Classroom Teacher's Guide
Appendix A:
Lesson materials for Beginning Health Advocates
Part 1: Lessons for any Healthy NewsWorks book
Lesson 1: Writing to a Health Leader.
 BHA1-1—Letterwriting whole-class lesson
 BHA1-2—Health Leader letter (scaffolded)
Lesson 2: Exploring careers.
 BHA 2-1—Careers student activity
Lesson 3: Health heroes and health commercials.
 BHA 3-1—Health superheros student activities
 BHA 3-2—My health superhero illustration template
Part 2: Lessons for the 2015 "Leading Healthy Change" book
Lesson 4: Promoting kindness.
 BHA 4-1—Kindness pockets model
Lesson 5: Nutrition awareness.
 BHA 5-1—Choose My Plate student worksheet
 BHA 5-2—Healthy eating survey example
 BHA 5-3—Healthy eating survey student worksheets
Part 3: Lessons for Healthy NewsWorks newspapers
Lesson 6: Health vocabulary.
 BHA 6-1—Frayer model and student worksheet
Lesson 7: Dental health.
 BHA 7-1—Dental songs and poetry
 BHA 7-2—Finders keepers student activity
 BHA 7-3—Healthy teeth and food student handout
 BHA 7-4—Healthy smiles poster contest
Lesson 8: Bullying prevention.
 BHA 8-1—Bullying prevention book list
 BHA 8-2—Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
Lesson 9: Letter to the editor.
 BHA 9-1—Responding to newspaper article worksheet
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 1 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Writing a Letter to a Health Leader
Teacher Resource: Whole Class Lesson
Three steps to writing a letter to a leader
Step 1: Read-aloud
Use a leader’s profile in any of the "Leading Healthy Change" books for an interactive readaloud exercise. As you read, stop often and ask students (1) questions on basic stated
information and (2) questions which require analysis. Examples:
Basic stated information questions
Questions requiring analysis
What does this leader do?
Why is this important, do you think?
Whom does she work with?
Do you know anybody whom you
could imagine working with her?
What are some ways she helps
people?
Would you like to do this kind of
work? Why? Or why not?
Step 2: Formulating an opinion
Using chart paper and sentence starters that invite students to form opinions, formulate an
opinion-based main topic for your letter. You will need to guide students directly, so they
create statements which state opinions rather than restate facts. Example: “Lily Yeh is a
hero” rather than “Lily Yeh is an artist.” You can encourage students to ask who or what the
health leader reminds them of, or what words they would describe a health leader’s work.
Step 3: Drafting a class letter
Use a cloze sentence / sentence starters on chart paper. Include formal genre requirements
and the opinion students formulated in step 2. These will form the basis of a draft letter to
your chosen Health Leader. Point out the features of the letter you want your students to
know: salutation, date, etc., regardless of students’ abilities, the letter can include:
 Both facts and opinions
 Text-based evidence developing the facts and substantiating the opinions
 Student signatures in closing
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 1 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Writing a Letter to a Health Leader
Teacher Resource: Health Leader Letter (scaffolded)
Dear _________________________,
We are the students of _____________________________
_________________________. We read about the work you
do with __________________________________________
_________________________. We think this work is
important because _________________________________
________________________________________________
______________________________________. If you
weren’t there, then _________________________________
______________________________________. The best
part of your work is the _____________________________
______________________________________.
One question we have for you is: ______________________
________________________________________________
___________________________________________?
Thank you for doing what you do!
Your friends,
_____________________,
______________________,
______________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 2 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Exploring Careers
Resource: Career activity/model handout
Here is a model list of terms students might find in Leading Healthy Change 2015, using the
chapter “Steve Bandura: Coaching kids to reach small goals and dream big.”
Baseball
Little League
Coach
Recreation center
South Philadelphia
Mentoring
Children
Teacher
African Americans
Potential
Taney Dragons
Hard work
Education
Soccer
Jackie Robinson
Exercise
Nutritious Food
Sports Illustrated
Mo’Ne Davis
Feel Good
World Series
Basketball
Business
Hall of Fame
Healthy
Personal Trainer
Positive Frame Of Mind
Pressure
Game
All these terms were used to make the “wordsplash" below with Wordle
(www.Wordle.net). The wordsplash below also shows students’ identifications of
health-related careers they can imagine, based on the reading.
I want to be a baseball player
I could be a cook
I could be a photographer
FAQs to improve the look of your Worldle: www.wordle.net/faq
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 3 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Health Heroes
Resources: Health superhero characteristics—words and worksheets
What characteristics does
my health superhero have?
brave
entertaining
kind
patient
happy
strong
caring
peaceful
smart
curious
creative
energetic
gentle
thankful
hopeful
loving
friendly
helpful
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 3 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Health Heroes
