Lesson Plan: Grades 4 to 6

Lesson 1: Health and poverty
Activity	Summary	Curriculum expectations	Length	Link to other activities
Brainstorming session on health	Activity about what makes us healthy and the meaning of health.	Health and physical education and language	15–20 minutes	Reflections from Brainstorming session on health
Personal health practices and social support networks	Activity about the importance of our actions and relationships.	Health and physical education, arts, and language	30–45 minutes	This is a standalone activity.
A story about health	Activity introduces new vocabulary words through a story about a child and his life.	Health and physical education and language	10–15 minutes a day for three days	This is a standalone activity.
Let’s talk about poverty	Activity to help student think about poverty and understand its impact.	Health and physical education and language	20 minutes	This is a standalone activity.
Reflections from Brainstorming session on health	Activity to allow students to reflect on their awareness and understanding about the factors that influence health has changed over time.	Health and physical education and language	15–20 minutes	Brainstorming session on health

Lesson 2: The social determinants of health and health equity
Activity	Summary	Curriculum expectations	Length	Link to other activities
Introduction to the social determinants of health and review of Lesson 1	Activity to review Lesson 1 by using Word Clouds and a discussion about the factors that influence health.	Health and physical education and language	30–45 minutes	Brainstorming session about health; Reflections from Brainstorming session on health
Social determinants of health matching activity	Activity to review the social determinants of health by completing a matching worksheet.	Health and physical education and language	30–45 minutes	A story about health; Puzzle activity on health equity action; Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year
Shoe activity to introduce equity	Activity to introduce equity and to explain the difference between equity and equality.	Health and physical education, and language	15–20 minutes	Reinforces the Soccer game: Introducing equity activity
Soccer game: Introducing equity	Activity to explain the difference between equity and equality.	Health and physical education, language, and arts	20–30 minutes	Reinforces the Shoe activity to introduce equity
Brainstorming for health equity action	Activity on the role that people can play in creating change in their communities.	Health and physical education and language	15 minutes	Puzzle activity on health equity action; Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year
Puzzle activity on health equity action	Activity to help symbolize how we can all play a role and that our actions impact others.	Health and physical education, social studies, arts, and language	60 minutes	Brainstorming for health equity action; Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year; Let your voice be heard!

Lesson 3: Health equity in action
Activity	Summary	Curriculum expectations	Length	Link to other activities
Advocating for health equity and review of Lesson 2	Activity includes a video and discussion and reflection about the puzzle activity on health equity action.	Health and physical education, social studies, and language	15–20 minutes	Puzzle activity on health equity action
Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year	Activity to help symbolize what students can do in the next year to make a difference in their community.	Health and physical education, social studies, arts, and language	30–45 minutes	Brainstorming for health equity action; Puzzle activity on health equity action; Let your voice be heard!
Let your voice be heard!	Activity to reinforce for students that their voice matters and to encourage them to identify possible solutions to increase health equity.	Health and physical education, social studies, and language	60 minutes for the planning sheet, additional time will be necessary if taken to a final product	Linked to all activities; a way to put knowledge into action

This activity is appropriate for late primary, junior and intermediate students.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1; Language—B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 15–20 minutes.

Teacher instructions

Post the word “Health” in the middle of a wall/blackboard/whiteboard.

Distribute one square sticky note to each student.

Ask students the following question (question can be written/posted on the wall if needed):

• What can affect our health? (e.g. What are some things that help us be healthy?)

Ask students to write their answers on the sticky note. Have them write their name or initials on the corner of the note so they know it is theirs. When finished ask students to stick their note to the wall around the word “Health”.

Orally review student responses with the class.

Optional: organize responses into the main themes or categories during the review (e.g. doctor, hospital, nutrition, physical activity, home). On the board, create headings corresponding to the main themes or categories.

Optional: ask students if there is anything missing, or if they think any of these responses or themes have more or less influence on their health.

Keep sticky notes from this lesson for the Reflections from Brainstorming session on health activity.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, arts, and language
Health—A1, D1, D2, D3; Arts—D1.3, D2; Language—B1, B2, B3, D1

Time required for activity: 30–45 minutes.

