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Project Title: Healthy Heart, Healthy Life

Mission:

How can we work together to inspire our friends and family to make healthy choices and lower their risk of heart disease?

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Culminating / Take Action Project

Students have a choice of writing a letter to congress, a podcast or a news story about this global problem. Students practice writing a scientific argument using claim-evidence-reasoning as a way to prepare for these take action projects throughout the content course. 

Overview

Life Habit Focus: Collaboration

Subject: Science, Public Health, ELA,

Grade: 5-7th

Topic: Heart Disease, Cardiology, Genetics and Environmental Factors, Circulatory and Cardiovascular systems.

STEM Careers: Cardiology, Community Garden Coordinator.

Skills: Using and Developing Models, Analyzing and evaluating data, Engaging in argument using evidence.

What Kids Learn

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, but the risk can be lowered by making healthier choices. In the “Healthy Heart, Healthy Life” project, students will learn about genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that affect heart disease risk and discover ways to prevent it.

 

Students will intern with Dr. Singh, a cardiologist, to help a fictional character, Emily Williams. First, they will look at Emily’s family medical history to find genetic factors. Then, they will build a model of the heart to explain these conditions to Emily. Dr. Luthra, another cardiologist, will teach students how heart disease impacts the body. Next, students will study data on access to healthy foods and recreational opportunities to see how they affect heart disease risk. They will also use information from Emily’s intake form to identify lifestyle factors that increase her risk. Dr. Luthra will help students understand how lifestyle choices impact heart health. Students will learn about three innovative solutions to detect or reduce heart disease risk: artificial intelligence, playspace equity, and food sovereignty. Sterling Bowman-Randall from Keep Growing Detroit will explain food sovereignty and how it promotes healthy habits.

 

The project ends with a community initiative where students will raise awareness about heart disease and how to prevent it. “Healthy Heart, Healthy Life” gives students the chance to make a difference and raise awareness about a big health challenge.

Virtual Field Trips

One of our goals is to help kids connect what they are learning in our projects to the real world beyond the classroom. To do that, we’ve partnered with experts from around the world to help students deepen their understanding of their mission and learn about interesting careers. The Healthy Heart, Healthy Life project partners with:

Dr. Pallavi Luthra

Dr. Pallavi Luthra, MD works in Moultrie, GA as a cardiology specialist. Dr. Luthra finds it rewarding to help her patients share more meaningful years with loved ones by educating them on primary prevention and helping them through critical or life changing events. Her special interests include heart disease in women and preventative cardiology.

Sterling Bowman-Randall

Sterling Bowman-Randall is the garden development coordinator at Keep Growing Detroit. As the garden development coordinator, Sterling engages with Garden Resource Program members to establish their goals and plans for the season.

Aligned Standards

NGSS Standards:

  • MS LS 1-5: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
  • MS LS 1-3: Use arguments supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 
  • SEP:  Use and Develop Models, Analyze and Interpret Data, Engaging in Argument from Evidence
  • CC:  Cause and Effect, Structure and Function, System and System Models

Public Health Standards:

  • Standard 1: Students comprehend functional health knowledge to enhance health.
  • Standard 2: Students analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, social media, technology, and other determinants on health behaviors.
  • Standard 3: Students demonstrate health literacy by accessing valid and reliable health information, products, and services to enhance health.

  • Standard 7: Students demonstrate observable health and safety practices.

  • Standard 8: Students advocate for behaviors that support personal, family, peer, school, and community health.

Common Core Literacy Standards (CCSS):

Reading: 

  • CCSS RI 6.7:Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
  • CCSS RI 6.8: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.

Writing: 

  • CCSS WR.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • CCSS WR 6.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.
  • CCSS WR 6.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Speaking: 

  • CCSS.SL.6.3: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
  • CCSS.SL.6.4: Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
  • CCSS.SL6.5: Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Course Content

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