Teaching
This area on the learning platform "in touch with health" is available for all multipliers who want to use health promotion material on the subjects of skin and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in a learning situation.
On the following pages we will offer you information that you will need to realize health promotion projects inside or outside school.
Among them, there is some general information about the health project PAEDIMED in which the learning platform has been developed, and in addition some general information about the subject health promotion itself. Furthermore, we offer you additional information and material that can be used in the classroom and in projects.
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About PAEDIMED: Get an overview about the health project PAEDIMED and about the central idea behind the learning platform. For more information please click here. |
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Health & Co: What is health, and how does health promotion work? We will try to answer these questions on the page "Health & Co". For more information please click here. |
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Learning modules: In these chapters, we will provide background information on the offered subjects: e. g. recommended internet links and literature, didactic proposals for classroom and project activities. For more information please click on the learning modules: acne, sunlight, dermatitis and skin health and STD. Also, you have access to Background information on the subject skin. |
Health & Co
There are very different notions about health. But they have usually one thing in common: health concerns everyone.
If you are interested to read more about health and health promotion, please read on in the following chapter.
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Health: Here we will get to the bottom of the question: "What is health?" Please find more information here. | |
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Health promotion: The main question is: "How can we promote health?" Please find the answers here. | |
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Salutogenesis: In the concept of health promotion, the main focus is not necessarily on the risk factors that make people sick, but on the resources of the individual person to stay healthy. Please find more about the salutogenetic model here. | |
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HAPA model: The HAPA model provides important ideas on how to realize health promotion in a learning environment. The HAPA model is described here. | |
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Literature: Please find further literature recommendations here. |
Health
What do people often write on birthday cards? „Happy birthday, a successful new year, and stay healthy above all!” Health seems to play an important role for a good or even happy life. A famous German Philosopher – Schopenhauer – said once: “Health is not everything, but without health everything is nothing". These are examples for the importance health has for many people.
If you try to describe health in a few words, you will discover that this is difficult. Maybe one of the reasons why a general definition is difficult is that everyone has very personal perceptions of health. Personal experiences and individual character traits play an important role in everybody’s definition of health. Please find some notions of health in the overview below. Some definitions focus on the physical functioning of the “human machine”, others define health as the absence of illness. Others define it more globally and focus on human well-being under varying experiences and viewpoints (e. g. our own body, emotions, relationship to other people).
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The differing perceptions of health can be related to differing behaviour patterns. People who feel that they have no influence on their health, because it depends on coincidence or higher powers, will probably not fight to improve and maintain their health. But people who feel that their health is at their own responsibility will probably tend to avoid damaging behaviour and will try to support their health actively.
 The World Health Organization (WHO) created the best-known definition of health: “Health is a situation of complete physical, social and mental well-being and not as the absence of illness or ailment.” (World Health Organization 1946) |
Important in this definition is the holistic claim. In those years, it was not self-evident to put the mental and also the social well-being on one level with the physical well-being as a condition for health.
Health promotion
What does health promotion mean? The World Health Organization provided a well-known definition for that as well:
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""Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health." (WHO 1986). |
This guiding principle has been applied in our project about skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases. Thus the pupils will be able to learn and to make experiences how to improve their health on some areas of health at their choice.
In the so-called Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986), the WHO suggests three basic action strategies and five key action areas for Health Promotion.
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The three action strategies of Health Promotion are: to advocate, to enable and to mediate. These three action strategies are described in further detail on the WHO website. Please access the site here. | |
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The WHO identifies as the five key action areas for Health Promotion: 1. Build Healthy Public Policy, 2. Create Supportive Environments, 3. Strengthen Community Actions, 4. Develop Personal Skills and 5. Reorient Health Services. These five key action areas are described in detail on the WHO website. Please access the site here. |
The action area „Develop Personal Skills“ is especially important for deducting a mission in the field of education for health. The Ottawa Charter explains that „Health promotion supports personal and social development through providing information, education for health and enhancing life skills.”
Salutogenesis
"What makes people sick?" This is a very important question in medical science. Scientists try to understand the aetiology of diseases and to influence it in a positive way. Psychologists as well traditionally deal with morbid influences from this perspective, e. g. in the case of stress. In the recent past, the reversion of the question has expanded the perspective.
"How do people stay healthy?". This is the critical question a scientist came to by coincidence. He had noticed that, among a traumatized group of women from a concentration camp in Germany during World War II, some women stayed healthier than others. The classical perspective („What is making them sick?“) investigated the group of mentally and physically severely traumatized women. Antonovsky, however, by examining the group of women who had stayed more healthily, tried to find reasons that had enabled them to cope better with the stressors. Antonovsky defined stressors as challenges in life that humans must cope with.
Furthermore, he wanted to verify if these reasons were also valid for other people. The critical question is if a person has resources of resistance to counter stressors. It’s a well-known phenomenon that many people are exposed to the same germs, but only a part of them fall sick. In a wave of common cold, some people get a cold while others do not. This phenomenon is usually explained with a better state of the powers of resistance of some people, which prevent a transmission of the germs. But why do some people have stronger or weaker powers of resistance than others? The concept trying to explain the origin of health and illness is called the „concept of salutogenesis“ (i. e. of the origin of health).
