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Spread the Word with PSAs

10–12
Health Education
Three 45-minute class periods

Description: Students explore the impact of disasters on health and information resources about disaster preparedness and safety.

In class 1, students respond to warm-up questions about disaster. Then, they analyze, organize, and create visual summaries of class responses. Students gain understanding of their similar and different perspectives on disasters. They also make observations on the short- and long-term health impact of Hurricane Katrina, viewing five images from the Making a World of Difference: Stories about Global Health online exhibition. Students then identify the importance of reliable health information for protecting one’s health in a disaster. In class 2, students view two public service announcements (PSA) on tornadoes and consider PSAs as effective ways to share critical, accurate information about public issues such as disaster preparedness. In groups, students select a disaster topic and use disaster information resources from MedlinePlus.gov to create a PSA for disaster preparedness in their school. In class 3, students complete their PSAs and reflect on the impact and efficacy of their PSAs to disseminate information on protecting health during disasters to their peers.

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At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Use NLM disaster and consumer health information resources in order to find accurate, reliable information about disasters and their impact on health
  • Describe how Public Service Announcement (PSA) format supports effective information sharing
  • Create a PSA that informs peers about recommended actions and resources to be healthy before, during, and/or after a disaster
  • Reflect on and develop an understanding of their own role in disaster preparedness as health information users in order to protect one’s health

Making a World of Difference: Stories about Global Health spotlights collaborative efforts, on local and global scales, to improve access to primary health care, reduce discrimination, and address health information needs. A series of vignettes show how communities and health care workers come together to prevent disease, conduct cutting-edge research, end conflict, and recover after natural disasters. Recognizing that each of us can play a role in the search for solutions, this lesson plan gives students the opportunity to consider their own roles in addressing health information needs to protect one’s health before, during, and/or after a disaster.

To prepare for the lesson, the teacher is encouraged to become familiar with the online exhibition and resources below:

Classroom conversations about the impact of disasters on health can touch on previous student experiences, some of which may be traumatic and difficult to discuss. Teachers should have information to support students who are experiencing trauma and are in need:

The following words and phrases may be introduced or incorporated into the lesson:

  • Disasters, Natural and/or Man-Made
  • Emergency
  • Disaster Planning, Preparedness, and Response
  • Public Health

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Handouts

  • PSA Research and Planning Handout (PDF, Word)
  • Reflection Handout (PDF, Word)

Other Materials and Set-Up

Preparation: Post the following 4 questions around the classroom. Leave space under each question for students to post their responses on sticky notes:

  • What disaster interests you the most?
  • What is one impact of disasters on health?
  • What information do you need to be prepared in a disaster?
  • Where would you look for helpful information about a disaster?
  1. Begin class by gauging students’ current understanding and perspectives on disasters and their health impact. Distribute 4 sticky notes to each student, pointing out 4 questions posted around the classroom.  Ask students to write and post their responses to each question on a sticky note.
  2. After students have posted their sticky notes, tell students to read all posted responses and to write a check mark on each response they agree with when reviewing.
  3. Introduce the lesson’s focus on disasters and health. Read aloud FEMA’s (Federal Emergency Management Agency) description of disasters below:
    • Disaster:An occurrence of a natural catastrophe, technological accident, or human-caused event that has resulted in severe property damage, deaths, and/or multiple injuries. (Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency)
  1. Display 5 images related to Hurricane Katrina from the Making a World of Difference exhibition, and read aloud caption to each image to students as an example of a natural disaster. Ask students to share their observations of short- and long-term health impacts from the Hurricane Katrina disaster example. 
  2. Tell students that disasters, such as Katrina, not only cause direct physical harm and destruction, but also bring about challenges to accessing and delivering patient care due to impaired health care services and systems.  
  3. Inform students that they are to explore class perspectives on disasters and health by organizing and summarizing the posted responses to 4 questions around the classroom.
  4. Divide students into 4 groups and assign each group 1 of 4 questions and corresponding posted response sticky notes. Task each group to collect, organize, and summarize the responses, including check marks, to their assigned question in a chart or other visual representation.
  5. Distribute paper and markers to each group to create a visual summary. To help groups review, ask them to consider the following questions when creating the visual summaries of class responses:
    • Which response has the most tallies? The fewest?
    • Are there any similarities in the responses? Any differences?
    • Do these responses make sense to you? Why or why not?
    • What question(s) do you have about these responses? What information would you need to answer your question(s)?
  1. Have each group present their visual summary work from the step 8 above. Follow up each presentation with questions below.
    • How did you approach looking at the responses and turning them into your visual?
    • Which response(s) surprised you?
    • What other questions do you have about disasters after this activity?
  1. In preparation for Public Service Announcement (PSA) Activity in Classes 2 and 3, have students discuss with their group the following question: “When a disaster hits our community, what would we want to know to protect our health?” Ask students to share out responses. Write them on a board and tell students these will be shared next class as guidance during next class’ activity.
  1. Class 1 Evaluation: Student responses to questions inform the teacher about their current perspectives on disasters and health. Presentations help the teacher evaluate students’ ability to evaluate, curate, and share meaningful data with their peers.

