Curriculum Unit
Renee Allen
Exposing Students to Healthcare Through Film
Title Author
KEY LEARNING, ENDURING UNDERSTANDING, ETC.
In this unit, students will learn how to identify the “big idea” of a piece of film or video. They will learn how to view videos to determine implied key ideas the filmmaker is “selling” by identifying professional characteristics of healthcare workers and then expanding these characteristics into other healthcare concepts. Although the activities in this unit are geared toward health science students, the basic skills taught can be adapted for any subject area with suitable modifications.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S) for the UNIT
What does it mean to be a professional or to act in a professional manner? What are the essential characteristics of a healthcare professional? How are these characteristics conveyed to the patient or client? Why is it important to act in a professional manner in a healthcare setting and in your relationships with others?
CONCEPT A CONCEPT B CONCEPT C
Connection to Life
Demonstration of Professionalism
Identification of Professional Characteristics
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS A ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS B ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS C
Why is it important to act in a professional manner in a healthcare setting and in your relationships with others?
How are these characteristics conveyed to the patient or client?
What does it mean to be a professional or to act in a professional manner?
What are the essential characteristics of a healthcare professional?
VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A
Professional, Professionalism
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/MATERIAL/TEXT/FILM/RESOURCES
This unit begins by identifying unwritten concepts or messages in text-based materials by identifying images in print advertisements, finding patterns or connections among the images, and finally drawing conclusions about the “big idea” that is being conveyed through the advertisement. Students will then apply these skills to short commercial videos and ultimately to television episodes and feature-length movies involving healthcare topics. For this particular unit, the print advertisements used include those for a sports drink, multivitamins, and a heart medication; commercials used include those for Lunesta, a sleep aid, and Opdivo, a lung cancer treatment; videos used include Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Soul Surfer, Front of the Class, and episodes of the television show House. Graphic organizers and intermittent questions are used to focus students’ attention on appropriate concepts and maintain engagement.