The Personal health practices and social support networks student worksheet is available as a PDF document.

Note: The following activity covers sensitive material and may trigger strong emotions from students. Teachers should be aware of this and provide additional support to any students who may have a difficult time hearing, watching, or participating in some of the material discussed and presented.

Information for teachers

Begin the activity by stating (or restating from previous activities) that personal health practices (our actions) and social support networks (our relationships) are both social determinants of health.

Adopting personal health practices and having access to a strong social support network can help enhance our health and resilience, especially during difficult times. Our personal health practices are the actions we take, for example, to calm down when we’re upset, mad, or sad. Our social support networks are our relationships. We all need people in our lives who care about us, who support our needs, and help us develop a positive sense of self. We also all need people in our lives to talk to. These supports can help make us feel happy, safe, and satisfied.

Teacher instructions

Have students brainstorm about the importance of our actions and our relationships. The teacher can start by providing definitions for each concept and then asking students to provide examples based on their experiences.

Personal health practices (Our Actions) include things that you can do when you are feeling stressed, upset, or overwhelmed with something.

• What do you do to calm down when you’re upset/mad/sad?

Examples of personal health practices:

• Listen to music.
• Go for a walk, run or some other form of physical activity.
• Talk to someone about what is going on (family, friends).
• Write in a journal.
• Read a book.

Social support networks (Relationships) are people in your life that help, support, and care about you. They are people that you can turn to and rely on at different times in your life. Social support networks include people from your family, home, school, neighbourhood, or community. They can be people that you see daily, or people that you see less often.

• Who takes care of you?
• Who do you talk to?

Examples of the types of things we might rely on our social support networks for:

• To listen to you when you need to talk to someone.
• To support you when you are faced with a stressful situation.
• To help you solve a problem.
• To help you get things done, go places, learn new things.
• To make you feel cared for.
• To help you to achieve your personal goals.

Examples of who might be included in our social support networks:

• Family, friends, friend’s parents.
• Teachers, school staff, coaches.
• Cultural, spiritual, or religious mentors.

Provide students with a blank copy of the Personal health practices and social support networks student worksheet (PDF). Ask students to fill in the model based on their life. Remind students that these will look different for everyone. Teachers can refer to the definitions and discussion points above to guide students. Encourage students to add as many examples as they can think of in both sections of the model.

Additional prompts that may help students with personal health practices include asking students to write down things that they do to:

• Feel happy or to cheer up.
• Help relax or relieve frustration.

Additional prompts that may help students with social support networks include asking students to write down different people they:

• Turn to for support in their family or household.
• Rely on for support in the broader community, including school or other places they go to for things like clubs, sports, learning, and entertainment, etc.

After students complete their worksheets, ask them to cut apart the model along the dotted lines as indicated.

• Ask students to reflect on how their health and well-being would be impacted if they were not able to access either their personal health practices (inner ring) or their social support networks (outer ring).
• Ask students which one they would choose if they could only select one.

Teacher to conclude by reinforcing that we need both our personal health practices and strong social support networks to enhance our health and resilience.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1; Language—B1, B2, C1, C2, C3

Time required for activity: 10–15 minutes each day spread over a minimum of three days.

Jason’s story is available as a PDF document.

Teacher instructions

We recommend this activity be completed over a period of time (a minimum of three days) as a shared reading piece. The text should be displayed over this time in a place the students can see.

Day 1

Introduce and define new vocabulary for students.

Read Jason’s story to the class. It can also be displayed on a white board or flip chart paper. Have students “chime-in” by reading and defining the vocabulary words throughout the story.

Ask students to turn and talk with a partner about what they notice about the organization of the poem. Why would the author write it that way?

Possible vocabulary (choose the vocabulary that meets the needs to the students):

• Afford: to have enough money to do something.
• Infection: when someone gets sick from germs.
• Jagged: not straight.
• Junkyard: a place that takes all the garbage and other things we throw away.
• Run down: not new, or broken down.
• Supervise: to watch someone.
• Unemployed: not having a job.

