For Teachers: The Fluoride Story and Public Health Education Lesson Plans

These lessons plans were created by the staff of the Office of NIH History. One plan examines the story of the fluoridation of drinking water, from the science to current social and political issues. The other examines why and how the government tries to educate the public about health problems, and how this effort has changed over time. Both of these lessons can be used in either history or science classes and satisfy the following Maryland State Curriculum Standards:

Topic: Critical Thinking

Indicator: Modify understandings of scientific ideas based on new information.

Objectives:
. Access and process information from print and non-print resources.
. Discuss new information relevant to the scientific idea presented.
. Compare, independently, new information collected to prior knowledge.
. Verify or modify prior understandings based on an analysis of new information.

Topic: Applications of Science

Indicator: Apply scientific concepts to defend a position relative to an issue.

Objectives:
. Use what they know and have learned to identify and describe a science-related issue.
. Collect and evaluate additional scientific information.
. Identify and explain the scientific concepts that can be used to make a decision about an issue.
. Analyze and compare advantages and disadvantages of possible decisions about an issue.
. Use scientific information to make and defend a decision about an issue.

Topic: History of Science

Indicator: Explain how people from ancient times to the present have investigated the world around us, answered scientific questions, and invented things.

Objectives:
. Describe achievements of men and women of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and people with disabilities who   have made various contributions to science and technology.
. Evaluate the historical impact of various scientific and technological contributions.
. Describe the evolution of careers in biology, chemistry, physics, Earth, space, and environmental science due to advances in science and technology.