Search
WebMD: Source of Medical/Health information
Details
Activity Description
WebMD has a vast database useful in presenting/accessing accurate information on health issues. It is important to get students used to finding the site, navigating the site, and using the information. This can be done through assigning students/groups to investigate health issues. Assign students with lower reading levels to work in mixed groups so they can participate. By working together collaboration and presentation skills can be practiced.
Preparation
- Preview and evaluate Web site.
- Decide on a project.
- Evaluate class readiness in use of technology.
- Prepare rubrics for student projects.Here are some rubrics ideas for writing, presentations, oral reports to find one that will work best for your class or use the Example Document to have students work on individual topics. Print the worksheet in preparation.
How-To
- Start a class discussion on health/medical topics.
- Generate/brainstorm a list of questions and topics of interest.
- Introduce WedMD site. Demonstrate how to move around the site, and show areas they might be interested in (Health A-Z, View All, scroll down health topics and stop on ones they talked about).
- Some topics have quizzes you could do as a group before reading about the topic. To find quizzes, type Quiz in the search field. Locate a topic of interest that has a quiz.
- When new vocabulary is encountered, encourage students to guess meaning from context.
- Assign topics of interest, grouping for project, how the information will be presented: written, oral, PowerPoint etc.
- Go over timeline and rubrics for evaluation.
- While students are working on the project, follow-up with class discussions on collaboration, what makes a good oral presentation, and how the students will evaluate each others' presentations. Emphasize that these are skills needed in the workplace, so it is good to practice them in class.
- If students are unfamiliar with word processing or presentation software have class demonstrations.
- If you use the Example Document, hand out the worksheet, have students select a topic. Demonstrate using the search box and how to fill in the worksheet with a summary and new vocabulary. Students can turn in their work or you can have them present their topic to the class.
Teacher Tips
- When working with beginning readers, have them use the video presentations and write a short paragraph summary of what they watched. Have them include a glossary of five new words they learned.
More Ways
- When medical/health topics come up in discussion, access the page for information.
- If a news story mentions a health issue, go to the this Web site for more information.
- Students can be assigned to write and publish reports on topics of interest.
Program Areas
- ABE: Adult Basic Education
- ESL: English as a Second Language
- ASE: High School Diploma
Levels
- Intermediate
- High
- Intermediate Low
- Intermediate High
- Advanced
Lesson Plan
What health issues are effecting you or your family? Students discuss as pairs then share with the class
When health issues arise it is important to go to sources that can give accurate information. As a class we will look at one medical source, WebMD
Students turn to their partner and make a list of questions they might like to investigate. Share with the class. Write their ideas on the board.
Go ot WebMD and show the various sections including Today's Top Sories, Living Healthy, Conditions, Health News etc. Across the top the tabs include Conditions, Drugs & Supplementsm, Well-Being, Symptom Checker, Find a Doctor and More. Pick one of the conditions the class wanted to know about. Demonstrate how to investigate it. Find information including:
- definition of the condition
- cuases and risk factors
- symptoms
- diagnosis and treatment options
- prevention strategies
- personal stories or experiences (optional)
For this project each student pair will select a condition of their choice to investigate. Find answers to the following. Write answers on the worksheet (can share this digitally or print it) Write a summary of what you learned. Information to investigate might include:
- definition of the condition
- causes and risk factors
- symptoms
- diagnosis and treatment options
- prevention strategies
- personal stories or experiences (optional)
Each pair creates a slide presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc. Each slide will present information on
definition of the condition
causes and risk factors
symptoms
diagnosis and treatment options
prevention strategies
personal stories or experiences (optional)
As pairs students will present their slide presentation to the class. Class members are encouraged to ask questions
What are different ways to use this website? Brainstorm ways as pairs then share as a class.
Documents
- WebMd_Worksheet (3).docx - WebMd Worksheet
Subjects
- Language Arts - Reading
- Analysis
- Comprehension
- Language Arts - Writing
- Language Facility
- Organization of Ideas
- Reading
- Health
- Science
- Health and Life Science
- Writing
- Paragraph Skills
Standards
- Reading
- CCR Anchor 1 - Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
- CCR Anchor 2 - Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
- CCR Anchor 7 - Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
- Writing
- CCR Anchor 2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- CCR Anchor 7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
- CCR Anchor 9 - Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
- Speaking and Listening
- CCR Anchor 1 - Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCR Anchor 2 - Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
- Language
- CCR Anchor 1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.