Getting Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed Every Day?


Lesson Plans - The Learning Network
Lesson Plans - The Learning Network

Teaching ideas based on New York Times content.

Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students explore the effects of sleep deprivation in teenagers and pose reasons why sleep may not be a priority in their own schedules. They then determine changes that can be made in their regular schedules to afford them more sleep, make the changes for a period of time and evaluate the impact of being better rested on the rest of their daily activities.

Priscilla Chan, The New York Times Learning Network

Suggested Time Allowance: 45 minutes

Students will:
1. Analyze their typical daily schedules by assessing how much time they spend on different activities.
2. Learn about the effects of sleep deprivation on teenagers by reading and discussing “One Thing Missing in Teenagers’ Busy Lives: Sleep.”
3. Evaluate, through small group discussion, the dichotomy between teenagers’ desire to get more sleep and their actual sleeping times.
4. Determine if lengthening their sleep schedules has an impact on their other daily activities by giving up “luxury” activities in order to add that time to their sleep schedule and recording the effects.

Resources / Materials:
-classroom blackboard
-copies of a calendar page that breaks the day into 15-30 minute intervals (copied from a day planner, downloaded from the Internet or that you create; one per student)
-copies of “One Thing Missing in Teenagers’ Busy Lives: Sleep” (one per student)
-large pieces of paper (two pieces per group)
-markers (enough for all groups)

Activities / Procedures:
1. WARM-UP/DO NOW: Prior to class, place a copy of a one-day calendar page on each student’s desk. Upon entering class, students respond to the following prompt (written on the board prior to class): “Think of your typical school day. On the calendar on your desk, list the activities you might typically do during a 24-hour period and how long you spend doing each one. Be sure to include as many activities as you can, including watching television, using the computer, preparing meals, etc.” After a few minutes, allow students to share their typical routines, and discuss the following questions: Which activities do you think are most important? Which activities do you think are absolutely necessary? Which activities do you think are luxuries?
2. As a class, read and discuss the article “One Thing Missing in Teenagers’ Busy Lives: Sleep,” focusing on the following questions:
a. According to the article, what is the “adolescent drill”?
b. Why are Americans said to be a “sleep-deprived people”?
c. What are some of the effects of chronic sleep deficit?
d. How do scientists explain why teenagers do not feel tired at 9 or 10 p.m.?
e. How might lack of sleep affect a student’s learning?
f. What types of feelings might be caused by sleep deprivation? According to Dr. Carskadon, what might be the result of these types of feelings, based on studies in animals?
g. What are some physical effects on the human body from lack of sleep? h. How does drowsiness affect a person’s driving?
i. How are starting times of schools related to sleep deprivation? What are some of the considerations when schools set their schedules?
j. How has sleep research affected military training policy at the Great Lakes base in Chicago? Why might Dr. Dyche expect “big dividends” from the change in policy?
k. How can parents help students get more sleep?
3. Divide students into four or six small groups, and then divide each group in half. Give each of the smaller groups a large piece of paper and some markers. Explain that one subgroup will be responsible for generating a list of positives and negatives for students who get less than eight hours of sleep each night, and the other will generate a similar list for a student who gets eight hours or more of sleep each night. Each group will use the article and their personal experiences to add to the list. After the lists have been completed, the halves will join together and discuss the following questions (written on the board for easier student access):
–According to the lists that you generated, is it better to get less or more sleep, and why?
–Do you think students generally want to get more sleep?
–If students want to get more sleep, what prevents them from doing so?
–What types of things do you think students can do order to get more sleep?
–How do you think more sleep would impact the things that you do on a daily basis?
After a few minutes, allow students to discuss their answers with the class.
4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Explain to students that for the next week, they will be asked to give up one “luxury” activity each day after school in order to be able to add that time to their sleep schedules. Each day, students should record the amount of time that they slept and how the addition to their sleep schedule impacted their daily activities the next day. After the week is over, students should share their responses in class.

Further Questions for Discussion:
–Can napping be a substitute for sleeping? Why or why not?
–How might changing the length of a school day affect a student’s sleep schedule? How might changing the length of a school week affect a student’s sleep schedule? How might changing the length of a school year affect a student’s sleep schedule?
–Is American teen culture conducive to helping teen-agers get the proper amount of sleep each night? What incentives are there for staying awake later?

