Audience: Students ages 9 years and older
General program objective: Participants will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of staying hydrated.
Specific program objective: Participants will identify dehydration as a reason to stay hydrated.
Behavior change strategy: Self-Efficacy
Educational activities:
- Elicit—ask the students what they know about staying hydrated every day.
- Explain—play the provided video for the students.
- Expand—have the students reflect on the information provided in the video
- Exit—have the students set a goal for staying hydrated over the next week.
Length of time to complete: 10-15 minutes, depending on length and depth of conversation.
Materials Required:
- Note paper and writing utensils
- Multi-media display (e.g. computer monitor, projector, or SmartScreen)
- Access to the internet and YouTube
- Optional: clear cups, marker, and water
Procedure:
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Ask the students what they already know about staying hydrated every day (they can write their thoughts, answer in small groups, or discuss as a class):
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Think about a time you have been outside on a hot day. Did you feel different than if you were inside with air conditioning?
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Why do we have to make sure we get fluids every day?
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Where do our body’s fluids go?
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Besides sweating or going to the bathroom, how else does the body lose fluids?
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Introduce the short-form video and play for the students.
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Ask the students to reflect on the video (they can write their thoughts, answer in small groups, or discuss as a class):
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What is “Insensible Fluid Loss?”
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How does the climate affect your hydration needs?
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When do you think you might lose the most fluids through breathing or being outside?
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How can you make sure you are hydrated enough each day?
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Have the students write a SMART goal for staying hydrated over the next week. Remember, this means the goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bond.
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Example: I will drink one bottle of water each day after lunch to stay hydrated.
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Further enrichment:
Do the evaporation experiment! Have each student write their name on a cup and pour some water into it. Make sure the cup is on a solid surface and the water is still before drawing a line to mark the water level. Have each student pick a place outside to leave their water cup for a few hours. Later, see how much water has evaporated from the cup. Did some students lose more or less? Why?
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