Lesson 2.2: Healthy Vision and Hearing

Overview

This lesson focuses on learning about the anatomy of the eyes and ears. Students learn about ways to protect their eye and ear health from common issues.

Learning Targets

  • LO5: Explain how vision works.
  • LO6: Compare nearsightedness and farsightedness.
  • LO7: Describe what eye strain is and explain how to help reduce it.
  • LO8: Analyze how earbuds and headphones might contribute to hearing loss.
  • LO9: Analyze how perception of norms influence vision and hearing 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 Note-Taking Guide. Project the Lesson 2.2 PowerPoint slides.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 2.2 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Analyzing Social Norms on Vision and Hearing Behaviors.

Warm-Up Activity

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

  • Journal Question: How many hours did you spend wearing earbuds or headphones this week? How many hours did you spend looking at a screen (your phone, television, tablet, computer)? How do you think these behaviors affect the long-term health of your eyes and ears?
    • 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 2.2 Vocabulary Review Worksheet
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 2.2 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: Analyzing Social Norms on Vision and Hearing Behaviors

  1. Give each student a copy of the Analyzing Social Norms on Vision and Hearing Behaviors Worksheet.
  2. Have students work individually to complete the worksheet.
  3. Once students have completed identifying the influences on social norms in their lives and reflecting on how those influences affect their behaviors, ask them to partner up to compare their influences. Prompt students to share their influences one at a time, and then compare which influences are similar and which are different.

Challenge Activity

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

Many teenagers listen to music and other media through headphones, and often listen at dangerous levels. Imagine you could look into the future and saw that you would go deaf later in life. What would you say to yourself? Write a letter to yourself from the perspective of your older self. Give yourself the best advice you can to help prevent hearing loss later.

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...

  • Explain how vision works?

    The eyes take in light from whatever you are looking at and pass the light to the back of your eyes. The back of your eyes captures the image and sends the information to your brain, where you make sense of it. A number of structures in the eye help with this process.

  • Compare nearsightedness and farsightedness?

    Nearsightedness is (myopia) when people can see objects that are up close clearly but have a harder time seeing objects in the distance. Farsightedness is (hyperopia) is when light focuses behind the retina so that close-up objects are hard to see clearly.

  • Describe what eye strain is and explain how to help reduce it?

    Eye strain is a form of fatigue that happens to your eyes when they have to focus on a close-up object for long periods of time. Symptoms of eye strain include blurred vision; double vision; dry, red eyes; eye irritation; headaches; and neck or back pain.

  • Analyze how earbuds and headphones might contribute to hearing loss?

    When people use earbuds and headphones to listen to music or for gaming, the volume is often very loud for an extended period of time. This can lead to hearing loss. Even one loud noise exposure can damage the ear and result in some hearing loss.

  • Analyze how perception of norms influence vision and hearing behaviors?

    Wearing glasses or protective earplugs may not be a social norm for many teens. Teens may be influenced as to whether they wear their glasses if they have them or wear protective earplugs or a hearing aid if needed. Teens may also ignore possible vision or hearing problems in order to fit in.

Assessment

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

Take It Home

Talk to someone in your life who spends a lot of time in front of a screen, like a sibling who watches too much TV, a cousin who plays video games for hours every day, or a parent or guardian who works in front of a computer all day. Write down five important points that may help them change their behavior. Then practice your advocacy skills with them by sharing what you know.