Did you know that February is Dental Health month?!
It’s so hard to find time to fit in those health standards, but it makes is easier when you have a reminder, like a whole themed month!
I like to try and cover my health standards be integrating health content with other subject areas. It’s easy to mix health standards in with RELA standards, but math can be a little trickier.
Here are some ideas for you to use in your classroom during Dental Health Month – or whenever – to help you cover those dental health standards.
Read all the dental health books.
Some of my favorite books to read about teeth / dental health are:
- The Tooth Book
- Why Do I Drool?
- Just Going to the Dentist (because I LOVE Little Critter!)
- Let’s Meet a Dentist
Check out this collection of dental health books that I created on Epic!
How-To Writing
I’ve always loved to use “how to brush your teeth” as a how-to writing topic when introducing informational writing to my students.
Without much prompting, ask your students to write instructions for how to brush your teeth.
Then, collect the papers, and start acting out the written instructions using a toothbrush and toothpaste you brought from home.
This is always hilarious. I have put toothpaste on the wrong end of the toothbrush, I’ve put the whole tube of toothpaste in my mouth, and I’ve even spit out my toothpaste all over the floor.
This activity is a memorable one which can help teach two important lessons during Dental Health Month: how to brush your teeth AND how to write detailed informational pieces!
Give Students the Choice
Let students choose how and what they want to learn about dental health!
Are you looking for an engaging resource to challenge your high-achieving students or to make time meaningful for early finishers? Are you hoping to cater to varying learning styles and free up time for yourself to enrich or remediate? Look no further!
To save you some valuable time and energy, I created this editable choice board focused on dental health: how to care for our teeth, what cavities are and how to prevent them, and the career of a dentist.
Tasks are created with Bloom’s Taxonomy and Gardner’s Multiple intelligences in mind. Many of the tasks require students to think critically and to use language arts skills. Most of the tasks are in-depth and students will spend a lot of time on activities that interest them. Choice boards usually last for a week or two in my classroom.
This choice board is perfect for February – Dental Health month!