Stressors, resources of resistance and the continuum of health and illness. Antonovsky’s basic idea in his salutogenetic approach is that every human possesses healthy and ill parts. From his view, health and illness are two poles of a continuum.
The health of humans depends on the stressors they are exposed to and the resources of resistance they possess to counter them. The balance between straining and protective factors determines the health state (see image below).
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| Effect of stressors: They create a situation of stress that can or cannot be coped with and may lead to health (salutogenesis) or illness (pathogenesis) (continuum of health and illness). |
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Continuum of Health and Illnes
Antonovsky described his basic ideas in a metaphorical description; please read a quotation below: "...my fundamental philosophical assumption is that the river is the stream of life. None walks the shore safely. Moreover, it is clear to me that much of the river is polluted, literally and figuratively. There are forks in the river that lead to gentle streams or to dangerous rapids and whirlpools. My work has been devoted to confronting the question: ´Whereever one is in the stream - whose nature is determined by historical, socio-cultural, and physical environmental conditions - what shapes one's ability to swim well?" (Antonovsky, 1987, p.90) |
The salutogenetic approach focuses on the way in which a person copes with stressing factors positively. Here are some examples for resources of resistance that allow a positive coping with stressors:
- Sufficient powers of resistance (immune system ) of the body against pathogens and other stressors,
- The capacity to avoid stressors actively (to evade them through health-conducive behaviour / prevention),
- Intelligence and mental flexibility to be able to adapt to living conditions or to actively change them,
- Material resources to ensure protection, nutrition, shelter etc.
- Social support in social networks (e. g. friends, family, co-workers).
Sense of Coherence. Of critical importance for the availability and the usage of resources of resistance is the so-called Sense of Coherence. Sense of Coherence describes the inner attitude of a person that enables the person to cope with stressors in a positive way. Sense of Coherence consists of three components: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness (see overview below).
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According to Antonovsky, an individual with a strong Sense of Coherence reacts to demands (stressors) by considering them as challenges and activating his/her sources of resistance. Someone with a weak Sense of Coherence, however, will soon consider the demand as overload.
Sense of Coherence, then, is a positive and active self-image about one’s own capabilities of coping that is combined with the confidence to be able to control and organize one’s life.
The stronger the Sense of Coherence, the higher is the probability to cope with stressors successfully and with positive effects for one’s health. Thus it is a challenge for health promotion projects in schools to help teenagers develop a positive Sense of Coherence.
HAPA model
Health education often does not show the desired success. Many risky behaviours seem to be very resistent to change, and educational interventions are often not widely accepted (e. g. smoking cessation, healthy diet).
Therefore it is important to analyze the cognitive processes that lie between the message of health promotion and health relevant behaviour. The model described below may contribute to answering the question how to proceed from the educational intervention to the desired health-literate behaviour, and in which crucial points of this process failure may be possible.
There are a number of models which try to explain the origin of human health behaviour and the possibilities to influence this attitude. There is a model integrating the elements of many other models: the HAPA model, developed at the end of the 1980s by Ralf Schwarzer in Berlin. It continues the concept of Antonovsky’s salutogensis model. The HAPA model describes various phases which an individual must pass completely in a positive sense to be able to adopt and maintain the desired behaviour (by abandoning harmful behaviour or by adopting health-conducive behaviour).
| Please see the phases in the image below. A more detailed description of this model can be found on the following website: http://www.hapa-model.de/ |
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As the self-efficacy expectancies are considered to play an essential role for adoption and maintenance of a health-relevant behaviour, the conditions under which this desired behaviour can be initiated and influenced by teachers or other multipliers are outlined in this overview.
Perceptions of self-efficacy are constructed in the course of life from four different sources: (1) information resulting from own successful actions, (2) experiences resulting from social comparison with others, (3.) convincing verbal feedback by important others and (4.) physiological and affective conditions.
Literature
Please look into the following references list if you would like to deepen your knowledge about health and promotion.
LISTE AKTUALISIEREN, ADAPTIEREN UND ERGÄNZEN
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Module Acne
This chapter provides further information about acne. There are links to pages that allow to enhance your knowledge and suggest proposals and recipes for activities in and out of school. In addition, you will find more images for use in classroom and projects.
| Module Acne | |
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Didactic proposals for teaching can be found here. |
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Additional information relating to the learning texts can be found here. |
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Images can be downloaded here. |
Didactic proposals
This page offers various proposals on teaching and learning methods on the subjects of acne. When we gathered the information, we tried to offer a broad range. There are short activities and larger projects. You will find various proposals from simple discussions rounds to multimedia projects.
The didactic proposals will be described in detail below. We gathered for you content, forms or realization, variations and the requirements in time and technical equipment. For every didactic proposal we also provide a detailed description (in some cases including worksheets and supplementary texts).