Day 2

Review the vocabulary words with the class.

Reread Jason’s story. The students may join in on the reading if they wish.

Lead discussion about the story and ask the students the following questions:

• Why was Jason not healthy?
• What parts of Jason’s environment (where he lived and played) made him not healthy?

With a turn and talk partner, create the next question and response that could be added to the poem. Partners can then share with the whole group.

Day 3

Reread Jason’s story with the class. Divide the class into two groups with one group reading the questions, the other reading the responses.

Lead a discussion about the following questions. These may also be questions for written reading response/comprehension.

• Does everyone have the same opportunity to be healthy? Why or why not?
• How does having more money or a higher income make it easier to be healthy?

Possible responses:

• Having more money or a higher income makes it easier to do things like:
  • buy healthier foods like fruits and vegetables;
  • register and purchase equipment for activities outside of school, like hockey, basketball, gymnastics, dance, karate, and soccer;
  • buy a car and pay for gas to get groceries, go to appointments (doctor and dentist), and visit a friend’s house or go to a movie;
  • pay for daycare or a babysitter so parents/caregivers can work;
  • buy or rent a safe home in a safe neighbourhood;
  • live in a neighbourhood with good quality parks;
  • buy new clothes;
  • buy safety equipment like bike helmets and knee and elbow pads to keep safe from injuries; and,
  • buy an instrument and take music lessons.
• Not everyone has the same opportunity for a healthy life (e.g. having a good paying job, living in a clean and safe home, graduating from college or university, having a lot of supportive people in your life makes you healthier).
• Some people may face challenges to being healthy (e.g. low income, no job, lack of support, poor working or housing conditions, limited access to health services).
• Some people may not have the right education for a particular job.
• Some people have jobs that pay more money than others.
• Some people may lose their job due to businesses closing or downsizing.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Language—B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 20 minutes.

Information for teachers

This activity is to help students begin to think about what poverty is and understand its impacts.

Teacher instructions

Ask the students to define poverty. They can either write or draw on a piece of paper what this word means to them.

• Consider the word “poverty”. What does it make you think of? Write or draw as many things as you can that you associate with it.

Have the students share their ideas, words, and drawings and pose the follow-up questions:

• If you look around your community, where do you see poverty? Or, what does poverty look like in your community?
• Possible responses: Downtown, at parks, or on the street. Street corner. Where they live. Everywhere, at school, etc. Some families in relation to others in the same community.

Discuss the responses provided by the students. Explain that poverty has many forms and can also be easily concealed and sometimes it is not as obvious. Unfortunately, many people and societies do not treat people or families who live in poverty well or kindly, and much stigma has become associated with those individuals who have less than others. Those who live in poverty may try to hide their situation or feel shame. No one should have to live with less than they need, and everyone does well in communities when everyone has what they need to thrive.

Note: There might be children who consider themselves poor. It is important they are not embarrassed by the discussion.

• How do people end up living in poverty?
• Possible responses: Job loss, unemployment, lack of education, family structure (single mom, one-parent household, large families), disability or due to illness, geography (where people reside), victims of discrimination (racial, structural, sexual), etc. Also, many individuals are not provided with the same opportunities as others in areas of education or employment because of individual characteristics, like the colour of their skin, their language or the country they were born in, their religion, or their sexual identity or gender expression.

Discuss the responses provided by the students. Explain there are many ways or reasons people might end up living in poverty. Poverty impacts everyone.

• Possible responses: Poverty forces individuals and families to make impossible choices every day. For people who are barely able to pay for food, shelter, or transportation, they simply cannot consider other expenses like winter clothes and/or a cell phone—all things that are foundational for basic survival.
• Are there activities or places in your community designed to help those living in poverty?
• Possible responses: church, food bank, Salvation Army, school fundraisers, school breakfast programs, soup kitchens, shelters, clothing drives, government mandates (Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Programs).

Discuss the responses provided by the students. Ask them to think of ways they could help.

