Evolutionary Medicine

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 24.05.02

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Evolution and Evolutionary Medicine
  3. What are Microbes?
  4. Handwashing
  5. Teaching Strategies
  6. Classroom Activities
  7. Resources
  8. Appendix - Implementing District Standards
  9. Endnotes

Staying Healthy in Kindergarten

Carol P. Boynton

Published September 2024

Tools for this Unit:

Resources

Bielawski, Rebecca. Meet bacteria! United States Books; Beck, 2014.

This children's book explains in student-friendly language how a microscope works, basic bacteria shapes and habitats, and why we should wash our hands

Darwin, Charles, and George W. Davidson. On the Origin of Species: By Means of Natural Selection. London: Arcturus, 2014.

This is one of the most famous books on evolutionary biology, in which Darwin explains his hypothesis of the process of natural selection, a term he named.

Davies, Nicola, and Emily Sutton. Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2021.

This book does a good job of introducing microbes to a young audience.

Dragon, Didi, and Hannah Robinett. Germs vs. Soap. United States: AHA: Press, 2020.

This book teaches students not only how to wash their hands but why in a clever, funny way.

Evolutionary Medicine. https://www.evmed.ucla.edu.

Grunspan, Daniel Z, Randolph M Nesse, M Elizabeth Barnes, and Sara E Brownell. “Core Principles of Evolutionary Medicine: A Delphi Study.” OUP Academic, December 26, 2017. https://academic.oup.com/emph/article/2018/1/13/4774983. 

Johnson, Norman A. Darwin’s Reach: 21st Century Applications of Evolutionary Biology. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2022.

The Global Handwashing Partnership, September 26, 2022. https://globalhandwashing.org.

“Handwashing Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 24, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands.

Magazine, Smithsonian. “Here’s What Happens When You Culture the Bacteria on an Eight-Year-Old’s Hand.” Smithsonian.com, June 9, 2015. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-happens-when-you-culture-bacteria-eight-year-olds-hand-180955528/.

Mathur, Purva. “Hand Hygiene: Back to the Basics of Infection Control.” The Indian journal of medical research, November 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249958/.

Natterson-Horowitz, Barbara and Daniel Blumstein. “6 Ways Evolutionary Medicine Can Transform Our Health.” World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org. 

YouTube. “How Does Hand Sanitizer Kill Germs.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjQ6HSq3UIk.

Verdick, Elizabeth, and Marieka Heinlen. Germs Are Not for Sharing. Orlando, FL: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2022.

A book with colorful illustrations and clear explanations. The focus is not so much on explaining germs, but strategies for how to prevent spreading them.

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