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The download of the detailled didactic proposal requires the Acrobat Reader. Get Acrobat Reader. |
| Story Telling: "Acne Horror Story" |
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Content & goals The activity picks up Max' idea to record Natalya's "inner horror" as a story. Often, acne entails enormous psychological strains. The students ought to reflect and discuss the theme acne and psyche. This is to be encouraged through making the students write a story about it themselves (in a small group). The story ought to describe the "inner horror" which is experienced by many who are affected by acne, as well as to describe factual and feared prejudices about acne and develop potential solution strategies. |
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Realization - can be integrated into lessons - interdisciplinary aims are possible (e.g. Biology, English) - international links are possible |
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Variations Different variants are possible, e.g. "Paper-Pencil" story or Wiki |
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Requirements of material and media Internet connection is necessary for the Wiki. |
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Time requirements - preparation time: little effort (up to 1 hour) - Necessary teaching time: from 1 double lesson - Wrap-up time: median effort (2 to 3 hours) |
 Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 18KB)
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| Internet „driver’s license“: Home remedies against acne in the internet - top or flop? |
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Content & goals The activity refers to Natalya’s internet search for effective home remedies against her acne. Various internet pages promote home remedies of all kinds that are said to cure or relieve acne. But many of those hints must be considered not helpful at all from the medical point of view! This activity constitutes a form of “internet driver’s license” in dealing with acne and its remedies in the internet. The goal is that pupils learn to assess and classify the different internet sources. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - The checklist for the quality of internet pages is independent from the subject and can also be used in other situations - International links are possible. |
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Variations Level of guidance for the internet search can be varied |
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Requirements of material and media - Learning platforms texts - Internet connection is needed - Working sheet |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: 1 double lesson (90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 30KB) |
| Interview: Acne – how was that for you? |
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Content & goals The four friends in our summer camp story have made different experiences with acne. This is where this activity 3 starts. Most teenagers have or have had acne during pu-berty. The pupils will interview “acne survivors” (people above the age of 18) and evalu-ate the interview statements together. This is supposed to let them see that the typical symptoms of acne are usually fading away with increasing age and that all people ex-perience and „survive“ puberty. |
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Realization Can be integrated into classroom lessons |
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Variations Variations are possible, e. g. face-to-face interviews, or recording the interviews by audio or video equipment. |
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Requirement of material and media Technical equipment if interviews are recorded (audio/visual equipment for recording and replaying). |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: 90 mins. (if recorded audio/visually, at least 2x90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 20KB)
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Analyzing pH  |
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Content & goals The protective layer of the skin is of crucial importance for skin health. In acne, skin cleansing is very important: it should be done with products which have a pH of about 5.5, like skin itself. Activity 4 is a practical exercise combined with an internet search. The goal is that the pupils understand pH theoretically and practically and are able to apply the knowledge.
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (Biology, Chemistry) |
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Variations Experiment/analysis |
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Requirement of material and media - Internet access - Analysis material |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: 90 mins. - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 22KB)
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Additional information
Below, various Internet sources are provided, which offer continuative literature around acne.
- page set up by the American Academy of Dermatology; very informative and descriptive: http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/index.html
- family page; good basic information, especially about the emotional and social impact of acne: http://www.familytlc.net/acne_adolescents_preteens.html
- addressed to families as well; very informative; addressing physical and emotional conditions: http://www.acnecaretreatments.com/Affects_Of_Teen_Acne.html
Module Sunlight
This chapter provides further information about sunlight and skin health. There are links to pages that allow to enhance your knowledge and suggest proposals and recipes for activities in and out of school. In addition, you will find more images for use in classroom and projects.
| Module Sunlight | |
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Didactic proposals for teaching can be found here. |
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Additional information relating to the teaching texts can be found here. |
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Images can be downloaded here. |
Didactic proposals
This page offers various proposals on teaching and learning methods on the subjects of sunlight and skin health. When we gathered the information, we tried to offer a broad range. There are short activities and larger projects. You will find various proposals from simple discussions rounds to multimedia projects.
The didactic proposals will be described in detail below. We gathered for you content, forms of realization, variations and the requirements in time and technical equipment. For every didactic proposal we also provide a detailed description (in some cases including worksheets and supplementary texts).
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The download of the detailled didactic proposal requires the Acrobat Reader. Get Acrobat Reader. |
| Role play: “Tanned or not tanned – this is the question!“ |
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Content & goals Tanned skin has not always been considered beautiful and is not seen so everywhere in the world. The ideal of beauty has changed a lot in different societies in the course of time. Every culture has, up to today, completely differing perceptions of beauty. This exercise is supposed to make the pupils understand that the ideal of beauty is dependent on its perception in society. In role plays, the pupils will present the ideals of beauty in different societies, cultures and eras and will discuss in how far in former times, today and in which cultures tanned respectively fair skin were or are a sign for beauty, success, wealth etc. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (e. g. Philosophy, History, English, Art Educa-tion) - International links are possible |
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Variations Variatons are possible: e. g. a) role play b) story adaptation with new media use (photo story, audio/visual realization), c) presentations. Role plays etc. can be prepared at home or during class. |
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Requirement of material and media - Internet access needed for internet search - Depending on the variation: photo / audio / video equipment (you might want to have the pupils use their photo mobile phones if available!) - Possibly props needed |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) - Need of class time: at least 3 double periods (3 x 90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 25KB)
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| The Sun Health Check: Test your „sun behaviour“ |
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Content & goals The activity refers to the differing behaviour in terms of sun exposure and sun protection of our friends in the summer camp story. UV radiation is not only good for our skin. Therefore it is important to develop a behaviour which protects us against too much UV radiation and helps us stay healthy. The pupils should be encouraged, by means of self reflection and peer reflection, to document, reflect and discuss their own behaviour with respect to sunlight and skin health. Sources of information are the learning texts in the module and two working sheets.
