Overview

This lesson plan allows students to study the geographical distribution and spread of diseases. Further, students can explore how climate change could impact the spread of vector-borne diseases (specifically, malaria) and could consequently affect human health outcomes. The activity will also help students to identify policies for adapting to and mitigating the spread of diseases.

Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in the Biological Sciences.

Grade Level: High School
Discipline: Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline: Protozoa, Vectors, Vector-borne Diseases, Malaria, Climate Change and the Spread of Malaria, Climate Change and Human Health
Climate Topic : Climate and Health
Location: Global, USA
Languages: English
Access: Online (some material can be downloaded for offline use)

Learning outcomes

The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:

• enumerate some vectors and the diseases that they cause
• discuss the causes for the spread of vector-borne diseases
• explain the possible link between climate change and the distribution/spread of infectious vector-borne diseases
• discuss climate change-related actions and policies that will help in adapting to and mitigating the spread of vector-borne diseases