Resources: Health superhero characteristics—words and worksheets
INSTRUCTIONS: Draw your health superhero and list the words that describe
your health superhero.
Name:_________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 4 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Promoting Kindness
Resource: Model of classroom message pockets
Sample Kindness Message Pockets
Fill with compliments, affirmations, successes, notes about students’ acts of kindness in the
classroom
KINDNESS CENTER
http://cdnll.reallygoodstuff.com/images/xl/153058.jpg
This quotation box on the next page can be used to write a kindness
note.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 4 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Promoting Kindness
Resource: Model of classroom message pockets
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Center for Nutrition
Policy and Promotion
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 5 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Nutrition Awareness
Resource: Healthy eating survey example
Healthy eating tally
Draw the fruits and vegetables you have eaten on four recent days. Make
tallies below to count the total for each day.
Monday
ll
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
llll
lll
lll
Now use this information to color in your HEALTHY EATING BAR GRAPH on
the next page.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 5 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Nutrition Awareness
Resource: Healthy eating survey example
Healthy eating bar graph
7
6
NUMBER OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
5
4
3
2
1
0
Monday
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 5 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Nutrition Awareness
Resource: Healthy eating survey worksheets
Healthy eating tally
Draw the fruits and vegetables you have eaten on four recent days. Make
tallies below to count the total for each day.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Now use this information to color in your HEALTHY EATING BAR GRAPH on
the next page.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 5 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Nutrition Awareness
Resource: Healthy eating survey worksheets
Healthy eating bar graph
7
6
NUMBER OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
5
4
3
2
1
0
Monday
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 6 for Beginning Health Advocates • Healthy Vocabulary • Frayer model/handout
What it is
What it is not
Examples
Picture1
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 6 for Beginning Health Advocates • Healthy Vocabulary • Frayer model/handout
What it is.
what we eat
What it is not.
food that tastes bad
Diet
Examples
yogurt, cereal, sandwich,
chicken
Picture1
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 7 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Dental Health
Resource: Dental songs and poems
Dental Health Songs
The source of the following songs: www.mycohi.org/pdfs/Code_Red_Spiral_FINAL.pdf
Brush Your Teeth (Sung to: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)
Brush, brush, brush your teeth
At least two times a day
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning
Fighting tooth decay.
Floss, floss, floss your teeth
Every single day
Gently, gently, gently, gently
Whisking plaque away.
Rinse, rinse, rinse your teeth
Every single day
Swishing, swishing, swishing, swishing
Fighting tooth decay
Brushing Song (Sung to Old MacDonald Had a Farm)
In my mouth I have some teeth
E-I-E-I-O
And in my mouth I put my brush
E-I-E-I-O
With a brush, brush here
And a brush, brush there
Here a brush
There a brush
Everywhere a brush, brush
In my mouth I’ll keep my teeth!
E-I-E-I-O!!!!
Illustrations from Microsoft ClipArt
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 7 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Dental Health
Resource: Dental songs and poems
Poems to partner read
The source of the following poems:
www.mycohi.org/pdfs/Code_Red_Spiral_FINAL.pdf
My Tooth
My tooth fell out and left a space
So big my tongue can touch my face.
And every time I smile I show
The place where something used to grow.
I miss my tooth as you can guess
But now I have to brush one less!
I Have a Loose Tooth
I have a loose tooth
A wiggly jiggly loose tooth
I have a loose tooth
A-hanging by a thread.
So I pulled my loose tooth
My wiggly jiggly loose tooth
Put it ‘neath my pillow
And then I went to bed.
The fairy took my loose tooth
My wiggly jiggly loose tooth
And now I have a nickel
And a hole inside my head.
Illustrations from Microsoft ClipArt
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 7 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Dental Health
Resource: Healthy NewsWorks handout about teeth and food
HEALTHY TEETH: What to eat to help your teeth
Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic health problems of childhood,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The good news is
the problem is preventable by routine dental care. You also can keep your teeth and
gums in shape by watching what you eat.
Plaque is a sticky substance in the mouth that has bacteria (which are germs),
according to KidsHealth.org. After people eat, the bacteria seek out sugary and some
starchy foods and break them down into acids. The acid can wear down the outermost
layer of the tooth, called enamel. This can cause a cavity—a hole in a tooth, says
KidsHealth.
Here are 3 things to think about before you eat, says the American Dental Association.