The follow-up questions allow the teacher to assess the students own knowledge and awareness of poverty in their community. Students should be able to define poverty, its impact, think about what leads to poverty in their community, and identify those programs that help people out of poverty.

Exit question:

• What is the most surprising thing you have learned about poverty?

Before teachers end the exercise have students reflect on what they have learned. This ensures students have “caught what you have taught”.

Key terms

Poverty

Poverty can be defined by not having the resources, monetary or otherwise, to live with dignity and participate in society in a way that most people in Canada would consider normal or comfortable. Living in poverty can mean not having enough money or resources for basic necessities like a place to live, clothing, or enough food. It can also mean not being able to afford common expenses needed to participate in day-to-day life like having a phone, access to the internet, childcare, or a car.

Alternative definition (1)

Poverty means someone not having enough money and their own things to live without worrying about basic needs such as a place to live, clothing, and enough healthy food. It also means that maybe people might not have things that most people do have, like a cell phone, internet, car, own bedroom, belonging to a team, or taking music lessons.

Alternative definition (2)

“Poverty is hunger. Poverty is a lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty has many faces, changing from place to place and across time, and has been described in many ways.  Most often, poverty is a situation people want to escape.”

Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization. (2003). Special Round Table: Issue Paper Summary. Poverty Reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean within the Framework of Sustainable Development. Retrieved from https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2007-11/19592_SRTEnglishSummary_0.pdf.

Alternative definition (3)

“Poverty affects health by limiting access to proper nutrition and healthy foods; shelter; safe neighbourhoods for people to learn, live, and work; have access to clean air and water; utilities; creating long-lasting problems that impacts a person’s standard of living.”

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians. (2021). Poverty and Health—The Family Medicine Perspective (Position Paper). Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/poverty-health.html#:~:text=Poverty%20affects%20health%20by%20limiting,an%20individual’s%20standard%20of%20living.

Additional resources

• Poverty, What is it? A discussion booklet for students in Grades 5 to 8 (Canadian Teachers’ Federation)
• Poverty and Homelessness: Changing Perspectives, Educator’s Toolkit—A resource package designed to assist educators in teaching students about poverty and homelessness (The Mustard Seed)

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1; Language—B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 15–20 minutes.

The Reflections from Brainstorming session on health activity allows students to reflect on how their awareness and understanding about the factors that influence health have changed over time. We recommend this activity to be used at the end of Lesson 1: Health and poverty activity, or after additional activities have been implemented rather than using it immediately following the Brainstorming session on health activity.

Teacher instructions

Hand students back their sticky note from the Brainstorming session on health activity.

• Ask students to review their sticky note answer(s) to What can affect our health? from the Brainstorming session on health activity.
• Ask students to think about one thing that affects health that they didn’t know or think of before today’s class or since starting the activities in this lesson plan.

Provide students with a new sticky note (ideally on a different coloured paper) and ask them to write their answer on the new sticky note.

• Ask students to repost both of their sticky notes (e.g. answers from both activities) on the wall.
• Review with the class responses from the Brainstorming session on health activity and compare them with the second set of responses from the Reflections from Brainstorming session on health activity. Discuss the key differences and learnings since the beginning of the class (or a previous class) between both activities.
• Identify with the class any new categories (if applicable) that emerge from the responses around what factors influence health.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Language—A2, B1, B2, C2, C3

Time required for activity: 30–45 minutes.

Teacher instructions

Prepare two Word Clouds (WordCloud Generator By MonkeyLearn, or other website), before the start of this lesson using:

• Key words collected on the sticky notes from the Brainstorming session on health activity.
• Key words collected on the sticky notes from the Reflections from Brainstorming session on health activity.

At the start of the lesson, show the video about poverty: What kids think about poverty (Keep the Promise Canada), from the Keep the Promise Campaign in Canada. The Keep the Promise (KTP) campaign (2013–2015) was organized by friends of June Callwood in partnership with Campaign 2000 and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. It engaged over 2500 children across Canada in the work of ending child poverty in Canada.

