Chronic Disease Determinants

Lesson Plan Overview

Year Level: 12
Subject: Health
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 12 students

Australian Curriculum Alignment

This lesson plan aligns with the Australian Curriculum (v9), specifically focusing on Year 11-12 Health and Physical Education content descriptions related to understanding determinants of health and chronic diseases, fostering critical analysis and collaborative skills.

Relevant Curriculum Content Descriptions:

Analyse how biological, sociocultural and environmental determinants influence health and wellbeing (linking to CVD, cancer, diabetes)
Investigate health information from a range of sources to plan responses, make informed decisions and take action to promote health, safety and wellbeing
Plan and implement strategies to enhance health and wellbeing, including for groups affected by health inequities
Use critical and creative thinking to analyse health information and select strategies to promote health and wellbeing

While the official Year 12 content code was not explicitly found from the searches, these elements are consistent with senior secondary curriculum expectations involving research, understanding determinants of health and collaborative presentations on complex health issues.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Identify and explain the nature and extent of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Cancer, and Diabetes in Australia.
Analyse the groups at risk and the socioeconomic, sociocultural, and environmental determinants influencing these chronic diseases.
Collaboratively research and synthesise information into a clear, engaging presentation for peers.
Develop critical thinking and communication skills through group work and presentation.

Resources Needed

Computers or tablets with internet access
Access to Australian health databases and reports (e.g., AIHW data, government health statistics – pre-selected resources provided by teacher)
Whiteboard/Smartboard for organising ideas
Presentation tools (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, or similar)
Research task sheet (detailing deliverables)

Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details
0–10 min	Introduction & Context Setting	- Teacher explains lesson objectives. - Brief overview of CVD, Cancer, Diabetes statistics in Australia. - Discuss why understanding determinants is vital. - Link to Australian health disparities and Indigenous health as applicable.
10–15 min	Group Formation and Task Allocation	- Divide class into 3 groups of 4 students each. - Assign to each group one disease: CVD, Cancer, Diabetes. - Provide research task sheet outlining focus on: • Nature and extent (prevalence, impact) • Groups at risk (by age, gender, ethnicity) • Socioeconomic, sociocultural, environmental determinants - Clarify expected presentation format: 5-minute presentation using digital slides.
15–40 min	Collaborative Research & Preparation	- Groups research using teacher-provided resources and reliable Australian health sites. - Encourage students to divide roles (research, note-taking, slide design, speaker). - Teacher circulates for guidance, prompts critical questions on causes and determinants. - Suggest including Australian-relevant data and examples, e.g., rural vs urban, Indigenous populations.
40–55 min	Group Presentations	- Each group delivers a 5-minute presentation. - Other students take notes for peer feedback. - Focus on clarity, evidence-based information, and explanation of determinants.
55–60 min	Reflection and Assessment	- Quick group discussion: What surprised you? What determinants are most challenging? - Teacher provides verbal feedback. - Outline follow-up assignment if any (deeper analysis or individual reflection).

Teaching Strategies

Collaborative learning: Encourages teamwork and shared responsibility in research and presentation, building communication skills.
Critical inquiry: Students evaluate health information and social factors influencing chronic disease.
Differentiated roles: Catering for diverse learner strengths (research, technology, speaking).
Use of authentic data: Grounding learning in real-world Australian health statistics and contexts strengthens relevance.

Assessment

Formative: Observation of group collaboration and participation during research phase.
Summative: Oral presentations evaluated based on accuracy, depth of understanding of determinants, clarity, and teamwork.

Extension Ideas

Invite a local health professional or community health worker (virtual or in-person) to discuss real-world impacts of these diseases.
Develop health promotion campaigns targeting groups at risk, incorporating social media strategies.
Explore Indigenous perspectives on these diseases and community-led health initiatives, linking to First Nations Australian health priorities.

Notes

Emphasise Australian context for disease prevalence and health inequities.
Include recognition of social determinants such as education, income, access to health services, cultural practices, and environmental exposures.
Encourage culturally sensitive discussions respecting diverse backgrounds, including First Nations Australians.

This lesson plan embraces critical and collaborative learning around major chronic diseases affecting Australians, embedded in the Australian Curriculum Health framework. It aims to sharpen research and presentation skills while deepening understanding of how determinants shape health outcomes across diverse groups.

Teaching Instructions