Coughs, colds and flu
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe symptoms of common coughs, colds and flu, how to treat myself at home, and when to seek medical help.
Key learning points
- Common symptoms of coughs include a dry or productive cough.
- Cold symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sore throat and sneezing.
- Flu symptoms are more severe and include fever, body aches and fatigue.
- Home treatments include rest, hydration and over-the-counter medications.
- Seek medical help if symptoms worsen or do not improve after a few days.
Keywords
Cold - a common viral infection of the nose and throat, causing symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat
Flu - a more severe viral infection than a cold, causing fever, body aches and fatigue
Hydration - maintaining an adequate amount of water in the body to support its functions
Over-the-counter medicines - medicines available without a prescription to relieve symptoms of common illnesses
Common misconception
Antibiotics are needed for all coughs, colds and flu.
Antibiotics are not effective against viruses. Most coughs, colds and flu are caused by viruses and do not require antibiotics.
Teacher tip
Making reference to any school policies on illness and when pupils shouldn't come in, for example, for 48 hours after vomiting, would be useful here.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Good levels of hydration are important because ...
Q2.What is the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day for young people?
Q3.Which of the following habits is best for maintaining general good health?
Q4.A _________ is a healthcare professional who specialises in preparing, dispensing and advising on medications.
Q5.Match the words to their correct definitions.
practices that help maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases
a tiny infectious agent that replicates inside living cells
the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health
a physical or mental feature that indicates a condition or disease
Q6.Even if you have the same symptoms as someone, you should not use their prescription medication because ...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the words to their correct definitions.
a common viral infection of the nose and throat
a more severe viral infection than a cold
maintaining an adequate amount of water in the body
medicines available without a prescription
Q2.Antibiotics are not always useful to treat a cold, cough or the flu because ...
Q3.The flu can be more serious for someone who ...
Q4.Match the illness to the correct symptoms.
a sense of pressure in your ears and face from mucus build up
a dry, tickly feeling in your throat
high temperature that comes on very quickly
Q5.Ways to help treat a cold at home include ...
Q6.Complete the sentence: A drink of _____ and _____ water can help to ease a sore throat.
To help you plan your 8 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Coughs, colds and flu, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Coughs, colds and flu, 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 3 RSHE (PSHE) lessons from the Staying safe and healthy: What do I need to know about minor ailments? unit, dive into the full secondary RSHE (PSHE) curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.