• Ask students what effect do they think the video will have on ending child poverty?

Share Word Clouds with the students and discuss if or how perceptions around factors that influence health changed during the lesson.

• Ask students if there are any additional factors or related ideas they have thought of between the last lesson and today.

Introduce the students to the social determinants of health. Use or adapt the following material:

• From our talk, do you remember all the different factors that can affect your health?
• A determinant is something that influences something else. So, when we say social determinants of health, what we are really saying is that there are all these factors in our day-to-day lives that influence how healthy we are.
• These factors can either make it easier or harder to be healthy. It is easy to be healthy when you make a lot of money, live in a house that you can afford, have enough money for healthy food, and work at a job with good working conditions, employee benefits and supports. It is harder to be healthy if you do not make enough money to afford healthy foods or a clean and safe place to live. Everybody needs to see a doctor from time to time, but those with strong and positive social determinants of health typically have the best health outcomes and may not need to see the doctor or seek medical services as often.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—A1, D1; Language—B1, B2, B3, C2, C3

Note: Sexual orientation is not mentioned until grade 5—Teachers may decide to remove Sexual orientation and attraction (H) and Gender identity and expression (L) for grade 4 (they are not included in the student worksheet activity). Both fact sheets will be available as an option.

The fact sheets, worksheets, and teacher answer sheets (available as PDF documents):

1. Worksheets (option A)—Factors that influence health (social determinants of health) with all the options (A to P).
2. Worksheets (option B)—Factors that influence health (social determinants of health) without Sexual orientation and attraction and Gender identity and expression option (A to N).

Time required for activity: 30–45 minutes.

Teacher instructions

Review the factors that influence health (social determinants of health) with students.

Provide each student with the student worksheet.

Introduce the matching activity to help students understand the different social determinants of health (12 of the 16).

Read the fact sheet on the factors that influence health (social determinants of health) (or post them on the white board or distribute a copy).

• Ask students to complete the student worksheet by matching the example situation with the factors that influence health (social determinants of health).
• Ask students to write the letter beside the description of what you think is the correct factor.

When completed, take a few minutes to review the correct answers with students (teacher answer sheet).

Optional activity: In pairs, have students rank the importance of the social determinants in order according to their own beliefs. Once students have finished, match 2 pairs of students together to compare their order and discuss similarities and differences.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—A1, D1, D2 D3; Language—B1, C2

Time required for activity: 15–20 minutes.

Note: Both the Shoe activity to introduce equity and Soccer game: Introducing equity activities can be used individually or together to introduce the concept of equity.

You will need two mismatched pairs of shoes of different sizes and types for this activity.

Teacher instructions

Show two shoes of different sizes to the students.

Ask students to imagine themselves wearing this pair of shoes.

Ask students:

• How would you feel wearing this pair of shoes?
• Are they the correct size?
• Do you fit in these shoes?
• What is wrong with these shoes (e.g. size, type, colour)?

Everything was done fairly. You all have two shoes, one for your right foot and one for your left.

Very few students would actually be happy wearing mismatched pairs of shoes that do not fit.

Teacher response: You want the shoes that are best suited for each of your needs individually? Not just any shoe I find.

Students generally agree. Point out that their goal was to treat all students equally.

Explain to students the difference between equity and equality.

• Equality means everyone gets exactly the same treatment (e.g. two shoes without regard to individual differences like larger or smaller feet, whether the shoes are designed for walking, running, or weather).
• Equity means that everyone gets the treatment required to produce the same quality of outcome (e.g. shoes that fit their individual needs).

Optional: Select two people with different sized feet and discuss how one person needs a larger shoe than the other person. Make the analogy to how some people may need different resources or supports than others to have the same opportunity. Conclude by saying that it matters that we all have the right shoe for us based on our needs.

Source: Life: The Ongoing Education. The Difference Between ‘Equity’ and ‘Equality’. (2008). Retrieved from http://laradavid.blogspot.com/2008/07/difference-between-equity-and-equality.html

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, language, and arts
Health—A1, D1, D2, D3; Language—A2, B1, C1, C2, C3, D1; Visual Arts—D2

Time required for activity: 20–30 minutes.

