New
New
Lesson 9 of 9
  • Year 10
  • Edexcel
  • Higher

Climate change and human health

I can explain how climate change affects human health and the spread of diseases.

Lesson 9 of 9
New
New
  • Year 10
  • Edexcel
  • Higher

Climate change and human health

I can explain how climate change affects human health and the spread of diseases.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Human health is affected by nutrition, fresh water availability, pathogens, and environmental conditions
  2. Climate change affects fresh water availability and the growth of crops
  3. Heat-related ill health, malnutrition and communicable diseases are becoming more common as a result of climate change
  4. The spread and prevalence of diseases are influenced by climate
  5. 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.


To help you plan your year 10 combined science lesson on: Climate change and human health, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Task B can be done as a physical card sort activity by providing pupils with printed word cards to build a concept map.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which is the correct scientific word for 'germ'?

disease
illness
Correct answer: pathogen
communicable

Q2.
Which of the following are types of pathogens?

Correct answer: bacteria
Correct answer: viruses
pollen
genes
Correct answer: protists

Q3.
A healthy diet should contain which of the following?

Correct answer: protein
ultra-processed foods
Correct answer: carbohydrates
fizzy drinks
Correct answer: fruits and vegetables

Q4.
Medicines called __________ can be used to treat diseases caused by bacteria.

Correct Answer: antibiotics, anti biotics

Q5.
Put these statements in the correct order to show one way that climate change occurs.

1 - Fossil fuels are burnt.
2 - Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere.
3 - The greenhouse effect is increased.
4 - Climate change occurs.
5 - Weather becomes more unpredictable.

Q6.
Match these human diseases to the type of pathogen that causes them.

Correct Answer:tuberculosis,bacterium

bacterium

Correct Answer:HIV,virus

virus

Correct Answer:ringworm,fungus

fungus

Correct Answer:malaria,protist

protist

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Kwashiorkor is an example of a disease caused by malnutrition. Which food group must you be lacking to develop this disease?

Carbohydrates
Correct answer: Proteins
Fats
Calcium

Q2.
Clean freshwater is important for which functions?

Correct answer: Cooking
Correct answer: Maintaining health
Correct answer: Growing crops
Dehydration
Spreading disease

Q3.
Match the cause with its effect

Correct Answer:High winds and rain,Freshwater supplies disrupted

Freshwater supplies disrupted

Correct Answer:Reduced crop yield,Malnutrition and famine

Malnutrition and famine

Correct Answer:Increase in average temperatures,Diseases spread to new geographical areas

Diseases spread to new geographical areas

Correct Answer:Spread of pathogens,Increase in disease incidence

Increase in disease incidence

Q4.
Where in the world is ash dieback most prevalent?

South America
Correct answer: UK and north Europe
Middle East
Southern Africa

Q5.
Extended periods of extremely high temperatures causes dehydration which can lead to __________, especially in the very young or very old.

Correct Answer: hyperthermia, hypertherm

Q6.
Which options explain why malaria cases are being found in new locations in Africa?

Correct answer: The human population has low natural immunity to malaria.
Climate change is making these areas wetter and windier.
Correct answer: Mosquitos are better able to survive in hotter and more humid conditions.
There are no treatments available for malaria.