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - International links are possible |
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Variations Working in couples, self and peer reflection |
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Requirement of material and media - Learning texts in the learning module - Working sheets provided |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - benötigte Unterrichtszeit: about 1 period (45 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 28KB)
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| Skin Type Test: What is my skin type? |
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Content & goals The activity relates to the four friends in our introductory story and their different skin types. The skin protection measures you should take depend on your skin type. Therefore, it is important to know one’s skin type. In this exercise, the pupils are to find out their skin type and to deduct from this their individual sun protection programme, as an exercise in “sun-wise” behaviour. |
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Realization Can be integrated into classroom lessons |
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Variations Self or peer reflection |
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Requirement of material and media - Texts of the learning module - Prepared working sheet |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - benötigte Unterrichtszeit: 1 period (45 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 20KB)
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| Story Telling: Perfect Sun Protection or Total Disaster? |
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Content & goals The exercise refers to the four friends’ „sun behaviour“. The pupils are supposed to oc-cupy themselves with the various possible measures of sun protection by writing fictitious stories (in teams), in which they create a range of possible situations. Some of the sto-ries are supposed to present an exemplary behaviour respective to sun exposure, while others should describe variations of extremely negligent “sun behaviour”. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (e. g. English, Biology, Art Education) - International links are possible |
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Variations Can be done in couples or alone; variations of story telling are possible, e. g.: „paper pencil“ story or wiki, story adapted for new media use (photo story, audio/visual realization) |
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Requirement of material and media - Learning texts of the module „Sunlight and skin health“ - Depending on the variation, internet access (wiki), photo / audio / video equip-ment will be needed (see if the pupils have photo mobile phones they can use) - Possibly props needed |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: at least 2 double periods (2 x 90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 19KB)
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| Poster: Helpful hints for summer vacation! |
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Content & goals This exercise refers to the introductory story and the four friends’ behaviour in terms of sun exposure. Especially shortly before summer vacation, the sun protective measures should be brought to the awareness of the pupils again. The pupils develop (in teams) posters for their schools and give advice to their fellow pupils about sun protection measures during vacation. During these activities, they will deal actively with adequate sun protection and explore alternative free time activities during vacation time. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (English, Biology, Art Education; Computer Studies / Data Processing / Word Processing) - International links are possible. |
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Variations Team work; poster design |
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Requirement of material and media - Learning text of the learning module - Material for poster design - In computer-assisted realizations: adequate visual and word processing programmes |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: at least 1 double period (90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 19KB)
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Additional information
In the following, various Internet sources are being offered, which provide continuative literature around the theme "sun".
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/kids/kids_ozone.html
A very nice site on „sun-wise“ behaviour for kids and young people – a lot of information and a lot of fun!
http://www.skincancer.org/protect-your-kids/sun-fitness-for-kids-and-teens.html
Site on skin cancer, also about kids and teens, but merely written for adults (non-c)
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/types/skin
Skin cancer: English and Spanish site (non-c)
http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer/article.htm
Skin cancer website for patients and non-professionals (non-c)
http://www.integrative-healthcare.org/mt/archives/2006/10/raising_skin_he.html
Skin health and cancer for non-professionals and patients (non-c)
http://skincancer.dermis.net/content/
- Site on skin cancer, also about kids and teens, but merely written
for adults (non-c):
http://www.skincancer.org/protect-your-kids/sun-fitness-for-kids-and-tee... - Skin cancer: English and Spanish site (non-c): http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/types/skin
- Skin cancer website for patients and non-professionals (non-c): http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer/article.htm
- Skin health and cancer for non-professionals and patients (non-c):
http://www.integrative-healthcare.org/mt/archives/2006/10/raising_skin_h...
Images
In this area, additional images are provided for use in the classroom or in extracurricular activities.
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medical images: |
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Module Dermatitis
This chapter provides further information about dermatitis. There are links to pages that allow to enhance your knowledge and suggest proposals and recipes for activities in and out of school. In addition, you will find more images for use in classroom and projects.
| Module Eczema |
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Didactic proposals for teaching can be found here. |
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Additional information relating to the learning texts can be found here. |
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Images can be downloaded here. |
Didactic proposals
This page offers various proposals on teaching and learning methods on the subjects of dermatitis. When we gathered the information, we tried to offer a broad range. There are short activities and larger projects. You will find various proposals from simple discussions rounds to multimedia projects.
The didactic proposals will be described in detail below. We gathered for you content, forms or realization, variations and the requirements in time and technical equipment. For every didactic proposal we also provide a detailed description (in some cases including worksheets and supplementary texts).