Note: Both the Shoe activity to introduce equity and Soccer game: Introducing equity activities can be used individually or together to introduce the concept of equity.

The Soccer game: Introducing equity worksheet and answer sheet are available as a PDF document.

Teacher instructions

Display the Soccer game: Introducing equity images on the white board or circulate a print copy of it.

This lesson is about equity vs equality (inequity).

Ask students the following:

First image

• What do you see in the first image? (Have the students turn and talk with a partner.)
• What do you think of when you see this image?
• How does this image make you feel?

After students have had the opportunity to share their thoughts in pairs, open the discussion to the whole group.

The teacher, with student input will record a caption for the picture in language that the students understand.

• Each child was given a box to stand on to watch the soccer game = treated equally. It is assumed that as a box has been provided to everyone, they all have equal opportunity to watch the soccer game comfortably.
• Equality means that everyone is treated the same no matter if they succeed or not in watching the soccer game.

Second image

• What do you see in the second image?
• What do you think of when you see this image? (Have the students turn and talk with a partner.)
• How does this image make you feel?

After students have had the opportunity to share their thoughts in pairs, open the discussion to the whole group.

The teacher, with student input will record a caption for the picture in language that the students understand.

• Each child was considered uniquely and given supports based on their individual needs to participate in watching the soccer game = treated equitably. They were given different supports (boxes of different heights) based on their unique needs to give them an equal opportunity to watch the soccer game together.
• Equity means that everyone gets what they need to succeed.

Third image

• What do you see in the third image?
• What do you think of when you see this image? (Have the students turn and talk with a partner.)
• How does this image make you feel?

After students have had the opportunity to share their thoughts in pairs, open the discussion to the whole group.

The teacher, with student input will record a caption for the picture in language that the students understand.

• Each child can see the soccer game without additional supports. The fence was removed, and the boxes are no longer needed. This image illustrates the concept of justice and accessibility.
• The causes of inequities were addressed, and the systemic barrier has been removed (removal of the fence).

Ask the students:

• Why do you think the artist chose for us to see the people from the back rather than from the front? Why did the artist choose not to show the faces of the people? (Maybe the artist wants you to think about what emotion they would be showing, or that these people could be anyone, that’s why they didn’t show the faces.)
• Is there a time that you could think of when you or a friend might have been more successful if you were given more proper supports?
• Prompt: Maybe you could not see over the person in front of you at a sporting event. Maybe your friend’s family could not afford the time or costs of participating in after-school programs, including sports, tutoring or leadership programs (e.g. scouts, cadets, etc.).

Display the Soccer game: Introducing equity images with descriptions (answer sheet) at the conclusion of the discussion for their reference. (The aim of health equity is to ensure that everyone has the appropriate supports based on their needs in order to have equal opportunities to achieve their full health potential.)

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Language—A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3

Time required for activity: 15 minutes.

Teacher instructions

Introduce the activity by noting that the activity focuses on the role that people can play in creating change in their communities. Note the video they are going to view was developed as part of Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ You Can Create Change campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the social determinants of health (which has been covered in previous activities in this lesson plan) and inspire people to take some action to improve the health of our communities.

Play the You Can Create Change video from Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

After watching the video, ask the students:

• Who are the different people in your life, at school, in businesses or in your neighbourhoods that can help make our community a healthy place to live, play, and work?
• What are examples of things that can be done in your life, at school, in businesses or in your neighbourhoods to help make our community a healthy place to live, play, work?

Note: Be aware of your class needs and the socio-demographic backgrounds or identities of your students. Carefully word your comments and questions. Only provide students with information that they can understand with supports.

