Great Diseases

Free High School Curriculum

Approachable, innovative, and life-relevant content, designed to improve science engagement and health literacy.

Co-developed by teachers and scientists, The Great Diseases curriculum provides a biological framework for students to learn high school biology in a more relevant and immediate context. The curriculum was designed for high school science classrooms, but can be adapted for different courses, including General Biology, Honors Biology, CP Biology, Elective Biology, AP Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, Health Science, Pathophysiology, Biomedical Science, and Introductory College Courses. Each module includes teacher manuals with learning objectives, key discussion points, and activity guidance, as well as 135+ ready-to-teach lessons, comprising of PowerPoint slides, lesson plans, student worksheets, labs, games, and case studies. A full module runs for 6-8 weeks of classroom time. Explore our modules below, and request access here.

To help support teachers who are using the Great Diseases Curriculum in their virtual classrooms, we have begun to modify some of our favorite activities from the curriculum to be used virtually. It is our hope that these modified activities can be used by teacher with minimum prep work, while still being hands-on and engaging for students. Explore our Virtual Activities and check back soon for updates to the other modules.

COVID-19:
The Great Pandemic of 2020

Our newest module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing pandemic to help them make informed decisions about their behavior and health, and share their knowledge with their families and communities.

Online Courses for Educators

Interested in teaching The Great Diseases but the content is new to you? We offer online mini-courses for graduate and continuing education credits. Summer registration is open!

Materials for Students

For teachers ready to use the curriculum, click below to visit the Student Portal, which provides access to the Student Workbook for each module, as well as other helpful references and resources.

Additional Teaching Support

Curious about current health topics? Want to learn more about our curriculum?

Want an in-person experience to become familiar with The Great Diseases?

Interested in one-on-one mentorship and collaboration with our research team?

Great Diseases Community

We’ve made it easier for any teachers looking for resources and support to find us by establishing a multi-platform social media presence. Follow our accounts to stay up-to-date on Great Diseases and science education news, learn about breakthroughs in health sciences, discover new resources, and discuss lesson planning with our global network of teachers and scientists.