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The download of the detailled didactic proposal requires the Acrobat Reader. Get Acrobat Reader. |
| Practical investigation: Dermatitis in our school |
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Content & goals The four friends enter Professor Prurit’s laboratory and get in touch with the subject of investigation in medicine. Medicine needs investigation in order to make progress and to improve prevention and therapy of diseases. In this activity, the pupils will be familiar-ized with this aspect regarding dermatitis. This is done by granting the pupils insight into the procedures of medical studies and by having them realize their own small study around dermatitis at their school. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (Biology, Mathematics, Computer Sci-ence/Data Processing/Word Processing) - International links are possible |
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Variations Team work; design and presentation of an own small study |
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Requirement of material and media - Texts of the learning module „Dermatitis“ - Working sheets - Hand calculator - Word processing programmes |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) - Need of class time: (prepare and realize enquiry): at least 4 double periods (4 x 90 mins.) or 1 project day - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 33KB)
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| Case report: Tracing dermatitis triggers |
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Content & goals Starting point is the nickel allergy of Thelma’s friend. Substances that may lead to der-matitis can be found in all kinds of surroundings: at home, at school, in leisure activities or at the workplace. If people know these substances and their occurrence, they will be able to protect themselves against their impact. The pupils are supposed to develop awareness for substances triggering dermatitis, for the places where they can occur and for the possibilities to avoid their negative influence. For this, the pupils will invent such situations in their real environment and design a case report on this. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary lessons are possible (Biology, English, Computer Science/Data Processing/Word Processing) - International links are possible |
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Variations Team work; (digital) story telling possible in some variations (e. g. paper-pencil story, wiki, photo story); optional: poster design |
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Requirement of material and media - Learning texts on the learning platform - Prepared working sheet |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: at least 2 double periods (2 x 90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 28KB)
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| Experiments: Skin-irritating substances vs. skin protection measures |
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Content & goals Point of reference is the nickel allergy of Thelma’s friend. Various substances (allergens, irritants) can affect the skin and lead to (allergic resp. subtoxic-cumulative) contact der-matitis. This can often be avoided (e. g. by applying skin protection measures). In vari-ous experiments the pupils learn about the hurtful impact of (strongly) irritating sub-stances and the protective effect of skin protection measures. The pupils’ action-result expectancy will be influenced in a positive way. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (Biology, Chemistry) |
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Variations Experiments in team work |
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Requirement of material and media - Texts of the learning module „dermatitis“ - additional material for practical experiments |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) to medium time need (2 to 3 hours) - Need of class time: 1 single period (45 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 20KB)
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Additional information
In the following, various Internet sources are being offered, which provide continuative literature around the theme "dermatitis".
http://eczema.dermis.net/content/index_eng.html
http://neurodermitis.dermis.net/content
Images
In this area, additional images are provided for use in the classroom or in extracurricular activities.
Module STD
This chapter provides further information about STD. There are links to pages that allow to enhance your knowledge and suggest proposals and recipes for activities in and out of school. In addition, you will find more images for use in classroom and projects.
| Module STD | |
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Didactic proposals for teaching can be found here. |
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Additional information relating to the learning texts can be found here. |
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Images can be downloaeded here. |
Didactic proposals
This page offers various proposals on teaching and learning methods on the subjects of sexually transmitted diseases. When we gathered the information, we tried to offer a broad range. There are short activities and larger projects. You will find various proposals from simple discussions rounds to multimedia projects.
The didactic proposals will be described in detail below. We gathered for you content, forms or realization, variations and the requirements in time and technical equipment. For every didactic proposal we also provide a detailed description (in some cases including worksheets and supplementary texts).
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The download of the detailled didactic proposal requires the Acrobat Reader. Get Acrobat Reader. |
| Research exercise: STD campaign |
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Content & goals There are a lot of campaigns about sexually transmitted diseases. The pupils should look around consciously where and in which way they are made aware of sexually transmitted diseases. For that purpose, they should search the internet and collect flyers (e. g. in surgery), posters or TV spots. They will bring their findings to class where they will present, sort and discuss them. What kind of information is offered? And, relating to the summer camp story: is one really aware only of those subjects that have been communicated from the outside? |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible |
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Variations Research exercise and group discussion |
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Requirement of material and media - Internet access for the internet search - Findings of the pupils’ searches |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: 1 double period (90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 18KB)
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| Evaluation: STD campaigns |
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Content & goals This exercise is linked to Activity 1. There are many campaigns calling people’s attention to the subject of sexually transmitted diseases. The pupils should collect information ma-terial relating to these campaigns. Some campaigns are successful, others aren’t. The pupils form a jury which evaluates the collected campaigns. They develop evaluation cri-teria (this is an important step) and evaluate all collected campaigns, giving reasons for their decisions. The movie from the summer camp story (see learning module STD) can be included in the evaluation as well. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible |
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Variations Evaluation exercise and group discussion |
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Requirement of material and media - Internet access - Material collected by the pupils |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: 1 double period (90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 18KB)
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| Our own STD campaign |
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Content & goals It is the teenagers themselves who know best what a campaign should be like to draw their attention. Working in small groups, they will design an educational campaign about STD. The exact subject (STD in general, one specific disease) and the form of realization may be defined by the teachers or by the pupils. The activity can be done with or with-out a competitive character. The school may want to install an online area in which the project results can be placed publicly or semi-publicly. |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classes - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (Biology, English, Art Education, Philosophy, Computer Science/Data Processing/Word Processing) |