Possible responses (but not limited to):

• Everyone can make a difference.
• Small or big actions can make a difference.
• People (e.g. peers, friends, families, parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts, teachers, principals, school staff, doctors, nurses, coaches, clergy, etc.) provide support to individuals and can help them increase their access to resources.
• Schools provide access to education, safe school yards to play, community gardens, etc. for the entire student body.
• Neighbourhood groups (e.g. community action networks, community garden networks) work to raise awareness about local neighbourhood issues or needs and can work together to accomplish shared goals, etc.
• Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics respond to urgent needs.
• Groups, people or families who volunteer in the community.
• Local organizations (e.g. United Way, Our Children Our Future, and Better Beginnings Better Future) work with individuals and groups to provide training and funding to help kids, building strong communities and moving people from poverty to possibility.
• Faith-based groups develop initiatives or activities to help their community.
• The Mayor, councillors, and local politicians work to improve local parks, transportation services, access to affordable rent and housing.
• The federal government provides tax benefits to young families.
• The provincial government is responsible for health care, education, and provincial parks.
• Local businesses provide employment, benefits, and support community organizations.

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, social studies, arts, and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Social Studies—Strand B (Gr.5); Arts—D1; Language—B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 60 minutes.

The student package (including instructions, fact sheets, and puzzle pieces) is available as a PDF document.

Teacher instructions

Distribute the Student instructions, fact sheets and worksheets to students.

Introduce the activity to students:

• The puzzle activity is meant to be a creative extension from the previous class discussion or brainstorming activity. Puzzle pieces are used to symbolize how we can all play a role and that our actions impact others. We all have the power to influence society to ensure everyone has a chance to be healthy.
• Goal of the activity is for students to brainstorm actions or simple activities that they can take to make a difference in their community. As we talked about earlier, some people need more supports than others.

Students are asked to draw or decorate their ideas on their empty puzzle pieces as follows:

• First puzzle piece: students will write or illustrate one thing they can do now to make a difference in their community.
• Second puzzle piece: students will write or illustrate one thing they can do next month to make a difference in their community.
• Brainstorming can be done together as a class or in smaller groups to plan on what and how to illustrate their ideas. Students can also refer to the fact sheet provided in the student package.
• As needed, students can search websites on the Internet to learn more about health equity actions that can be done to make a difference in their community, Ontario and Canada.

After the students complete their puzzle piece, they can present their ideas and drawings to the rest of the class and connect their puzzle piece with those of their classmates. The idea is to connect all the pieces together to display the class’s ideas (e.g. on a wall or bulletin board and take a picture) as one completed puzzle.

Emphasize the idea that connecting the puzzle pieces is meant to symbolize how everyone must work together to build a strong community.

Note: This activity continues in Lesson 3: Health equity in action. If you have time, you can finish the third puzzle piece during this lesson, please see the Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year for instructions.

If possible, designate three different areas in the classroom or school for the different puzzle pieces (e.g. what can be done today, next month, and next year) for other students and teachers to view. You will need two different areas today and one for the Puzzle activity on health equity action in the next year.

Brainstorming notes for the teacher’s class discussion

First puzzle piece: One thing you can do now to make a difference in our community.

Possible examples:

• Find something at home to donate (e.g. clean out your closets, books, toys).
• Tell your parents and family about what you learned today.
• Ask your parents or guardians if you can volunteer as a family or do something else to help out in your community.
• Help a neighbour.
• Talk to somebody at school who you think is being left out.

Second puzzle piece: One thing you can do next month to make a difference in our community.

Possible examples:

• Find out more about organizations in the community doing great work.
• Get a group together to clean up your local park or field.
• Find an organization where you can volunteer as a family.
• Join a group that helps out in the community, for example, a faith-based group or a youth group.
• If you get an allowance or chore money, try donating it to an organization that you like.

Wrap up the discussion with possible reflection questions

• Do you think some of the ideas that you came up with would be easier to do than others?
• Are there ideas that work better than others?

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, social studies, and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Social Studies—Strand B (Grade 5); Language—A2, B1, B2, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 15–20 minutes.

Teacher instructions

Begin lesson by showing the students the Listen up, Canada, we need to talk (Keep the Promise Canada) video. The Keep the Promise (KTP) campaign (2013–2015) was organized by friends of June Callwood in partnership with Campaign 2000 and the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. It engaged over 2500 children across Canada in the work of ending child poverty in Canada.

