of the family can prepare. Preparedness for the future starts today.
Grades: All ages
Type of Resource: Website

Sunwise: Sun Safety for Kids and Educators
SunWise Partner Schools sponsor classroom and school-wide activities that raise children's awareness of stratospheric ozone depletion, UV radiation, and simple sun safety practices. The SunWise Toolkit is free to registered schools.
Grades: K-8
Type of Resource: Website and toolkit