LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify different causes of stomach aches; distinguish stomach-related facts from myths; describe a variety of approaches to healing stomach aches.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 7: Demonstrate a variety of behaviors to avoid or reduce health risks to self.

 

CASEL: Self-management 

KEY VOCAB

chronic

nausea

gastroenterologist 

dehydration 

perishable

Lesson Plan: Listen to Your Gut

Read to find out how to hack your plans for 2022 so you’ll stick with them all year... and beyond. 

Table of Contents:

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading and Discussing

3. Building Comprehension and Vocabulary

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

1. Preparing to Read

Before you read the article “Listen to Your Gut,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

What can my stomach teach me about other aspects of my health? 

2. Reading and Discussing

  • Have your students read the article “Listen to Your Gut" independently; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud. 
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed? 
  • Next, have your students answer the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking questions, either working in small groups or independently. 


Close-Reading Questions
The following questions can be shared in printable or interactive form from the Resources tab. 

  1. What are some physical causes of a stomach ache mentioned in the article? List at least two physical causes.
  2. Are there any non-physical reasons you might get a stomach ache, according to what you read? 


Critical-Thinking Questions

  1. Are there any other non-food-related factors that might affect your gut or your appetite? Explain.

  2. Think of the phrase “listen to your gut.” Why do you think people say this so often?

3. Building Comprehension and Vocab

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Quiz

  • Vocab Builder

4. Expanding SEL Opportunities

Continue the learning journey with the following extension activity:

Time for a GUT CHECK: Have students incorporate some of the gut-friendly habits from the article into their daily schedule for a week, and track how those habits made their tummy feel. Then, have them reflect on which of the habits they’ll adopt into their regular routine!

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