NPHW Teacher Lesson Plans

The following lesson plans are outlines for teachers to use during National Public Health Week. Grade levels are listed as suggestions, but activities may be tailored to fit individual classrooms and abilities. Visit the Kids Corner for more games and activities.

Kindergarten/Grade 1: Disaster Preparedness “Show and Tell”
After explaining the concept of disaster preparedness, instruct each student to bring in one item that could be included in an emergency kit. Give each student one minute to present their item to the class and explain why they brought it and how it could be used in an emergency. After the “show and tell” presentations, discuss what each of the items mean and ask students to create a list of these items to construct kits at home.

Older Elementary School: Constructing Kits and Preparing Plans
Ask students to think about similar issues as above, but this time, they must determine what they think would be the necessary items of an emergency kit. Give them a few minutes to brainstorm, and then provide additional time for discussion and questions. As homework or extra credit activities, ask each student to construct his or her own evacuation plan for home. They may draw an example of their room with a diagram for how to exit in an emergency, a family meeting place, etc.

Middle School: Asking ‘What If?’
Encourage students to think of various emergency scenarios. What would students do if they were unable to go home? What if a disaster occurred and their parents or guardians were not home? What if telephone lines were down? Do students have an alternate plan to contact their families? Instruct each student to assemble an emergency kit and evacuation plan at their homes and explain the importance in either a skit or a short essay. Classmates may comment on what worked and what did not work to ensure that everyone understands and is involved.

Junior High School: Individual and Environment Awareness
As a class, perform research on the different types of evacuation plans that your local town should have in place or on the special needs of vulnerable populations. Students can separate into groups and report on different types of disasters, such as a hurricane or flood, or different vulnerable populations, such as individuals with chronic healthcare needs like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer or asthma. Groups may present their conclusions about preparation for an emergency using visual aids or skits. Allow the audience to make comments about other information they think would be useful.

High School: What Was, What Can Be
Students may research particular natural disasters in history and comment on how today’s standards for emergency preparedness would have affected those outcomes. Students can create customized emergency plans for vulnerable populations such as, mothers with children, local food banks, schools K-12, hourly wage-workers and individuals with chronic needs.

For All Grade Levels:

Contact Cards (Download PDF)
Download the emergency contact card or allow students to use their own design to create a contact card. Each student may fill out the information at home with the parents or guardian as part of an assignment or extra credit.

Class Buddies
Combine one group of older students with younger students in the same school. Assign each student a “buddy” and instruct older children to explain the value of disaster preparedness, including a discussion on how they can help prepare themselves and their families for an emergency. Perhaps, allow older buddies to share their own evacuation plans or draw up new ones with their younger buddies.

Health and Nutrition Awareness
During health class, present an example of how to stay healthy and fulfill dietary needs during an emergency. Possible topics include: packing a minimum 3-day supply of non-perishable, healthy food items; remembering insulin or glucose tablets for diabetic children; keeping extra medication for children with asthma, allergies or other special needs; and the importance of educating all members of the household about where to find these items. Other habits may be reinforced, such as reminding students that coughing or sneezing into their sleeves is preferable if they cannot use a tissue.

Guest Speaker
Invite a guest speaker to discuss the ramifications of disasters and your town’s essential needs. Speakers could include public works officials, police officers, firemen, and water, gas or electric company representatives. Each spokesperson could discuss the impact of various disasters on the delivery of essential services.

Choose Your Own Adventure Story
Either as a class or individually, construct a choose-your-own-adventure story that follows a character in a disaster. Different choices could involve where to take shelter, who to call, which supplies to pack and how to prepare. If constructed individually, each student could be responsible for a different choice or ending. When completed, allow students to read the book and test their preparedness skills.