About this lesson
A closer look
Public health officials often wait months to learn who was harmed during a heat wave. A 2026 study led by Harvard Chan C-CHANGE and Boston University showed that electronic health records can reveal heat's health impacts within about a week. By analyzing 8.1 million emergency department visits, researchers found that roughly 1 in 10 visits on extreme heat days were caused by high temperatures.
Suggested grade level
Grades 9–12
Suggested teaching range based on the reading, scientific concepts, and classroom activity. Teachers can adapt the lesson for their students.
Source material
This curriculum draws on material from hsph.harvard.edu.
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