Critical Analysis of Health Websites

Lesson Plan for the following subject areas: Physical and Health Education and Biological Sciences

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

The purpose of this lesson is to educate students in senior years physical education and biological sciences about how to
search for credible information about health issues from credible web sources. With the abundance of “health”
information and explosion of social media applications this lesson can be applied to clusters within the physical
education framework and biological sciences respectively. The lesson will also explain how to appropriately use and give
credit to information being used from such web resources.

EDUCATION STANDARDS
1. Physical Education
2. Biological Science Grade 11

Grade Level Outcomes

Grade 9/10 GLO 5 Healthy Lifestyle Practices:

The student will demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions for
healthy living related to personal health practices, active living, healthy
nutritional practices, substance use and abuse, and human sexuality.

Specific Learning Objectives:

K.5.S1.D.1 Explain the meaning

of addiction (i.e., gambling) and substance dependence
(e.g., alcoholism, nicotine, street drugs...), and the possible effects on self
and/or others

K.5.S1.D.2 Examine the use and abuse of substances

(e.g., caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, other stimulants and
depressants, inhalants, hallucinogens, street drugs...)
and potential consequences on personal health and well-being (e.g., cause
behavioral changes; create social problems; cause fetal alcohol syndrome
and/or fetal alcohol effects; cause reactions to drug interactions; affect self-
esteem; has medical
implications; may result in dependency or addictions; may affect financial
status; create ethical concerns; can cause body harm or death in case of a
drug overdose; may increase sexual activity; may cure or
provide relief for patient...)
Biology GLO: Nature of Science and Technology
Grade 11- A2 Recognize that scientific knowledge is based on evidence, models, and
Nutrition explanations, and evolves as new evidence appears and new
Unit conceptualizations develop

Specific Learning Outcome:

B11-2-11:
 Investigate and describe conditions/disorders that affect the digestive
process.
(GLOs: B3, C6, D1)
B11-2-12:
Use the decision-making process to investigate an issue related to digestion
and nutrition. (GLOs: B3, C4, C5, C8)

OBJECTIVES
1. To provide learners with the tools required to critically analyze web information online
2. To provide reading material to students so they can improve their own health literacy while observing what
information is credible and cited with academic rigor.
3. To demonstrate to learners how to retrieve and cite information appropriately in their research

MATERIALS NEEDED
1. Students will require a computer with Internet Access, or a phone with internet access. If they do not have
access to one, they are permitted to share devices but the product must be their own in the end project.
2. The instructor will have materials provided to the student to guide them through this learning process.

ACTIVATION
Describe activity that will reinforce the lesson

The activation activity will include a small segment that aired on CBC episode of the Investigators and features Dr. Brian
Goldman who will discuss fake health news. The internet and lack of regulation in relation to “health” information on it
has created an information overload for students. This small activator will attempt to shed light on just how bad this
situation is:

CBC Media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn7ZTTQIR9k

From the Investigators: https://gem.cbc.ca/media/the-investigators/season-2/episode-12/38e815a-00d708759d8

https://www.informedhealthchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/IHC-V3-Childrens-Book-and-Cover-
Des2016_lowres.pdf

AQUIRING
I will lead the students into a presentation entitled “Research Right”. The presentation will feature an article I have
obtained from CBC News’s Dr. Brian Goldman with the same title and an article from National Public Radio (NPR)
Entitled “Why a Journalist Scammed The Media Into Spreading Bad Chocolate Science”

Research
Right
A Lesson Plan for Teaching Research Skills
to Students

CBC News Article: Why Fake News is Bad For Your Health

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/why-fake-news-is-bad-for-your-health-1.4423628/how-a-canadian-doctor-s-study-
on-dandelion-tea-became-fake-news-fodder-1.4427348

National Public Radio Article: Why a Journalist Scammed the Media Into Spreading Bad Chocolate Science

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/05/28/410313446/why-a-journalist-scammed-the-media-into-spreading-
bad-chocolate-science

I will be using an inquiry-based approach and be asking the students the following questions:

1) If someone gave you a substance that could help you study that was not labelled would you take it? Why or Why not?

2) What could be some harmful side effects of taking substances you don’t know about?

3) If you knew what the substance was how could you find out more about it?

4) Where would you search for information about the substance online?

5) What websites do you use and why?

In a similar manner student will have to employ the concepts of basic research which include:
Digital Resources for Students to Begin Research on Projects:

APPLICATION

Students will be given one of the following topics in physical education grade 10 curriculum:

1) Canada’s New Food Guide

2) Cardiovascular Disease

3) Moderate to Severe Depressive Disorder

4) Treatment Resistant Sexually Transmitted Infection

5) Type II Diabetes

6) Social Anxiety Disorder

7) Crohns Disease

Or any other topic students may be interested in related to the Specific Learning Objectives you have indicated within
your subject area.

Students can either (It is always good to give the students some choice and experiment with new technologies):

1) Create a presentation in prezi or Microsoft Powerpoint and present the important information that is
indicated in the rubric of assessment to the class. (Images Courtesy of Prezi and Microsoft Corporation)

2) Students can also use genialy which is a new interactive tool to create a presentation. (Image
Courtesy of Genially)
The students will be using the following model for creation of the project:

1) What disease are you researching?

2) How does the disease/condition manifest within the body?
3) What organ systems does the disease impact?
4) Are there any treatments for the disease or any ways to prevent the disease?
5) What are the impacts of environmental factors such as nutrition or physical activity on the disease/condition?
6) Where is the disease found most prevalent?
7) Is there any new technology that may help treat the disease or condition?

ASSESSMENT
Oral Presentations will be assessed through use of the following rubric created by rubistar rubric tool.

I have also created a small form for assessment that will only count towards pass or complete marks:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=tPW4LR3H40G0JhumjpGF87r8yzzoTGFKsk7RM8Qxrw5UNzlHVlJ
TUFhQMFVUNFdRUU9QTUczRFRSUy4u (Image Courtesy Microsoft Corporation)
And

In Groups of two go into flipgrid.com and use code flipgrid.com/kasbia3297. Students will then create
a small video indicating what their favorite class presentation was and why? (Image Courtesy Flipgrid)

References:

Manitoba Education (2019). Grade 9/10: Manitoba Physical Education Framework. Accessed on October 28, 2019 from
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/physhlth/frame_found_gr10/

Government of Manitoba (2018): Grade 11 Manitoba Physical Education Framework Accessed on October 28, 2019 from
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/physhlth/frame_found_gr11/appendix_c.pdf

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News Article (2017): Why Fake News is Bad for Your Health

Accessed on October 28, 2019 from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/why-fake-news-is-bad-for-your-health-

1.4423628/how-a-canadian-doctor-s-study-on-dandelion-tea-became-fake-news-fodder-1.4427348

National Public Radio Article (2018): Why a Journalist Scammed the Media Into Spreading Bad Chocolate Science.
Accessed on October 28, 2019 from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/05/28/410313446/why-a-journalist-
scammed-the-media-into-spreading-bad-chocolate-science