Decision Making About Health

During this lesson, students are taught the use of a basic decision-making model, and they use the model to determine actions based on group-assigned health scenarios. Groups share their scenario and their decisions with the class. This lesson refocuses student so they understand that personal choice is based on many factors including personal goals, peer pressure, religious beliefs, etc.

Science in Human and Social Perspective:
Personal choice concerning fitness and health involves multiple factors. Personal goals, peer and social pressures, ethnic and religious beliefs, and understanding of biological consequences can all influence decisions about health practices.

NA

a. Time frame: 45 minutes

b. Materials: health surveys from previous lesson, access to World Wide Web

c. Resources:
Decision making models: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~em232195/esp/mkt.final.htm

d. Procedures/Strategies:
Student Activity- Direct students to use their surveys and identify a problem area that they would like to improve (ex. nutrition). Have them write the problem as a statement in the following format:
I ought to eat proper foods.
I ought not eat so much junk food.
Have students complete the decision-making model by filling in the template and printing the model.

Formal Student Writing Response- Learning logs- Students discuss solutions in small groups and record decisions in the note-taking section of their learning logs. Students write a commentary (note-making) on these solutions after the class discussion.
Possible topics for the second entry:
Why is responsible decision making important to our health?
How have the choices that I have made influenced my health?

This activity is assessed on participation. There is no right answer for the decision-making model.