Preparation: Provide computers and other resources necessary to support students researching and creating PSAs. Depending on students’ needs for PSA creation, teachers may use this activity as an opportunity to collaborate with a school librarian/media specialist to ensure necessary tools/resources are available.

  1. View example PSAs on Tornadoes as a class:
  1. Ask students the questions about the PSAs they have viewed and conduct a brief discussion about sharing health information in PSA format:
    • What do these public service announcements tell us?
    • What did you like about the presentation? What did you not like?
    • Is it effective? Why or why not?
  1. Tell students that through using trustable health information resources from National Library of Medicine (NLM), they will create PSAs for their school community about protecting one’s health in a disaster.
  2. Display and introduce MedlinePlus.gov as an NLM’s free online consumer health information resource. Demonstrate searching for disaster health topics as outlined below:
    • In search box, type “disasters” for search results of related health topics
    • Review top five search results and call out details about each result—page title, a brief description, and the source web address
    • Tell students that MedlinePlus.gov makes available reliable information from sources such as NLM, SAMHSA, CDC, NIH.
  1. Select and access the search result titled, Disaster Preparation and Recovery. Assign students to work in pairs to review the web page for a few minutes then ask students to share types of information available on the page. Display the web page for Disaster Preparation and Recovery and show the features students mention on the page.
  2. Distribute PSA Research and Planning Handout to guide students in creating their PSAs. First review the handout as a class and clarify any questions students may have. Then display students’ responses  to “When a disaster hits our community, what would we want to know to protect our health?” from Class 1, which may guide the discussion and research in project groups.
  3. Provide in-class time for students to work in groups to research and create PSAs for their school community. While students research, circulate among groups to check on progress and ask questions about their research and planning process. If students are having difficulty selecting a PSA format, share examples from Ready.gov as inspiration.
  4. Collect students’ PSA Research and Planning handouts for evaluation and to return them next class. Remind groups to discuss with you if they need any specific tools and/or technologies for creating their PSAs.
  5. Class 2 Evaluation: Teachers evaluate student research using handouts to measure their ability to find and identify accurate, appropriate information using NLM resources. The Planning portion of the handout can be used to assess students’ ability to curate information and to design a PSA sharing this information with intended audiences.

Preparation: Provide computers and other resources necessary to support students researching and creating PSAs. Depending on students’ needs for PSA creation, teachers may use this activity as an opportunity to collaborate with a school librarian/media specialist to ensure necessary tools/resources are available.

  1. Return PSA Research and Planning handouts to students and offer any corrections or clarifications groups need for creating their PSAs.
  2. Allow students to work in groups for creating their PSAs and continue to check in with groups and to ask questions about their projects that prompt critical thinking of what information they decide to share and how.
  3. As groups complete their PSAs, distribute Reflection Activity Handout to each student to complete. Depending on remaining time, have groups present completed PSAs and/or Reflection responses during this or at another class period.
  4. Collect completed group PSAs and individual Reflection responses for evaluation and/or display at school locations, such as library, hallways.
  5. Class 3 Evaluation: Teachers can use final PSAs to assess students’ understanding of a disaster and ability to create informative messaging for intended audiences. The Reflection Activity Handout provides teachers insight into what students think are the main takeaways of the lesson with respect to disasters, their impact on health, and disaster information sources. Reflection responses may also inform follow-up conversations and/or future iterations of lesson plan.

  1. Extend PSA display in class or school to group presentations of their PSAs similar to an information fair or poster session in a common area in the school during a scheduled meeting among teachers and/or parents. Each group would engage in oral summary of their work as well as addressing any questions and receiving feedback from meeting participants.
  2. Have students collect and analyze more responses to the 4 questions from Class 1, by asking other students, teachers, and family members. Assign students to organize and draw insights from the larger number of responses to gain further understanding of their community’s perspectives on health and disasters.

Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects Key Ideas and Details
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2
    Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9
    Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
Writing
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2
    Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Production and Distribution of Writing
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6
    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8
    Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.
National Health Education Standards
  • 1.12.5: Propose ways to reduce or prevent injuries and health problems.
  • 2.12.5: Evaluate the effect of media on personal and family health.
  • 3.12.1: Evaluate the validity of health information, products, and services.
  • 3.12.2: Use resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information
  • 3.12.4: Determine when professional health services may be required.
  • 8.12.4: Adapt health messages and communication techniques to a specific target audience.
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