Health Lesson Ideas

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Name of Activity: Tendon Damage from Steroids

Purpose of Activity: To help students understand how using steroids can create problems for tendons in your body.

Suggested Grade Level: 6-12

Materials Needed: You will need a perfectly good rubber band for each student. You will also need a rubber band for each student that appears to be good, but was partially cut prior to class.

Description of Idea

Follow this activity with a discussion about how steroids cause muscles to grow. At the same time, tendons that attach muscles to bones do not grow but actually deteriorate in elasticity and strength. This causes the tendons to no longer be able to support the larger muscles. The result is that the tendons snap like the partially damaged rubber band.

Assessment Ideas:

Have students draw muscles and tendons that are proportioned properly. Then have them do the same for muscles and tendons that are not properly proportioned.