Lesson 1.5: Noncommunicable Diseases

Overview

This lesson focuses on learning about noncommunicable diseases including the most common noncommunicable diseases, how to prevent them, and how to identify the signs of having a noncommunicable disease.

Learning Targets

  • LO24: Define what a noncommunicable disease is and give four examples.
  • LO25: Explain why most noncommunicable diseases are also chronic diseases.
  • LO26: Identify five behaviors that can contribute to a person’s risk of noncommunicable diseases.
  • LO27: Identify the signs of a heart attack.
  • LO28: Explain what a behavior contract is and how it helps people take responsibility for personal health behaviors.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the Journal Question on the board or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Make copies of the Lesson 1.5 Note-Taking Guide. Project the Lesson 1.5 PowerPoint slides.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 1.5 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Creating a Behavior Contract.. Prepare the projector or smart screen to project a copy of the Tips for Being Assertive portion of the worksheet.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: What do you know about heart disease, cancer, or diabetes? Do you know anyone with any of these diseases? Make a list of things you know about each of these diseases.
    • Option: Write or project the question and have students respond in their journal or on their “bell ringer” sheet as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in pairs, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 1.5 Vocabulary Review Worksheet
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 1.5 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quiz and use it alongside a posttest to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Lesson Focus: Creating a Behavior Contract

  1. Give each student a copy of the Lesson 1.5 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Creating a Behavior Contract.
  2. Have students work individually to create their health behavior contract.
  3. Once students have finished the individual portion of their contract, have them pair up so they can share their contract with their “witness.”
    Option: Tell students to get out their planner (digital or paper) and to make a note on the date they wanted to achieve their goal and on a date that is approximately halfway between now and then.
    Option: Provide each student with a sticky note on which they will write down the date and time they want to have completed their goal that was included in their behavior contract. Write a time line on the board making one side “Today” and the other side roughly six to nine months from now. Ask students to come up to the board to place their sticky note on the time line.
  4. Discuss as a class how you can help keep each other accountable (i.e., discuss the purpose of having a “witness” on your behavior contract).

Challenge Activity

Have students needing an additional challenge work on the following Thinking Critically task.

Sometimes cities, counties, or states add an additional sales tax to foods that are considered unhealthy. These taxes are designed to discourage people from buying foods or beverages that are bad for them. For example, some states charge more sales tax on a can of soda than they do on a bottle of water. Other states charge an additional tax on bags of chips or candy. Do you think these types of public health policies can actually change people’s behaviors? Why or why not?

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you...

  • Define what a noncommunicable disease is and give four examples?

    A noncommunicable disease is a disease which cannot be transmitted from one person to the next. Examples of noncommunicable disease include coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancers, osteoporosis, arthritis, lung disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

  • Explain why most noncommunicable diseases are also chronic diseases?

    Noncommunicable diseases often result from genetics and lifestyle factors. Most people with a noncommunicable disease are often older, so their lifestyle factors have often been a factor in a chronic disease they may develop.

  • Identify five behaviors that can contribute to a person’s risk of noncommunicable diseases?

    Behaviors that can contribute to a noncommunicable disease include being physical inactive, abusing alcohol, having genetic influences, experiencing excessive stress, and having an unhealthy diet.

  • Identify the signs of a heart attack?

    Signs of a heart attack include lightheadedness; pain in jaw, neck, or upper back; pain or discomfort in the chest; discomfort or pain in the arm or shoulder; shortness of breath; and nausea or vomiting.

  • Explain what a behavior contract is and how it helps people take responsibility for personal health behaviors?

    A behavior contract is an agreement you make with yourself or another person to change a specific health behavior. A behavior contract can help move your long- and short-term goals into action and can help you stick with your plan.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

  • Quiz: Have students take the Lesson 1.5 quiz.
  • Reviewing Vocabulary: Collect the Lesson 1.5 Vocabulary Review Worksheet and evaluate it for accuracy.
  • Note-Taking Guide: Collect the completed Lesson 1.5 Note-Taking Guide and spot-check one or more items for completion and accuracy.
  • Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Have students submit the Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Creating a Behavior Contract and use the Holistic Rubric: Goal Setting to evaluate their skill development.
  • Journal Question: Ask students to respond to the Journal Question again, adding information they learned from today’s class. Require a one-paragraph response that uses proper grammar.
  • Test: Have students take the Chapter Test, which covers material from all five lessons, or create a test using the online test bank.

Take It Home

Interview a parent or guardian to find out whether anyone in your family has a chronic disease. Learn what you can about that person’s lifestyle and how they manage their disease. If no one in your family or household has a known chronic disease, research a chronic disease of your choosing and write a summary explaining how you think it would affect a person’s day-to-day life and how they should manage the disease.