High schoolers are bombarded with health-related “facts” every day, especially on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and podcasts. BUT do they know how to tell the difference between credible health information and viral misinformation?
 
This health literacy lesson helps students understand why health misinformation spreads, how to spot misleading claims, and where to find reliable health information. Students analyze common viral health claims like “drinking lemon water detoxes your liver” and “raw milk has enzymes doctors don’t want you to know about” while practicing how to question sources, check credibility, and avoid fear-based health advice.
 
Students will explore a trust hierarchy for health sources and learn the “misinformation playbook” AKA: common tactics used to get clicks, views, and sales, such as fear hooks, vague statistics, celebrity opinions, conspiracy framing, and dramatic before/after claims.
 
The main activity, Medical Telephone, puts students into groups of 4. Each student takes on a role: medical researcher, news reporter, wellness blogger, or influencer selling a product. A research-based health claim gets passed from person to person, and students see how quickly accurate information can become simplified, exaggerated, or distorted. It’s funny, memorable, and makes the problem of health misinformation feel real.
 
Included:
24 Google Slides (Editable)
Medical Telephone roleplay cards (Editable)
Student worksheet (Editable)
3-page melatonin case study homework assignment (Editable)
NHES-aligned lesson plan with step-by-step teacher instructions
 
Best for: High school health, health literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, misinformation, social media health claims, critical thinking, and evaluating online sources.