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Variations Designing exercise; team work; several variations possible in realization, e. g. poster design, flyer design, creation of an audio/video contribution, design of a website, creation of a power point presentation |
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Requirement of material and media Equipment needed depending on variation |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: aat least 3 double periods ( 3 x 90 mins.) or one half/full project day (depending on the variation) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 18KB)
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| Safer Sex – Do it the right way! |
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Content & goals Practising safer sex can protect against sexually transmitted diseases. A very important step in this is the correct use of condoms. This activity is a classical practical exercise in the correct use of condoms. |
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Realization Can be integrated into classroom lessons |
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Variations Practical exercise; variations are possible, e. g.: use of a „Contraception Kit“ or discus-sion about an instructional film about condom use. |
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Requirement of material and media - Learning text STD on the learning platform - „Contraception Kit“ or internet access to watch an instructional film about condom use. |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: at least 1 single period (45 mins.) - Wrap-up time: low time need (up to 1 hour) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 23KB)
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| Serial story: Talk to each other!? |
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Content & goals One important step in protecting yourself against sexually transmitted diseases is to talk about safer sex with your partner. This may not be easy. To prepare the teenagers for this discussion, the pupils will write (in teams) a serial story about this subject. It is recommended that girls and boys do this separately. The central issue is to see how the pupils communicate their need for protection and how they cope with rejection etc. The stories are compared and discussed within the whole class (e. g.: are there gender-specific differences?). |
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Realization - Can be integrated into classroom lessons - Cross-disciplinary goals are possible (Biology, English, Computer Science/Data Processing/Word Processing) |
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Variations Variations of (digital) story telling are possible, e. g. paper-pencil-story, wiki |
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Requirement of material and media In case of wiki, internet access is needed |
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Time requirements - Preparation time: low time need (up to 1 hour) - Need of class time: at least 1 double period (90 mins.) - Wrap-up time: medium time need (2 to 3 hours) |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 21KB)
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| STD Event: Knowledge is pleasure |
| (Methodological suggestion by Dubravko Lepušić, MD from Croatia) |
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Content & goals The subject of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) respectively the protection against STD is supposed to be brought to the teenagers’ attention in a surrounding that is motivating and adequate to their lifestyle and way of learning. For this purpose, a school event is organized to which all teenage students are invited. In appropriate school rooms educational evening lectures are held by a medical expert on the subject of STD (general introductions and lectures with varying focus, e. g. on HPV). The lectures are followed by rock concerts featuring some checked out rock groups, e. g. students’ groups. The event aims at broadening the teenage population’s knowledge about STD and at informing them about sexual hygiene and the prevention of STDs. |
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Realization - Short lecture (40 min up to 1 hour) followed by discussion. The lecture is held in the form of a power point presentation. - Rock concerts following the lecture (as a means to enhance interest in the event). |
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Variations After the lecture / during the days following the lecture: group discussions, creation of web sites and posters, scene performances, lectures on STDs held by teenagers. |
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Requirement of material and media - Suitable rooms - Power point presentations - Website presentations - Scene performances - Information flyers about sexually transmitted diseases, the ways of transmission and prevention strategies (search for material e. g. in government-funded health institutions). |
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Time requirements - Lecture: 40 minutes up to 1 hour - Discussion: additional 20-30 minutes - Scene performances: ca. 20 minutes - Concert: varying - The project „Knowledge is pleasure“ may happen once or can be offered at regular intervals throughout the whole school year. |
| Download of the detailed proposal (PDF: 142KB)
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Additional information
In the following, various Internet sources are offered which provide continuative literature around STD.
- http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/stdsgen.htm
Site on various sexually transmitted diseases. Informative, good, easy to understand. - http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm#hpvvac1
Site on HPV vaccine, HPV in general and preventive measures. US government site, very informative. - http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/
US site: University of California: Very informative site about sex, body, related diseases and how to protect oneself against them. - http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/
A good site with information about AIDS - http://www.beingalivela.org/
Information and help for people with HIV/AIDS
Background information on the subject "skin"
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Its surface is around 2 m². Thus it is not surprising that its weight is remarkable: about 10 kg. Its structure is rather complex as well. Our skin consists of different layers, glands, receptors, vessels and veins. All these elements are necessary to make sure that the skin works well, which is very important.
The skin fulfils a large number of important tasks within the human body. The skin has a protective function, and it is absorbing and dispensing fluids and substances. The skin regulates the body temperature and is part of the immunological defence. In the inner body regions, mucous membranes take over the protective and transport functions.
The skin provides the sense of touch and also allows us to communicate with our environment (willingly or unwillingly), for example if we frown, blush or develop goose bumps.
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For more information: Structure of the skin and Funktions of the skin. |
You will also have noticed that everybody's skin is different: skin type, skin colour and skin condition can be very different. There are people with dark or fair skin, with dry or oily or normal skin. There are endless variations.
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For more information: Skin types and Skin texture. |
Nevertheless, the strain on the skin is often similar. The skin has to deal with external influences like dirt or irritating substances, or with internal factors like genetic dispositions, hormones, life style and well-being. All these factors may have a positive or negative impact on the skin.
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For more information: Influences on the skin. |
For all these reasons, our skin forms an important part of our body. It has to cope with many influences and strains. That is a very good reason to take good care of our skin. And this is not really difficult. If you know what your skin needs, there is a number of things you can do yourself to keep it healthy.
