environmental health 101

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Lesson 1: Environmental Health 101

Snapshot

This lesson introduces the broad concept of environmental health and why children may be particularly at risk from environmental health hazards by focusing on the differences between adults and children. These differences will be highlighted by examining the four things that all living beings need in order to survive (air, water, food, and shelter).

Preparation and Materials:

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Posters 1–3, Visual Cards 1–6, Take-Home Talk

Flip chart and markers

Black or white board

Large sheets of paper for each child to make a poster

Markers or crayons

Objectives—Students will be able to:

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define environment and environmental health;

list the four things that all living beings need;

understand why children are often more at risk from environmental health hazards; and

understand that their actions can help to create a healthier environment for themselves and for everyone around them.

Vocabulary: environment, living beings, health, and impact

Procedure:

1. Introduction—The Earth and Our Club: A Comparison (5 minutes)

2. Define Vocabulary—Environment, Living Beings, Health, and Impact (5 minutes)

3. Stayin’ Alive—Air, Water, Food, and Shelter (10 minutes)

4. The Big Four Search Activity (10–15 minutes)Optional Activity: The Big Four Poster Creation (10–15 minutes)

5. Close and Take-Home Talk (10 minutes)

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Children’s Health Protection

EPA-100-K-13-002April 2013

www.epa.gov


1. Introduction: The Earth and Our Club: A Comparison (5 minutes)

DoAsk

[Show Poster #1 (Earth).]PassitaroundandaskwhattheclassknowsabouttheEarth.

Prompts:WhatistheEarthmadeof?Whousesit?Howisitused?Howdoyoutakecareofit?Whathappensifit’snottakencareof?

DoAsk

[Show Poster #2 (Building).]Passitaroundandasktheclasstothinkaboutthebuildingthattheyareinnow.Whatdotheyknowaboutthebuilding?

Prompts:Whatisitmadeit?Whousesit?Howisitused?Howdoyoutakecareofit?Whathappensifit’snottakencareof?

TheEarthandthebuildingthattheclassissittinginarealike.Whatdotheyhaveincommon?

Prompts:Peopleusethemboth.PeopleusetheresourcesoftheEarthandtheresourcesofthebuildingweareintoday.BoththeEarthandthisbuildingcangetdirtyandneedtobecleaned.Theybothneedtobecaredfor(cleaned/notpolluted)inveryspecificways.Therearelotsofpeopleinsomeareasandnotalotinothers—somelocationsandactivitiesareinhigherdemandthanothers.


Poster #1

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Children’s Health ProtectionEPA-100-K-13-002www.epa.govApril 2013

Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer waste using vegetable-based inks.

http://www.epa.gov


Poster #2



http://www.epa.gov


2. Define Vocabulary: Environment, Living Beings, Health, and Impact (5 minutes)

Todaywe’regoingtotalkabouthowourEarth,ourcity,ourcommunityspaces,ourschools,andourhomesareallconnectedandimpacteachother.

Whenyouhearthewordenvironment,whatcomestomind?Whatdoesthewordenvironmentmakeyouthinkof?

Prompts:Doyouthinkaboutbasketballsoranimals?Icecreamorwater?MountainsorTVs?

Whenwehearthewordenvironment,weoftenthinkaboutnature,right?Thingsthatareoutdoors—plants,animals,wind,rain,water,sun,anddifferenttypesofland—forestsanddesserts,mountainsandjungles,rainforestsandfields.Well,theenvironmentisallofthesethingsandalotmore—environmentmeanseverythingthataffectsthelife,development,andsurvivaloflivingthings.

Wehearthewordpollutionconnectedtotheenvironmentsometimes.Whatispollution?

Pollutioniswhenourair,water,orfoodhasthingsinitthatarenotgoodforus.Pollutionmightbepoisonouschemicalsorotherthingsthatmakeussick(suchaswhenwedrinkfromariverorstream).Thewatermaylookclean,buttherecouldbedangerouschemicalsinthewater.Whenitrainsandtrashanddebrispooltogetherintheroaditendsupgoingdownthestormdrainandflowingintothestreamsandlakesthatweuseforourdrinkingwater.Andthistrashanddebriscancontaminateit.Wecallthisrainwater runoff.There’salsorunofffromfarmscontainpesticides,andrunofffromhomesandresidentialareassuchasmallsthatusechemicalstotreatlawnsandgardens,orparasitesandmicrobesfromanimals.Whenwebreathe,drink,oreatsomethingthatispollutedorcontaminatedwithsomethingthatisnothealthyforus,scientistsdescribethatasbeingexposedtoanenvironmentalhazard.

Now,canyounamesomelivingthings?[Encourage a lot of answers.]Allofthesethingsthatyounamedarelivingthingsandallofthemareimpactedbytheenvironmentaroundthem.


3. Stayin’ Alive: Air, Water, Food, and Shelter (10 minutes)

DoExplain

Iftheenvironmentiseverythingthataffectsalivingthingandhelpsthatlivingbeingsurvive,weneedtofigureoutwhatweneedinordertosurvive.[Pass out Visual Cards #1–6 to six students and ask them to represent that living thing—for each of the four necessary things, ask the student if it applies to the living thing on his or her card (e.g., What do frogs eat to stay alive? Do bees have shelters? Do whales need air?).]

