Proposed Lesson Plans for UNNATURAL CAUSES

We are currently seeking several curriculum experts to help us develop the following lesson plans. Interested parties should send us a CV, cover letter, and sample curricula. Candidates must have experience with developing curricula for high school audiences, be knowledgeable not only about health inequities and underlying structural conditions but also in related subject areas.

1. 20th Century U.S. History: The Impact of Social Reforms on Health
Grade Level: 10th grade through college sophomore
Subjects: U.S. History, American Studies, Government, Public Policy, Sociology

American life expectancy increased 30 years over the last century. Experts attribute most of this extraordinary gain to social changes (e.g., better sanitation and improved living conditions, the 8-hour workday, prohibitions on child labor, occupational safety, civil rights, unionization) rather than advances in modern medicine and technology. Yet these gains have not been shared equally. During the Civil Rights era, the health gap between racial and socioeconomic groups narrowed; since 1980, it has widened as economic inequality has grown.

At the same time, the U.S. has gone from ranking 5th internationally for health after World War II to 29th for life expectancy and 31st for infant mortality in 2007. Among wealthy countries, we spend more than twice the average of other countries on health, yet have the worst outcomes.

Drawing upon the documentary series, key articles and Web site tools and content, this lesson will explore the impact of various social movements and developments in 20th century U.S. history on health outcomes and help students understand the relationship between social movements, public policy, democracy, and health.

2. Using a Health Equity Lens
Grade Level: 10th grade through college sophomore
Subjects: Media Literacy, Journalism, Criticism, Sociology

Health stories abound in the media, but most reporting focuses on new drugs and research, individuals coping with tragic ailments, and/or advice for individuals. When journalists do shine a spotlight on health disparities, they pay little attention to social determinants and the role of public policies in shaping such outcomes.

This lesson will help students think more critically about the presentation of health issues in the media, analyze news stories for missing voices and perspectives, make connections between local health outcomes and issues of social justice, and understand the need for policy-based solutions.

3. Allocating Resources: Public Health Task Force
Grade Level: 10th grade through college sophomore
Subjects: World Civilization, Social Studies, Government

How can we remedy inequities in health and what are the best uses of public resources? This lesson plan uses a mock crisis and role play to explore the efficacy and limitations of various types of health interventions and examine the roles of government, private business, individuals and community groups in ensuring that citizens have the opportunity to lead healthy lives. Expanding upon the Marshall Islands public health task force activity in the UNNATURAL CAUSES Discussion Guide, this lesson will give students the opportunity to research, interpret, analyze and debate different approaches to population health and learn how to weigh competing interests in the distribution of limited resources.

4. Neighborhood Health: Mapping Who, What, Where, When and Why
Grade Level: 10th grade through college sophomore
Subjects: U.S. History, American Studies, Government, Sociology, Health Education

Numerous studies have documented the ways in which place-based inequities can constrain people’s options for good health. Less well understood is why such inequities exist and how they came to be.

This lesson enables students to understand the historical context and contemporary health consequences of positive and negative neighborhood conditions - including the location and availability of supermarkets, libraries, public transportation, stores, toxic dumps, freeways and billboard advertising - and to learn how decisions about these conditions get made.

Drawing upon online community mapping resources, Google Earth, and census data, students will analyze, and interpret case studies and then apply their skills to researching, understanding and comparing neighborhoods in their own community.