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For more information: Skin care. |
By the way: Those who would like more information regarding skin in general, may look in the area "additional information". This area contains various hints on websites on the topic that are worth reading.
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For more information: Additional information. |
Skin structure
The structure of our skin is rather complex. Some skin structures are very easy to recognise; one just has to look at the skin carefully. Other skin structures, however, are only visible under the microscope.
If you look at your skin thoroughly, you will discover that the different layers of the skin are visible even to the naked eye. This external, so-called “macroscopic” skin structure is visible e. g. on our hands and feet. The palms of one’s hands and the soles of the feet are covered by hairless ridged skin. The rest of the body is covered by so-called meshed skin, where hair is growing. These differences are determined genetically.
Under the microscope you would be able to see further skin layers. This finer “inner” structure is called “microscopic structure”. The fine structure of the skin consists of three layers and can only be distinguished under the microscope. Every layer shows typical cell structures with specific tasks.
Going from the outside to the inside, the skin, which is also called “cutis” in medicine, consists of the following layers:
Every skin layer has a specific structure. The image shows the different elements of the skin. These elements are among others blood vessels, hair, hair follicles and several sorts of glands (sebaceous glands, sweat glands etc.).
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Finger and toe nails and the scalp hair also belong to the skin – they are called “skin appendages”.
| Besides the skin as described above there is also the mucosa. Mucous membranes line the insides of the hollow organs, e. g. the intestines or the mouth. Mucosa can also be found on the sexual organs. The upper coating of the male glans is a mucous membrane, for example, and the female vagina is lined by a mucous membrane without glands. Mucosa, in contrast to normal skin, does have neither a horny layer nor hair. |
Skin functions
With a surface of 2 m² (depending on size and volume of a person) the skin is the largest human organ. It weighs around 10 kg and thus is the heaviest and the most multifunctional organ of the human body.
Our skin serves to more than just to cover us. The skin is a very important organ and fulfils a large number of functions. Here are the most important ones among them:
| Skin protects us against external influences. More... |
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Skin protects us against external influences
One of the most important functions of the skin is to protects us against negative influences from the outside: for example against cold, heat and radiation (especially ultraviolet (UV) radiation), these are so-called physical irritations. We may also have contact with chemical irritations, e. g. at work or in the household. Our skin also works as a buffer against pressure, blows and friction (mechanical irritations). In addition, it prevents the penetration of micro-organisms like e. g. bacteria into the body. And it makes sure that we do not lose too much warmth and humidity. |
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Skin is part of the immune defence system. More...
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Immune defence
The skin takes over important tasks in the metabolic and the immune defence system. With a pH value |
| Skin regulates the body temperature. More... |
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Temperature regulation
The skin disposes of a variety of adaptive mechanisms. One of them is the capacity to support the regulation of the body temperature and the cardiovascular system by means of the blood circulation. Thus the body avoids overheating by discharging sweat (thermoregulation). A human can sweat out up to 10 litres of liquid in a day. With the sweat, the body also discharges minerals – that’s the reason why sweat is salty. In this way, the skin does not only regulate the body temperature and the water balance within the body, but also has a significant impact on the mineral metabolism of our organism. |
| Skin is a sensory organ. More... |
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Skin as a sensory organ
Very important is the function of the skin as the largest sensory organ. The skin allows us to perceive vibrations and pain, but also touch, pressure and temperature. There are different receptors for all these sensations (e. g. temperature and pain). |
| Skin produces vitamins. More... |
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Skin produces vitamins
Human skin usually produces vitamin D as Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol or shortly calciol) by absorbing UV B light. This vitamin is very important for humans, as it is responsible for the build-up of the bones. |
| Skin can absorb and discharge substances. More... |
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Absorption and release organ
Skin is also an absorption organ. It absorbs good and bad substances. Dissolved substances (liquid and aerogenic) e. g. can penetrate into deeper skin layers alongside the hair follicles. Thus skin creams or drugs in the form of creams or ointments can penetrate the skin and improve the skin condition. In the same way, however, also harmful substances can enter the body. |
| Skin fulfils communication and representation functions. More... |
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Communication and representation function
Skin does not only have protective functions, but also fulfils communicative and representative tasks. The skin determines our appearance. So some people have e. g. darker or fairer skin than others or have freckles. And wrinkles and lines appear in the course of the years and form an essential part of our facial expression. We can have laughter lines and worry lines, we can wrinkle our noses and knit our brows. In higher age, wrinkles develop as a cause of skin ageing. |
The mucosa as well fulfils important tasks within the human body. The glands within the mucosa have an important transport function (e. g. of foreign bodies), and the mucosa forms a barrier against external mechanical influences.
Skin types
The skin determines our appearance to a large extent. One of the factors is the skin type or pigmentation type – in short, the “skin colour”.
Every person has his or her skin colour. It is rather important to know to which skin type one belongs to protect oneself effectively. According to skin type, different measure are important for sun protection. Whether someone has fair or dark skin, is genetically determined.
