Chemicals, the Environment, and You: Explorations in Science and Human Health

  • Focuses on the importance of chemicals in our lives and the risks that they may pose to human health
  • Grades 7–8 | © 2000 | Standards based
  • Six lessons designed to be taught in sequence for two or more weeks, featuring web-based components including interactive database and simulations
  • Developed using the BSCS 5E Instructional Model
  • This complimentary module is available from National Institutes of Health (NIH)

By focusing on the science of toxicology, Chemicals, the Environment, and You: Explorations in Science and Human Health introduces students to the ways scientists learn about and measure how chemicals can help and harm human health. Understanding the concepts of toxicology, such as dose, concentration, response, and individual susceptibility will help students make informed decisions about their exposure to chemicals. Additionally, students learn the importance of scientific research and are encouraged to think about the relationships among knowledge, choice, behavior, and human health. The real-life context of the module's classroom lessons is engaging, and the knowledge gained can be applied immediately to students' lives.

This curriculum supplement with CD-ROM was funded by the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education (NIH OSE). It was developed by BSCS in cooperation with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the NIH, and Videodiscovery, Inc. of Seattle.

Student Lessons

  1. Chemicals, Chemicals, Everywhere
  2. The Dose Makes the Poison
  3. Dose-Response Relationships
  4. Individual Responses Can Be Different
  5. What Is the Risk?
  6. Environmental Hazards

To order your complimentary copy of this supplement or for more information, visit the NIH OSE website.