DoAsk

[Take a deep exaggerated breath.]WhatamIdoing?Breathing!Weneedairtostayalive.

Whobreathesmoreair,achildoranadult?

Childrenbreathemoreairthenadultsbecausetheybreathemorerapidly.

Whatdidyoudoatlunchtime?Eatanddrink!Weneedfoodandwatertostayalive.

Whoeatsanddrinksmore,adultsorchildren?

DoExplain Adultsmighteatmorefood,butchildreneatanddrinkmoreinrelationtotheirbody

weightthanadults.Ifababydrinksabottleofwaterandanadultdrinksthesameamountofwater,thewatertakesupamuchgreaterpercentageofthebaby’stotalweightthantheadult’s.[Show Poster #3 (Graphic of Baby and Adult).]

That’sabigdifferenceisn’tit?Howelsearethebodiesofadultsandchildrenorbabiesdifferent?

Prompts:Thinkaboutthechangesthatakidgoesthroughbetweenages2and7.

(continued on other side)

3. Stayin’ Alive (continued – page 2)

Alothappenstoakidinthe5yearsbetweenages2and7!Thetoddlergrowstaller,learnstonsofnewwords,goesfromwalkingjustalittletorunningandplayinggames.Andthosearejustthethingsthatwecansee.Inside,hisorherorgansandbonesaregrowingandchanging;thetoddler’sbrainchangesasheorshecontinuestolearn.

Nowthinkaboutanadultwhomaturesfromages30to35.Doesanadultgrowduringthis5-yearperiodasmuchasachildgrowsfromages2to7?

Childrendevelopandtheirbodieschangeinwaysthatadultsdon’t.Infact,yourbrainandbodyisdevelopingatafastrateupuntilyou’reinyourtwenties.Somechangesyoucanseeandothersyoucannot.Andremember,theenvironmentincludeseverythingaroundachildasheorshegrows.Ifthereareharmfulchemicalsorpollutionintheenvironment,theywillimpactachild’sdevelopment.

Whenwasthelasttimeyousawanadultplayinginasandbox?Orinthemud?Whoplaysonthegroundmore—adultsorkids?

Children,yourageandyoungerandolder,playoutsideandtheyliveclosertotheground.Theyalsopickstuffupfromthegroundallthetime,whichcanincreasetheirchancesofgettingsickfromtheenvironment.Nowthisdoesn’tmeanthatkidsshouldn’tplayoutside!Itjustmeansthatweneedtobeawareofharmfulthingsaroundussothatweknowhowtoavoidthem.Anditmeansthatweallneedtounderstandthecausesofpollutionandhowwecanhelptopreventthem.

Couldyousurviveandthriveifyoulivedoutsideallthetime?Inwinter?Inthunderstormsduringthesummer?Weneedshelterfromthesethingsinordertolive.Andweneedtothinkaboutthesheltersthatwecreatebecauseinourhomes,schools,orotherplacesthatprovideshelter,therecanbeenvironmentalhazardsthatcanharmus.

Livingthings,likeyouandmeandcatsandinsectsandfishandthePresident,needfourkeythingstostayalive:air,water,food,andshelter.

3. Stayin’ Alive (continued – page 3)

Arethereotherthingsthathelpusstayalive?[Respond to the students’ answers. They will likely give some answers that fall into the categories of air, water, food, and shelter.]Aretheythingsthatweneedorthingsthatwewant?

So,weneedair,water,food,andsheltertostayalive,right?Butwhathappensifwehavewater,butit’sdirty?Orifwehaveair,butit’spolluted?Orifwehavefood,butit’snotnutritious?Orifwehaveshelter,butitmakesusunhealthy?Dowestilllive?

Humanscanadaptalotandwecansurviveintheshortterminenvironmentsthataren’thealthyforusinthelongterm.Wewillspendthenextcoupleofmonthslearninghowwecanmakeourenvironmenthealthier.Andwe’llbefocusingonthefourbigthingsyoudeterminedthatweneedtolivetoday:air,water,food,andshelter.Let’sstartwiththeonewe’restandinginnow—shelter!


Visual Card #1 Frog


Visual Card #2 People


Visual Card #3 Bumble Bees


Visual Card #4 Panda Bears


Visual Card #5 Bald Eagle


Visual Card #6 Orca Whale


Poster #3




4. The Big Four Search Activity (10–15 minutes)

[Take the students on a search to answer the following questions: Where do we see the four things that we need to live right here in our building? Where do we see examples in our area?]

[Keep a running list of all of the items that the class identifies. Start in the space that you’re in and tell the students to start big: bricks, linoleum tiles, glass windows, metal supports, etc. Then go smaller: paint (How many layers? How do you know?), plastic molding, glass bulbs, wires, cables, etc. Smaller still: Open some cabinets; go into other rooms. Remind the students to think about the toddler—what would he or she put in his or her mouth? Encourage the students to get on their hands and knees so that they can see the world as a toddler might. Where does the water come from? Does this building store any food? Where? And how? How does air come into the building and go out?]