An American dermatologist developed the following scheme of six skin types in order to allow recommendations for skin protection against the sun.
| Skin type 1 |
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Characteristics:
Protective measures: |
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| Skin type 2 | ||
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Characteristics: |
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| Skin type 3 | ||
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Characteristics: |
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| Skin type 4 | ||
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Characteristics: Brownish and little sensitive skin Dark eyes, dark brown or black hair Quick and deep tanning, sometimes sunburn (after 45 min without protection) Protective measures: Wear hat and sunglasses Use sunscreen with at least SPF 15 At the seaside and in the mountains, protect well lips and neck |
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| Skin type 5 | ||
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Characteristics: Protective measures: |
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| Skin type 6 | ||
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Characteristics: Black and little sensitive skin Dark eyes, black hair Very rarely sunburn (in 90 min without protection) Protective measures: |
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Skin texture
Every person's skin is different. So, depending on the specific condition of one’s skin, everybody has to find the right way to treat the skin and take care of it.
It is important to keep in mind that the skin is not something like stiff armour that stays the same all the time. Skin is ever-changing and adapts to the surrounding condition like a chameleon.
In puberty, for example, it tends to become greasy or oily. In higher age, it usually becomes dry. The individual skin condition can change any time and is never fixed for the rest of one’s life.
The skin texture can also be in a quite different state in different locations in the same person. You can have normal skin in your face, but dry skin on your hands.
Please read the following table. It describes the different skin types: normal, dry and oily/greasy skin, and combination skin.
| Normal skin |
| Normal skin is even, rosy and possesses fine pores. There are no shining and oily, or dry and scaling areas. Humidity, hornification and desquamation (i. e. the appearance of scales) are in balance. Normal skin can often be found in young people. |
| Dry skin |
| Dry skin lacks grease and humidity in the horny layer. The skin develops scales and feels tightened. It appears blunt and brittle, especially at the cheeks and around the eyes. Dry skin mostly lacks elasticity and tends to develop fine lines and wrinkles. If the skin is very dry, it can start to itch, and cracks may appear. Dry skin is especially frequent in older people. |
| Oily/greasy skin |
| Oily skin contains an increased amount of grease on its surface. It is caused by hyperactive sebaceous cells. Greasy skin is robust, often with large pores, shining and a tendency to develop comedones and spots. Oily skin occurs more often in men than in women. It is most frequent in adolescents and young adults. |
| Combination skin |
| Combination skin is dry in some locations and greasy in others. In the face, the skin tends to be dry around the eyes and on the cheeks, while the so-called T-zone (nose, chin, forehead) shines oily. The different skin areas need specific care. This skin type is rather frequent. |
More information regarding care of normal, greasy, dry or cominbation skin here.
Influences
We carry around our skin every day and everywhere. Thus we expose it to many external and internal influences.
It is important to know what influences our skin. Only this way, one can take care of one's skin appropriately, care for it or protect against some minor and major dangers.
We will list some of them for you below:
| The genetic constitution determines our skin characteristics. More... |
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Genetic constitution
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| Hormones have an impact on the skin. More... |
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Hormones
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| Skin reacts to physical and mechanical irritations. More... |
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Mechanical irritations
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| Some substances can irritate the skin. More... |
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Substances irritating the skin
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| Some substances can trigger allergic reactions on the skin. More... |
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Allergens
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| Climate and pollution of the air have an impact on the skin. More... |
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Climate and air pollution
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| Our lifestyle leaves marks on our skin. More... |
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Life style
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Mental factors
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Skin care
The skin is the largest organ in the human body and fulfils a number of important functions. Therefore it is a good idea to take care well of one’s skin. One part of that is to clean and condition the skin appropriately and to protect it from negative influences.
The recommended way to deal with healthy or ill skin is therefore based on three ideas:
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In the first place appropriate skin cleaning must be mentioned, that means the elimination of dirt, sweat, sebum and harmful substances. More information here. | |||||||||||
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Skin cleaning
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Hints for cleaning and care The most important recommendations with respect to skin cleaning and conditioning can be found in the table below. Adequate skin cleansing and conditioning are especially important in greasy and combination skin, and in dry skin.
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The second idea is skin care: it returns to the skin the lost humidity and grease, to keep it in the ideal state or to repair it. More information here. | |||||||||||
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Skin care
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Hints for cleaning and care
The most
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The last component is skin protection. It serves to avoid skin diseases and strives to protect the skin against harmful influences. More information here. | |||||||||||
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Skin protection
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Human skin is as individual as any human being. Therefore it is very important that you take into account your specific skin texture (dry/oily) and skin type (fair/dark).
These ideas are not only important for healthy but also for sick skin. Healthy skin gets support in this way to stay healthy. For sick skin, a careful treatment is important to let it heal again.
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You can read what to do if you are already affected by a skin disease like acne or dermatitis in the specific chapters on these subjects: module "acne" and module "dermatitis". |
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The chapter on “Skin health and sunlight” offers information and hints about how to deal properly with sunlight. |
Additional information
In the following, various Internet sources are being offered, which provide continuative literature around the theme "skin".
- Informative website in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin
- Site on skin and skin problems and diseases, among which e. g. acne, also for teens (commercial site): http://www.skinmed.co.uk/acne-treatment/science.html
- http://skincare.dermis.net/content/index_eng.html