Teaching Environmental Health To Children

Every day we are exposed to toxins and toxicants that can impact our health. Yet we rarely teach elementary and secondary students about these exposures and how they can reduce their risk to them. In this book we highlight activities and curriculum developed at nine universities in the United States from a grant funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Our goal is to extend these lessons to a global audience and for classroom teachers of all subjects and age levels to include environmental health in their teaching. ‘An invaluable tool for equipping informed citizens to think about the environment and its human impacts --both the science, and equally important, the social and ethical dimensions’ , Howard Frumkin, M.D., Dr. P.H., Dean, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

With new and updated content on biodiversity and chemicals in food, Textbook of Children's Environmental Health, Second Edition remains the quintessential textbook for the study of the environmental hazards that cause disease in childre

This book explores various and distinct aspects of environmental health literacy (EHL) from the perspective of investigators working in this emerging field and their community partners in research. Chapters aim to distinguish EHL from health literacy and environmental health education in order to classify it as a unique field with its own purposes and outcomes. Contributions in this book represent the key aspects of communication, dissemination and implementation, and social scientific research related to environmental health sciences and the range of expertise and interest in EHL. Readers will learn about the conceptual framework and underlying philosophical tenets of EHL, and its relation to health literacy and communications research. Special attention is given to topics like dissemination and implementation of culturally relevant environmental risk messaging, and promotion of EHL through visual technologies. Authoritative entries by experts also focus on important approaches to advancing EHL through community-engaged research and by engaging teachers and students at an early age through developing innovative STEM curriculum. The significance of theater is highlighted by describing the use of an interactive theater experience as an approach that enables community residents to express themselves in non-verbal ways.

Millions of children and adults across the nation spend their days in school buildings, and they need safe, healthy environments to thrive, learn, and succeed. This book explores the school environment using the methods and perspectives of environmental health science. Though environmental healht has long been understood to be an important factor in workplaces, homes, and communities, this is the first book to address the same basic concerns in schools. The editors are physicians and educators trained in pediatrics, occupational and environmental medicine, and medical toxicology, and the authors are experts in their fields drawn from across the United States and abroad. Each section of the book addresses a different concern facing schools today. In the first six sections, the various aspects of the school environment are examined. Chapters include the physical environment of the school, air quality issues, pest control, cleaning methods, food safety, safe designs of playgrounds and sports fields, crime and violence prevention, and transportation. In the last two sections, recommendations are made for school administrators on how to maximize the health of their schools. Appropriately evaluating the school environment, implementing strategies to address children and adults with disabilities, emphasizing health services, infectious disease prevention and recognition, and occupational health for faculty and staff are all addressed. The entire book is evidence-based, readable, generously illustrated, and practical. An indispensable resource for parents, school staff, administrators, government officials, and health professionals, this book is for anyone who cares about the health of our schools.

The development of technologies, education, and economy play an important role in modern society. Digital literacy is important for personal development and for the economic growth of society. Technological learning provides students with specific knowledge and capabilities for using new technologies in their everyday lives and in their careers. Examining the Roles of Teachers and Students in Mastering New Technologies is a critical scholarly resource that examines computer literacy knowledge levels in students and the perception of computer use in the classroom from various teacher perspectives. Featuring a wide range of topics such as higher education, special education, and blended learning, this book is ideal for teachers, instructional designers, curriculum developers, academicians, policymakers, administrators, researchers, and students.

Children living in circumstances of social and economic disadvantage are at high risk for experiencing health problems caused or exacerbated by environmental factors. They are not only vulnerable to adverse chemical and physical factors in their environment, but often become trapped in the cycle of environmental health disparities due to low parental health literacy, limited social capital, and a lack of access to comprehensive healthcare and appropriate educational services. They will only be able to escape that cycle when children's environmental health becomes a priority and the resources, energy and creativity are amassed and allocated to address environmental health concerns. In this book, we look at issues concerned with the home environment, the school and the community. Investing in children's environmental health will prove cost-beneficial in the long run.