Quest 8 – The nature of medicine
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- Earth School
Let’s Begin…
What do you think of when you hear the word "medicine"? Do you picture lab coats and pharmacies or forests and plants? You might be surprised to know most modern medicines have their roots in nature. Start today's Quest with a video from Krishna Sudhir on the 400-year history of aspirin, then learn about the nature-based remedies that inform today's medicine. After the video, continue onto other sections to learn more, interact, act and share.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Remember that while this Quest features information about ancient and modern medicine, all of the information and resources in this lesson are meant to give you a better understanding of these topics, and not to provide any medical advice. Be sure to talk to your guardian and doctor before trying out any medicine.
Before you dive into the rest of this Quest, check out these videos for more information about the natural origins of modern medicine, how germs get into your body, and why washing your hands is the best protection against them.
Watch 1: Why We Harvest Horseshoe Crab Blood (TEDEd)
Watch 2: How Germs Get Inside Your Body (Mystery Doug)
Watch 3: Chinese Traditional Medicines & Genomics (Illumina)
Watch 4: The Bite that Heals (NatGeo)
Watch 5: First Nations Medicinal Plants - Ethnobotony (PBS)
LEARN + INTERACT
Explore the herbs and spices that have long been used for medicinal purposes in many cultures. Need help identifying these medicinal trees? Or use the iNaturalist Seek App. Make sure to talk to your doctor before using any of these medicinally. (for ages 10+)
Discover how this young student in Peru is learning the art of using Nature’s pharmacy from her mother. This is traditionally how First Nation and Indigenous cultures pass along the knowledge of plant-based medicines and remedies. (for all ages)
Play a medicine matching game based on historical figure healer Mary Seacole’s life and plant-based remedies during the Crimean war. (for all ages)
Join Zooniverse to participate in people-powered research. You can help analyze images taken from inside cells infected with different viruses. Participating in citizen science projects can help advance our scientific understanding, while also opening up the world of research to all of us. (for ages 16+)
ACT + SHARE
Try this glittery demonstration of how to wash your hands effectively; while glitter is famous for getting EVERYWHERE, germs are even worse! Use coffee grinds or tea leaves instead of glitter, since glitter is terrible for the environment! (for all ages)
Draw your family members (from head to toe) on a big piece of paper. Mark the regions where they suffer pain. Which herbs and spices have an effect on which part of the body? Label your body with ingredients from plant based medicine you have learned about in this quest. (for all ages)
Invent a plant with magical healing powers. Is it a tree whose leaves cures headaches? A flower that can remove splinters? Draw a picture of yourself using this plant to feel better and ask an adult to help you share it online using #EarthSchool. (for ages 5-10)
WANT MORE?
Watch a video about why many cultures believe in the healing value of raw honey. (for ages 10+)
Ask an Amazon expert: Why we can't afford to lose the rainforest? (for ages 12+)
Listen to this BBC documentary on herbal medicine and then write a story about a healer in ancient times. Don’t forget to mention some of the great names of medicinal ingredients: eye of newt, toe of frog, and gall of goat! (for ages 9+)
This Earth School Quest was created by the following incredible educators and environmental experts: Julie Voss, Kathleen Usher PhD and David Jensen
Before you dive into the rest of this Quest, check out these videos for more information about the natural origins of modern medicine, how germs get into your body, and why washing your hands is the best protection against them.
Watch 1: Why We Harvest Horseshoe Crab Blood (TEDEd)
Watch 2: How Germs Get Inside Your Body (Mystery Doug)
Watch 3: Chinese Traditional Medicines & Genomics (Illumina)
Watch 4: The Bite that Heals (NatGeo)
Watch 5: First Nations Medicinal Plants - Ethnobotony (PBS)
LEARN + INTERACT
Explore the herbs and spices that have long been used for medicinal purposes in many cultures. Need help identifying these medicinal trees? Or use the iNaturalist Seek App. Make sure to talk to your doctor before using any of these medicinally. (for ages 10+)
Discover how this young student in Peru is learning the art of using Nature’s pharmacy from her mother. This is traditionally how First Nation and Indigenous cultures pass along the knowledge of plant-based medicines and remedies. (for all ages)
Play a medicine matching game based on historical figure healer Mary Seacole’s life and plant-based remedies during the Crimean war. (for all ages)
Join Zooniverse to participate in people-powered research. You can help analyze images taken from inside cells infected with different viruses. Participating in citizen science projects can help advance our scientific understanding, while also opening up the world of research to all of us. (for ages 16+)
ACT + SHARE
Try this glittery demonstration of how to wash your hands effectively; while glitter is famous for getting EVERYWHERE, germs are even worse! Use coffee grinds or tea leaves instead of glitter, since glitter is terrible for the environment! (for all ages)
Draw your family members (from head to toe) on a big piece of paper. Mark the regions where they suffer pain. Which herbs and spices have an effect on which part of the body? Label your body with ingredients from plant based medicine you have learned about in this quest. (for all ages)
Invent a plant with magical healing powers. Is it a tree whose leaves cures headaches? A flower that can remove splinters? Draw a picture of yourself using this plant to feel better and ask an adult to help you share it online using #EarthSchool. (for ages 5-10)
WANT MORE?
Watch a video about why many cultures believe in the healing value of raw honey. (for ages 10+)
Ask an Amazon expert: Why we can't afford to lose the rainforest? (for ages 12+)
Listen to this BBC documentary on herbal medicine and then write a story about a healer in ancient times. Don’t forget to mention some of the great names of medicinal ingredients: eye of newt, toe of frog, and gall of goat! (for ages 9+)
This Earth School Quest was created by the following incredible educators and environmental experts: Julie Voss, Kathleen Usher PhD and David Jensen
We look forward to seeing your Quest in action!
Document your Quests— take photos of the experiments, activities, drawings, and writing prompts you tried— and share your journey with the Earth School team and students by using #EarthSchool. We'll feature some of your photos and stories on our social channels, hopefully encouraging others to join the cause!
Explore additional creative activities (for all ages!) from the Nature of Society and save images of your work from each Quest in Littlescribe – later you can create an original card, book, magazine or calendar to bring your adventures to life!
Document your Quests— take photos of the experiments, activities, drawings, and writing prompts you tried— and share your journey with the Earth School team and students by using #EarthSchool. We'll feature some of your photos and stories on our social channels, hopefully encouraging others to join the cause!
Explore additional creative activities (for all ages!) from the Nature of Society and save images of your work from each Quest in Littlescribe – later you can create an original card, book, magazine or calendar to bring your adventures to life!
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