How often do you eat sugary food? Routine snacking on sugary or starchy
snacks such as candy or chips increases the chance for tooth decay.

What is the texture of the food? It makes a difference if the food is sticky,
liquid, or solid. Does it slowly dissolve? Raisins, fruit snacks, chips, and cereals
are four examples of food that can stick to teeth. Hard candies and cough drops
stay in the mouth for a long time, giving bacteria time to attack the teeth.

How much sugar is in the drink? Sugary drinks such as soda, lemonade, juice,
and sweetened coffee or tea are harmful because they give teeth a sugar bath,
which promotes tooth decay.
Keep your mouth in tip-top shape by following these American Dental Association tips:






Choose healthy snacks. Do your mouth a favor by limiting the amount of soda,
juice, or other sweetened beverages you drink.
Read food labels to find the added sugar. If sugar is listed among the first few
ingredients, it’s a good bet that food is high in sugar. Another tip for spotting
sources of sugar: Terms ending in “-ose,” such as glucose or sucrose, indicate a
sugar ingredient.
Eat fruits and vegetables. They contain a lot of water and fiber that protect the
teeth by washing away harmful acids and food particles from the teeth.
If you chew gum, make sure it’s sugarless.
Drink water. Water is the most tooth-friendly beverage.
Eat foods high in calcium and phosphorus. These minerals protect and
strengthen tooth enamel. Cheese, milk, plain yogurt, calcium-fortified tofu, leafy
greens, and almonds are high in calcium. Meat, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs are
the best sources of phosphorus.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Poster Contest: Healthy Smiles
A project of Healthy NewsWorks
Help raise awareness about preventing tooth decay!
Attention, students! Draw a poster that shows
1 of these tooth-friendly messages:






Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Floss between teeth at least once a day.
Cut down on candy, cookies, and chips.
Visit your dentist every six months.
Eat low-fat dairy foods.
Drink water instead of soda and other sugary beverages.
You may illustrate a different tooth-friendly message, but it must have accurate medical information. Reliable dental information can be found on the Pennsylvania Dental Association website:
www.padental.org/online/public/children/children_homepage
Contest winners will receive prizes. Selected posters will be displayed in Healthy NewsWorks
schools, in the community, and in Healthy NewsWorks communications. Poster judging will be
based on the Healthy Smiles theme, creativity, artistic quality, and neatness. Winners will be
notified through their teachers.
Contest rules:
1.
2.
3.
The contest is open to all students in Healthy NewsWorks schools.
Posters should be illustrated on 8.5" x 11" white paper.
On the poster's back, include the student artist's name, age, school, homeroom teacher,
and poster title.
4. Each student may submit only one entry.
5. Students may use pencil, colored pencils, markers, or crayons.
6. Any words must be accurate, correctly spelled, clearly written, and large enough to read.
7. Students must create the poster themselves. It should be original and hand-drawn.
8. Students should NOT illustrate any brand names or trademarked products.
9. Parents/guardians of semifinalists will be required to fill out the Healthy NewsWorks
Consent and Release for a Minor Form in order for student work to be exhibited.
10. Posters will not be returned. They become the property of Healthy NewsWorks.
Poster contest entries are due by Friday, November 20, 2015,
To homeroom teachers or a teacher designated by your school!
Questions?
Visit www.HealthyNewsWorks.org
or send an email to [email protected]
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Suggested read-aloud book list
READ ALOUDS

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

The Hallo-Wiener by Dan Pilkey

The Bully Blockers Club by Teresa Bateman

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric

Don’t Be a Bully Billy: A Cautionary Tale by Phil Roxbee Cox

How to Lose All of Your Friends by Nancy Carlson

King of the Playground by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Stop Picking on Me: A First Look at Bullying by Pat Thomas

We Can Work It Out: Conflict Resolution for Children by Barbara Polland

Being Bullied by Kate Petty & Charlotte Firmin

Billy Bully: A School-Yard Counting Tale by Ana Galan and Alvaro Galan
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
Bullying is hitting or pushing.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
Bullying is teasing or name-calling.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
Bullying is taking things without permission.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
Bullying is not letting someone play.
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Bullying is being mean and not stopping.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 8 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Bullying Prevention
Teacher Resource: Scenario-based templates for student illustrations
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 9 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Letter to the Editor
Resource: Response to newspaper article handout
Response to a newspaper article
How I feel about _________________________________________________
(topic or name of the healthy newspaper article)
Put the big idea of the article in the center, and draw or write how it makes you
feel, and why, on the lines.
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.
Teacher's Guide: Lesson 9 for Beginning Health Advocates
Activity: Letter to the Editor
Resource: Response to newspaper article handout
Now use your brainstorming to draw a picture and write a short paragraph
about the article or topic.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Copyright 2015. Healthy NewsWorks.