1. What makes someone healthy?
Rank these images from the most healthy to the least healthy… 3. 1. 2.
Ask students to rank the people on the board from the most to the least healthy. They can do this in pairs. Ask them to share their rankings and see if they have agreed with each other. Ask how they made their decisions. Were they just focusing on physical health (e.g. Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock revealed in 2014 that he had had 3 serious bouts of depression)?
Then pose the question – so what makes someone healthy? 5.
What makes someone healthy? 4.

2. Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Share the definition of health with students – how does it compare to their own definitions? Explain that during the next few lessons we will be exploring both physical and mental health to lead into the learning objective.

3. Health
Learning Objective: To explore the concept of physical health with a focus on teenage cancer.
In this lesson students will learn about the signs of cancer in young people and what to do if they have concerns about their own or others health. This is important learning because cancer is an issue that affects most people in some way and knowledge will help them to protect themselves both physically and mentally for the future. It will also allow them to consider their own health and how to communicate with a doctor about any concerns. Students may have personal/family experience of cancer and this lesson will support their wellbeing. This is a sensitive topic, so they need to be aware that some of the class may have strong emotional responses and that as a class they need to support each other. Ground rules, or a working agreement will be crucial for this lesson. The students may know people who have experienced these and may wish to discuss this, but you should try to distance information from personal stories as everyone’s experience will be different and the students will be better able to learn if they do not become too upset.
I can understand the meaning of the term cancer.
I can explore common types of cancer in teenagers and adults.
I can discover how to talk to a GP about cancer.

4. How might people feel when they hear the word ‘cancer’.
Display the word ‘cancer’ on the board and ask students to work alone or in pairs to think about how people may feel when they hear the word ‘cancer.’ Some thoughts might be scared, death, silence, funerals, research, grandparents. Give the students a couple of minutes to discuss the word and then display, using post it notes or just write the words on the board. Ask the students if they see any patterns in the sorts of words that have been suggested. These are likely to be depressing.
Explain to the students that often the words/feelings that society associates with cancer are very negative, but that sometimes this is based on myths that are believed to be facts. The objective of the next part of the lesson will be to allow discussion of some of these myths to demonstrate that many are untrue, but that the large number of myths readily encourages fear if all are taken at face value.
Many of the words we associate with cancer are very negative, but sometimes this is based on myths that are believed to be facts. During this lesson we will explore some of the myths associated with cancer which can encourage fear.

5. What do you know about cancer?
Decide whether you think the statement about cancer is true or false.
You should be able to justify why you think it is true or false.

6. What do you know about cancer?
Go through the answers and the supporting notes. Ask students if they are surprised by any or find any difficult to believe.

7. What do you know about cancer?

8. What do you know about cancer?

9. What do you know about cancer?

10. So what is cancer?
– clip 1
– clip 2

11. Health
Learning Objective: To explore the concept of physical health with a focus on teenage cancer.
In this lesson students will learn about the signs of cancer in young people and what to do if they have concerns about their own or others health. This is important learning because cancer is an issue that affects most people in some way and knowledge will help them to protect themselves both physically and mentally for the future. It will also allow them to consider their own health and how to communicate with a doctor about any concerns. Students may have personal/family experience of cancer and this lesson will support their wellbeing. This is a sensitive topic, so they need to be aware that some of the class may have strong emotional responses and that as a class they need to support each other. Ground rules, or a working agreement will be crucial for this lesson. The students may know people who have experienced these and may wish to discuss this, but you should try to distance information from personal stories as everyone’s experience will be different and the students will be better able to learn if they do not become too upset.
I can understand the meaning of the term cancer.
I can explore common types of cancer in teenagers and adults.
I can discover how to talk to a GP about cancer.

