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Lesson plan: Get some sleep!

October 5, 2000
Web posted at: 1:07 PM EDT (1707 GMT)

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Materials

CNNfyi.com article,"Sleep experts to teens: Please, get your zzz's"
Materials to create graphs
Health research resources

Suggested time

One class period

Procedures

1. Begin with a general discussion about sleep and health. You may ask the following questions:

• How many of you feel tired today? Why? How many hours of sleep did you get last night? Do you think it was enough? If not, what kept you up too late?

2. Assign the CNNfyi.com article, "Sleep experts to teens: Please, get your zzz's". After students have read the story, ask them the following questions:

• How much sleep does Naomi Freeman get per night? Why? Is it enough? According to the National Sleep Foundation, how much sleep does an average teen need? How does your sleep schedule compare to Naomi's?
• Besides lack of sufficient sleep, what is another common problem with the actual times that most teens are needing to get up in the morning? What are some common effects on teens that are caused by sleep deprivation? Do you experience these problems? Explain.

3. Direct students to create a chart of their sleep time and daily activities on a typical school day. They can do this in the form of a day timer, clock pie chart, or some other graphic. After they complete their charts, ask them to pair with another student and compare charts. Tell students to make suggestions to their partners on ways in which they might be able to get more sleep. Then bring students back together for a general discussion on their findings. Talk also about the ways in which culture, media, and social expectations influence their waking activities.

Accommodation

World cultures: Students from other countries can describe a typical day in their native country and compare the waking/sleeping patterns they had previously to those they currently experience. Have the class discuss the similarities and differences to recognize influences that affect these patterns.

Assessment

Ask students to analyze their charts and make at least one change in order to get at least eight hours of sleep per night. Challenge them to practice the new schedule for at least a week and report back on how they feel after the increase in sleep.

Challenge

Students can go to the Internet or other resources to learn more about the scientific reasons that they need at least eight hours of sleep. Ask them to write explanatory essays that explain what occurs in the body during sleep that is essential for health. Encourage them to include any graphs or illustrations that help to clarify their essays. Also encourage them to go to the Sleep Research Society Web site (listed below) to consider entering their essays in their 2001 essay contest.

National Sleep Foundation Home Page
NIH - National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
Sleep Research Society Home Page

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