Evaluation / Assessment:
Students will be evaluated on their initial journal responses, thoughtful participation in class and group discussions, and written responses about how additional sleep impacts their daily activities..

strapping, cusp, instinct, interminably, deprivation, chronic, deficit, gauged, aggressive, prolonged, fatigue, perpetual, incompatible, barracks, dividends

Extension Activities:
1. Keep a “quality of sleep” journal for a week by recording the times you go to bed each night and the times you wake up in the morning. Determine the number of hours slept each night. Include observations about how you are feeling as you are going to bed and getting up and if you experienced any interruptions during your sleep. Analyze any patterns that you notice.
2. Research the different stages of sleep. Explain why researchers use their understanding of these stages to recommend healthy amounts of sleep. Then, create a “Guide to Sound Sleep” for teens that explains these stages, discusses how sleep can benefit them in the hours that they are awake, and suggests ways that they can get more sleep.
3. Investigate the different types of sleep disorders. How would a sleep disorder affect an individual, and how would he or she deal with this disorder? If someone with a sleep disorder is available, interview that person about modifications that he or she makes to address this disorder. Create an encyclopedia or textbook entry with your findings.
4. Describe what is meant by the term “biological clock,” and research the history of biological clocks and how scientists came upon the theory that organisms have internal timers. Cite real-world examples of how that clock is demonstrated. How do animals use their internal clocks? How about plants? Humans? Then, create an illustrated timeline reflecting the cumulative evidence for biological clocks.

Interdisciplinary Connections:
Journalism- Create public service announcements to explain to teenagers the risks of driving and performing other tasks while drowsy. Describe possible dangers and how to avoid the condition.
Mathematics- Graph the amounts of time you spend doing different activities in a typical day. Use broader categories like entertainment, meals and school-related work to organize your activities.
Media Studies- Look at television listings for late night programming. Research the demographics of viewers of these shows. Analyze if typical viewers are usually already awake during these hours or if they stay up purposely to watch the shows.
Technology- Create a “How It Works” poster that explains how an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine works to record brain waves during sleep.

Other Information on the Web:
The National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (// offers up-to-date research announcements, interactive sleep quizzes, and information about sleep and youth.
The Center for Biological Timing (// provides an introductory overview of biological clocks, including a historical timeline, examples in other species, and classroom activities.

Academic Content Standards:
Grades 6-8
(CTSS – ‘science’, ‘6-8’, ’14’)
Science Standard 16- Understands the scientific enterprise. Benchmarks: Knows that people of all backgrounds and with diverse interests, talents, qualities, and motivations engage in fields of science and engineering; Knows that the work of science requires a variety of human abilities, qualities, and habits of mind; Knows various settings in which scientists and engineers may work; Knows that throughout history, many scientific innovators have had difficulty breaking through accepted ideas of their time to reach conclusions that are now considered to be common knowledge; Knows ways in which science and society influence one another
(CTSS – ‘science’, ‘6-8’, ’16’)
Health Standard 7- Knows how to maintain and promote personal health. Benchmarks: Knows personal health strengths and risks (e.g., results of a personal health assessment); Knows how positive health practices and appropriate health care can help to reduce health risks; Knows strategies and skills that are used to attain personal health goals
Grades 9-12
Science Standard 14- Understands the nature of scientific knowledge. Benchmarks: Knows that scientific explanations must meet certain criteria to be considered valid; Understands how scientific knowledge changes and accumulates over time
(CTSS – ‘science’, ‘9-12’, ’14’)
Science Standard 16- Understands the scientific enterprise. Benchmarks: Understands that science involves different types of work in many different disciplines; Knows that creativity, imagination, and a good knowledge base are all required in the work of science and engineering
(CTSS – ‘science’, ‘9-12’, ’16’)
Health Standard 7- Knows how to maintain and promote personal health. Benchmarks: Knows how personal behaviors relate to health and well-being and how these behaviors can be modified if necessary to promote achievement of health goals throughout life; Understands the short- and long-term consequences of safe, risky, and harmful behaviors


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