#256. Healthzee, A Game for Elementary Students

other, level: Elementary
Posted Thu Jun 10 15:14:29 PDT 1999 by Dr. Brian F. Geiger (bgeiger@uab.edu).
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education, Birmingham, AL 35294-1250
Materials Required: 1. Yahtzee (tm), Milton Bradley Co.; listing with health-related statements; pencils.
Activity Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
Concepts Taught: Healthzee will teach basic health promotion concepts including personal responsibility for health.

Objectives for Learners: 1. Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention while playing the game Healthzee; 2. Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health while playing the game Healthzee.

Body of Lesson: Prepare a listing, or set of index cards, with a selection of health-related activities in advance of the class session using your state curriculum framework. Vary the list to include simple statements to read aloud and more complex actions to discuss. Each activity will correspond to one of the categories on the Yahtzee™ Score Card. Select age-appropriate personal health behaviors.

Examples adapted from the Alabama State Content Standards: 1. Eat grain cereal and milk for breakfast (Aces); 2. When should you brush and floss your teeth? (Answer: after meals) (Twos); 3. Is it best to wash your hands with soap and water before or after eating meals and snacks? (Answer: Before) (Threes); 4. Should you wash your hands with soap and water before, or after using the toilet? (Answer: After) (Fours); 5. How many servings of fruits and vegetables should you eat each day? (Answer: 4-5) (Fives); 6. Identify foods high in fat, sugar, and sodium (Sixes); 7. Plan daily health-enhancing physical activity (3 of a kind); 8. Select positive ways to respond to conflict (4 of a kind); 9. Analyze the effects of sleep, nutrition, and exercise on a human body system (Full House); 10. Identify risk factors that could lead to substance abuse (Small Straight); 11. Discuss the importance of positive personal health habits related to puberty (Large Straight); 12. Describe the importance of asking for help during a health-related crisis (YAHTZEE); 13. Demonstrate refusal skills to promote healthful behaviors (Chance).

Review aloud the instructions for YAHTZEE™ with students. Discuss the additional rule of Healthzee that rolls of the dice cannot be scored until the player reads the corresponding statement aloud, e.g., "eat grain cereal and milk for breakfast," or completes the statement with descriptive answers, e.g., "I will eat 4 or 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day." If a player cannot answer a question, solicit help from peers and then record the sum of the dice roll. The first player to accurately complete all entries on the Score Card wins the game!

Variation: Students can work together in small teams of 2-4 players using a single Score Card. Team members can assist each other with descriptive answers to health statements.