Allofthesethingsthatyouidentifiedarepartofourenvironment—weareincontactwiththemeveryday.Thisshelterhelpsussurviveandthrive,butweusuallydon’tstoptothinkaboutitandthethingsinsideofitthatweuseeveryday.Justliketheairwebreathe,thewaterwedrink,andthefoodweeat,weneedtostopandaskiftheplaceswhereweliveandplayandlearnarehealthyforusand,ifnot,weneedtoaskhowwecanchangethat.

Optional Activity: The Big Four Poster Creation (10–15 minutes)

Nowthatweknowthefourthingsthatalllivingbeingsneed,let’sspreadtheword!Eachofyou(orinpairs)willmakeaposterthatexplainsthefourthingsweneedtostayalive.Thinkaboutincludingdrawingsofdifferentexamplesofthesefourthings.

[Pass out large sheets of paper and markers or crayons.]


5. Close and Take-Home Talk (10 minutes)

DoExplain

Closeyoureyesandtakeanicedeepbreath.We’vecoveredalottodayandIwanttoreviewit,butfirstlet’stalkaboutfood!

Ifwewanttomakebrownies,whatthingsdoweneed?

Prompts:Whatingredientsdoweneed?Doweneedtoheatthem?Whatwouldhappenifwedidn’tincludechocolate?Orifwedidn’theattheingredients?

Allofthedifferentingredientscometogethertocreatedeliciousbrownies.Wecanthinkaboutourenvironmentinthesameway—weneedcertainingredientsinordertoliveinahealthyway.Openyoureyes.Cansomeoneraiseyourtheirandtellmeoneofthefouringredientsthatweneedtolive?

Makingsurethatourenvironmentishealthy—andhasalloftheingredientsthatweneed—isimportanttoeveryone,butit’sespeciallyimportantthattheenvironmentishealthyforbabiesandkids.Why?

DoExplain Thinkabouthowbigababyisandhowbiganadultis.Ifababydrinksabottleofwater

andanadultdrinksthesameamountofwater,thewatertakesupamuchgreaterpercentageofthebaby’stotalweightthanintheadult.[Show Poster #3 (Graphic of Baby and Adult).]Thisistrueforallofthethingsthatweeatandtheairthatwebreatheaswell.Andlet’sthinkaboutthosebabies;theyaregrowingsofastandtheirbodies—alloftheirorgansandmusclesandtheirbrains—aredeveloping.Iftheydon’tgetthehealthyingredientsthattheyneed,theirgrowthanddevelopmentcansuffer.

(continued on other side)

5. Close and Take-Home Talk (continued – page 2)

Thecoolestpartaboutlearningsomethingnewissharingtheknowledge.Tonight,whenyougethome,Iwantyoutotalkwithyourfamilyaboutthethingsthatwelearnedtoday.Whatwillyoutellthem?Willyoutalkaboutthefourbigthingsthatweallneedinordertolive?Whataretheyagain?[Wait for the students to name them.]Conductasearchofyourshelter,yourhome—whatmaterialscanyouseebylookingclosely?Wheredidthosematerialscomefrom?Howdidtheygetthere?

DoExplain [Pass out Take-Home Talk.]ThisTake-HomeTalkSheethassomethingsthatyoucan

sharewithyourfamily,andsomeactivitiesthatyoucandoathome.Seewhatyoucanaccomplishandwe’lltalkaboutitthenexttimewemeet.We’llbetalkingmoreaboutshelternexttime!

Recipes for Healthy Kids and a Healthy EnvironmentKids Building a Safer and Healthier Community

Take-Home TalkLesson 1: Environmental Health 101

To Share:

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Theenvironmentiseverythingthataffectsalivingthingandhelpsitsurvive.

Alllivingthingsneedair,water,food,andsheltertosurvive.

Kidsandbabiescanbemoreheavilyimpactedbyunhealthyenvironmentsbecausetheirbodiesaregrowinganddevelopingatafasterratethanthatofadults.

To Do and Talk About:

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Alive and Thrive Search!Canyouandyourfamilythinkof20livingbeingsinyourneighborhood?Canyouthinkof100livingbeingsthatyouknow?

So Many Shelters!Whatkindofshelterhasyourfamilyspenttimeinbefore?Apartmentbuildings?Houses?Trailers?Hotels?Motels?Tents?Cabins?Campers?Condos?Whatelse?Whatareyourfavoritestoriesfromtheseplaces?

Get the Straight Scoop!Weallneedfoodtosurviveandluckilytherearelotsofdifferentkindsoffoodandeveryonelikessomethingalittledifferent.Interviewpeopleyouknowtofindoutwhattheirfavoritefoodisandthestrangestthingthattheyhaveevereaten.

Person: __________________ FavoriteFood: _________________ StrangestFood:_________________



To Take Back:

• Whatwasthecoolestthingthatyoulearnedfromtalkingaboutthistopicwithyourfamilyandfriends?

environmental health 101

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