Lesson Plan
Dr. I. M. A. Quack
Date: Time: Grade: Teacher:
I. National Health Education Standards
Health Education Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.
II. National Health Education Standards Performance Indicator
3.8.1 analyze the validity of health information, products and services.
III. Valued Outcomes
§ Students will recognize phony health claims.
§ Student will recognize phony medical treatment claims.
§ Student will have better understanding of product validity.
IV. Description of Strategy:
1. Ahead of class record several infomercials or commercials and find some magazine ads that make bogus or questionable claims regarding health and medical treatment.
2. Begin class by showing students the infomercials, commercials, and ads that make questionable claims. Discuss with students how each advertisement makes us want to buy the product. Ask them: “What makes the claims believable and desirable? What are some ways that the ad companies stretch the truth?”
3. List things that students can keep in mind when selecting health care products or services. Describe key words or phrases that are used to convince the consumer a particular product is effective. Remind students that if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
4. Divide the class into groups, and have each group come up with a quack product or service. Each group will make a presentation to the class and try to convince the other students that the product or service is actually of value. Encourage students to use their imaginations.
5. The class should listen to the presentations and then identify any fallacies of the product or service. Have the class list exaggerated truths in each presentation. After the presentations, have the class list products other than health care products that have phony claims.
V. Materials Needed:
§ video and magazine ads
VI. Formative Evaluation
Benchmarks:
§ Level 1: Student was able to describe false claims in advertising.
§ Level 2: Student was able to describe and recognize false claims in advertising.
§ Level 3: Student was able to describe, recognize, and identify false claims in advertising.
§ Level 4: Student was able to describe, recognize, and identify false claims in advertising. Student was able to identify exaggerated claims that make us desire a product.
VII. Points of Emphasis:
1. Explain that a marketer’s job is to make us think we cannot live without certain products.
2. Describe words or phrases commonly used to mislead consumers.
3. List ways to differentiate valid time-tested products from quack products.
Teacher Evaluation
1. Keep the lesson as taught? ð Yes ð No
2. What I need to improve
3. Next time make sure
4. Strengths of lesson