Understanding the connections between human, animal, and environmental health helps students see how diseases don’t exist in isolation—they move through ecosystems and affect entire communities. By learning about zoonotic diseases, students gain the knowledge to recognize how illnesses spread between animals and people, how to prevent outbreaks, and how these diseases impact global public health. This awareness empowers students to make informed decisions, promote safer practices, and better protect both human and animal populations in an increasingly interconnected world.

Notes: Activity 6 uses a previously made product that is also in the repository – the Germ-O game. Activity 7 uses a previously made product that is also in the repository – the Pathogen Pairs game. Additionally, provided with the curriculum below is an audio recording of the ABC’s of Zoonoses Book in the event an instructor does not feel comfortable pronouncing the words in the book.