Understanding Health Data

Lesson Overview

Unit: Holistic Health Journey (Lesson 5 of 8)
Subject: Health Studies
Year Level: Year 9
Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education (aligned with Level 4–5 of The New Zealand Curriculum)
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 25 students

Big Idea:

Understanding health-related statistics empowers students to make informed decisions about their well-being and the well-being of their whānau and communities

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Interpret real-world health statistics.
2. Calculate percentages and averages related to health outcomes.
3. Analyse the implications of health data on decision-making and well-being.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction – Why Do Numbers Matter in Health? (10 minutes)

Teacher Prompt: “Who has seen health statistics shared on the news or social media?”

• Brief discussion on where students encounter health statistics (COVID-19 cases, obesity rates, mental health statistics, etc.).
• Quick interactive visual activity: Present a misleading health statistic (e.g. "95% of people said health is important!" without showing sample size) and ask students why this might be misleading.
• Explain the importance of accurate data interpretation in health decision-making.

2. Breaking Down Health Statistics (10 minutes)

• Introduce two key mathematical concepts:
  • Percentages (e.g. "What does it mean if 30% of teenagers don’t get enough sleep?")
  • Averages (mean, median, mode in health data)
• Walk students through an example:
  • "The average New Zealand teenager gets 7 hours of sleep per night."
  • "How does this compare to the recommended 8–10 hours?"
  • Provide simple calculations and involve students in working out how much sleep is "lost" over a week.

3. Analysing Real NZ Health Data (15 minutes)

• Distribute New Zealand youth health data statistics (e.g., Ministry of Health report snippets).
• Students work in small groups of 3–4 to answer:
  1. What does the data tell us?
  2. Can we spot any trends?
  3. What might this mean for young people in NZ?
• Each group chooses one data point and simplifies it into an understandable sentence (e.g. "1 in 4 teenagers don’t eat breakfast regularly").
• Groups share back one key finding.

4. Real-World Application: Personal Reflection & Class Discussion (8 minutes)

• Personal reflection: Each student writes:
  • One statistic that surprised them
  • One action they could take based on what they learned (e.g. drink more water, be mindful of screen time before bed).
• Commence a quick-fire class discussion where students defend their response with a data-driven mindset.

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Teacher Notes:

• Ensure students understand data limitations (sample size, data bias).
• Keep calculations simple and scaffold support for students less confident in numeracy.
• Link findings back to hauora and how data-driven choices impact physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.

Assessment & Reflection:

✅ Formative assessment: Observing student participation in discussions and group activities.
✅ Exit Ticket (collected at lesson end): One surprising statistic + one action step.
✅ Next Lesson Preview: Understanding health risks and protective factors (building on today’s data analysis).

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Wow Factor for Teachers:

📊 Innovative Edge: Using real New Zealand statistics ensures relevance.
🤔 Critical Thinking: Students question data reliability instead of just accepting numbers.
🎭 Engagement: Group discussions and hands-on exploration create an interactive experience.

This lesson fosters numeracy skills within a health context, ensuring students apply real-world data literacy to their lives! 🚀