12. The most common teenage cancers
Teenage cancer is very rate and accounts for less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the UK. Of those teenagers diagnosed with cancer over 80% survive - early diagnosis is really important in this.
Thyroid cancer - Cancer of the thyroid, which is part of the hormone system and is located just above the collar bone.
Cervical cancer - Cancer of the cervix. Some girls will have had the HPV vaccine in year 8 that helps prevent an STI that can trigger a mutation of the cells in the cervix leading to cervical cancer.
Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Cancer of the white blood cells leading to solid tumours located around the lymph nodes of the body.
Testicular cancer - Cancer of the testicles. Very rare in older men.
Soft tissue sarcoma - Cancer of the muscles and linking tissues of the body.
Bone cancer - Can occur in any one in the body, but is usually found in the large bones, such as the arms and legs.
Display the list of the most common cancers in young and ask if they have heard of any of them?
Explain to the students how rare teenage cancer is (less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in the UK) and that early diagnosis is important because it helps doctors to find the problem and deal with it early.
Brain tumours - Cancers of the brain
Leukaemia - Cancer of the white blood cells. Most common type of cancer in children but still found in teenagers.
Skin cancer - Cancer of the skin.
Ovarian cancer - Cancer of the ovaries

13. Signs and Symptoms
Early diagnosis is important to increase chances of survival. So what are the signs and symptoms?
Emphasise to students that whilst it is important we are aware of these symptoms we need to understand the meanings of words like extreme tiredness – we all feel tired but this is not the same as extreme tiredness.

14. Health
Learning Objective: To explore the concept of physical health with a focus on teenage cancer.
In this lesson students will learn about the signs of cancer in young people and what to do if they have concerns about their own or others health. This is important learning because cancer is an issue that affects most people in some way and knowledge will help them to protect themselves both physically and mentally for the future. It will also allow them to consider their own health and how to communicate with a doctor about any concerns. Students may have personal/family experience of cancer and this lesson will support their wellbeing. This is a sensitive topic, so they need to be aware that some of the class may have strong emotional responses and that as a class they need to support each other. Ground rules, or a working agreement will be crucial for this lesson. The students may know people who have experienced these and may wish to discuss this, but you should try to distance information from personal stories as everyone’s experience will be different and the students will be better able to learn if they do not become too upset.
I can understand the meaning of the term cancer.
I can explore common types of cancer in teenagers and adults.
I can discover how to talk to a GP about cancer.

15. Speaking to a Doctor
Whatever age you are it is important that you speak to your GP if you are ever worried about an illness or what you think might be signs and symptoms of cancer. Sometimes people feel uncomfortable talking to a doctor, particularly about things like testicular or breast cancer, so we will explore how you might go about this.
In pairs you are going to role play the following situations:
Role play visiting a doctor to discuss a cancer symptom
Role play a discussion between a young person and a trusted adult about concerns in visiting the doctors and how they should go about making an appointment
Explain to the students that some young people aren’t sure how to speak to the doctor and that this is a very important life skill. Split them into pairs and ask them to role play a visit to the doctor to discuss a cancer symptom. Ensure that they have time to play both parts. In addition, ask them to role play a discussion between a young person and a trusted adult about concerns in visiting the doctors and how they should go about making an appointment.

16. Health
Learning Objective: To explore the concept of physical health with a focus on teenage cancer.
In this lesson students will learn about the signs of cancer in young people and what to do if they have concerns about their own or others health. This is important learning because cancer is an issue that affects most people in some way and knowledge will help them to protect themselves both physically and mentally for the future. It will also allow them to consider their own health and how to communicate with a doctor about any concerns. Students may have personal/family experience of cancer and this lesson will support their wellbeing. This is a sensitive topic, so they need to be aware that some of the class may have strong emotional responses and that as a class they need to support each other. Ground rules, or a working agreement will be crucial for this lesson. The students may know people who have experienced these and may wish to discuss this, but you should try to distance information from personal stories as everyone’s experience will be different and the students will be better able to learn if they do not become too upset.
I can understand the meaning of the term cancer.
I can explore common types of cancer in teenagers and adults.
I can discover how to talk to a GP about cancer.

17. Complete the reflection sheet on your learning from this lesson.
Before you go…
Complete the reflection sheet on your learning from this lesson.
There is also space for you to write down any questions you might still have about cancer.
Remember there are lots of websites you can use to find further information about cancer: