Promoting Health and Innovation in the Classroom

Making STEM relevant to students is one of the first steps of fostering true engagement. As National Health Education Week is observed during the third week of October, educators are finding inspiration to bring into their lesson plans. Read on to pick up new strategies to promote health in the classroom, incorporate engaging career exploration and spark an interest in health industry innovations.

Promoting Health Education

Health education can transform the way kids understand the relevance of science and other STEM subjects. Consider following a theme for your class to explore.

Health Literacy

A practice in critical thinking, health literacy gives students the ability to make informed decisions about their health over their lifetime. By asking a broad question about well-being, students can start to categorize different areas of wellness and identify which practices best can support their overall health.

Nutrition

Everyone loves a delicious snack! When you provide grade-level lessons about nutrition and healthy eating, your students can begin to explore the systems in the body, sparking an early interest in biology and health sciences.

Consider starting a classroom herb garden or bringing in fresh produce to simulate a farmer’s market! As your class discovers how delicious fruits and vegetables support their health, they’ll be sure to keep spreading the word about nutrition.

Physical Activity

Ask your students to check their pulse. Next, ask them to do 10 jumping jacks before checking it again. This can open conversations about the benefits of physical activity and heart health, and leave room for discussions about their favorite activities or sports.

Encouraging Career Exploration

The importance of early career exploration is vital for children. Explaining the versatility of STEM careers can also majorly influence your students’ academic trajectory. By spreading awareness, sparking interests in health professions and examining their impact, you’ll ensure your students go home ready to discuss their new role models at the dinner table. Here are just a few great examples to get you started:

Patricia Bath, Ophthalmologist

National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Inductee Patricia Bath invented laserphaco cataract surgery, a new device and technique to remove cataracts. She also introduced a new field, community ophthalmology, which combined public health, community medicine, and clinical and daycare programs to test vision and screen for threatening eye conditions, and she co-founded the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.

Gertrude Belle Elion, Biochemist and Pharmacologist

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Gertrude Belle Elion invented some of the most important lifesaving drugs of the 20th century, including the leukemia-fighting drug 6-mercaptopurine and drugs that facilitated kidney transplants.

Alfred H. Free, Chemist and Helen M. Free, Chemist and Educator

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Helen Free was a pioneer in diagnostic chemistry. Alongside husband and fellow chemist Alfred Free, their lifesaving research in medical and clinical urinary testing led to convenient dip-and-read urine tests including Clinistix^®, which aids diabetes monitoring by detecting glucose.

Barney Graham, Immunologist and Virologist, and Jason McLellan, Structural Biologist

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees Barney Graham and Jason McLellan are the dynamic team that invented structure-based vaccine design. Their design stabilizes and modifies surface proteins of viruses and was applied to the development of COVID-19 and RSV vaccines.

By introducing the faces and careers behind some of the most instrumental health innovations, you can meet your students’ curiosity with an opportunity to explore STEM, demonstrating how they can use it to make the world a better place.

Keep Innovating

Do you love to keep things fresh each school year? Innovative teachers like you are empowering the next generation of creative problem solvers. Keep exploring our blog for more ideas to incorporate into your classroom!