Provide time for students to reflect on the message of the video. Ask students to write down (5 minutes of quiet writing) their thoughts about the video. If time allows, provide time for students to share a couple of examples.

Review the last lesson including the Puzzle activity on health equity action and the discussions that the class had during that lesson and prompt the students to answer the following questions:

• What could you do today to make a difference in the community? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year?
• Were you able to try and do some of the things you identified?
• What could we do in our school today to make the school community a better place? Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year?
• What could we do together to make a difference in our community?

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, social studies, arts, and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Social Studies—Strand B, (Gr.5); Arts—D1; Language—B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1

Time required for activity: 30–45 minutes.

The student package (including instructions, fact sheets, and puzzle pieces) is available as a PDF document.

Teacher instructions

This activity is the continuation of the Puzzle activity started in Lesson 2: The social determinants of health and health equity. For more information or teacher instructions, please refer to previous lesson, the Puzzle activity on health equity action.

Students are asked to draw or decorate their ideas on their empty puzzle piece as follows:

• Students will write or illustrate one thing they can do in the next year to make a difference in their community.
• Brainstorming can be done together as a class or in smaller groups to get ideas on what and how to illustrate their ideas. Students can also refer to the websites they searched about poverty and health equity actions.

After the students complete their puzzle piece, they can present their ideas and drawings to the rest of the class and connect their puzzle piece with those of their classmates. The idea is to connect all puzzle pieces together to display the whole class’s ideas (e.g. on a wall or bulletin board) and take a picture.

Emphasize the idea that connecting the puzzle pieces is meant to symbolize how everyone must work together to build a strong community.

If possible, designate three different areas in the classroom or school for the different puzzle pieces from this and the previous lesson plan (g. what can be done now, next month, and next year) for other students and teachers to view.

Brainstorming notes for the teacher’s class discussion

Third puzzle piece: Name one thing you can do in the next year to make a difference in our community.

Possible examples:

• Brainstorm questions that can be posed to local politicians.
• Students can remind their parents and other adults to vote during the elections.
• Write a letter to your politician about poverty or something else you think needs to change in your community.
• Consider volunteering during special times of the year (e.g. cold weather season, celebrated holidays or other occasions).
• Collect donations from your family, friends, or neighbours to help send a child to summer camp.
• Help other people learn about these issues by running a campaign at school.

Wrap up the discussion with a possible reflection question

• Are there activities you could start right away with a little support from some friends or family members?

Curriculum expectations

Health and physical education, social studies, and language
Health—D1, D2, D3; Social Studies—Strand B (Grade 5); Language—B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1

Note: Sexual orientation is not mentioned until grade 5—the teacher may decide to include sexual orientation and attraction, gender identity and expression for grade 4.

Time required for activity: 60 minutes for the planning sheet. If the teacher wishes to create a final product, consider this lesson to be used over 2–3 days with an additional 100 minutes.

The Let your voice be heard! worksheets with all of the social determinants of health (option A) and without sexual orientation and attraction, gender identity and expression (option B) are available as PDF documents.

Teacher instructions

Explain the purpose of the activity to students:

• To bolster the students’ opinions and encourage them to ask their own questions about poverty and its impact on health.
• To empower students to take action in their community.
• To reinforce for students that their voices matter.
• To encourage students to identify possible solutions to increasing health equity at a local, provincial, and national level.

Distribute the Let your voice be heard! worksheet (option A or option B) to students.

Ask students to work through the activity sheet individually.

Notes:

• Starting at the local level may be the easiest way to show students how they can get involved in their own community.
• Students are encouraged to outline their concerns, questions, and potential solutions toward reducing poverty.
• The fact sheet (PDF) on different levels of government is included in the Puzzle activity on health equity action. Students can use this fact sheet to learn about the responsibilities of each level of government.

Optional: Students and teachers may decide to send their ideas to the leader(s) of their choice at the end of this activity.