Climate change and human health
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how climate change affects human health and the spread of diseases.
Key learning points
- Human health is affected by nutrition, fresh water availability, pathogens, and environmental conditions
- Climate change affects fresh water availability and the growth of crops
- Heat-related ill health, malnutrition and communicable diseases are becoming more common as a result of climate change
- The spread and prevalence of diseases are influenced by climate
- Communicable diseases (e.g. malaria) may spread more easily and into new geographical areas due to climate change
Keywords
Pathogen - a virus, bacterium or other microorganism that causes disease
Malnutrition - the lack of proper nutrition due to not having a balanced diet
Climate change - a long-term shift in weather patterns
Prevalence - how widespread something is, especially a disease or pathogen
Common misconception
Thinking that climate change affects the weather, but not human health.
This lesson explores direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health.
Teacher tip
Task B can be done as a physical card sort activity by providing pupils with printed word cards to build a concept map.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which is the correct scientific word for 'germ'?
Q2.Which of the following are types of pathogens?
Q3.A healthy diet should contain which of the following?
Q4.Medicines called __________ can be used to treat diseases caused by bacteria.
Q5.Put these statements in the correct order to show one way that climate change occurs.
Q6.Match these human diseases to the type of pathogen that causes them.
bacterium
virus
fungus
protist
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Kwashiorkor is an example of a disease caused by malnutrition. Which food group must you be lacking to develop this disease?
Q2.Clean freshwater is important for which functions?
Q3.Match the cause with its effect
Freshwater supplies disrupted
Malnutrition and famine
Diseases spread to new geographical areas
Increase in disease incidence
Q4.Where in the world is ash dieback most prevalent?
Q5.Extended periods of extremely high temperatures causes dehydration which can lead to __________, especially in the very young or very old.
Q6.Which options explain why malaria cases are being found in new locations in Africa?
To help you plan your 10 combined science lesson on: Climate change and human health, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 combined science lesson on: Climate change and human health, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 combined science lessons from the Health and disease unit, dive into the full secondary combined science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.