K-12 Health Curriculum / Overview

Health Curriculum K-12

Health education is a distinctive and one-of-a-kind academic discipline: it draws from topics that may cross disciplines (science, social studies, math, language alerts, physical education), yet it retains a very personal look at human behavior. The fundamental goal of health education is to enable individuals to use knowledge and develop skills that permit them to transform unhealthy habits into healthy habits. Students are supported in their efforts to apply knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward achieving wellness and maintaining a healthy life style.

The K-12 health education curriculum was designed to provide learners not just with information but with the skill to analyze and apply that information to their own lives. Scarsdale's curriculum was developed to meet New York State Education Department standards and National Health Education standards.

K-5 HEALTH CURRICULUM

Health education is a required area of study for the elementary classroom and is designed to be taught by the classroom teacher. This outline is used as a guideline from which teachers can select and incorporate health education lessons into their content areas.

Kindergarten: engaging in learning activities that demonstrate health practices.

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Washing hands, covering one's mouth when coughing or sneezing
Prevention	Staying home when sick, properly treating common illnesses
Growth and development	"All About Me" program
Environmental	Identifying ways to protect and preserve a healthy environment; sunscreen use
Personal and physical safety	Understanding basic safety rules, and how to use 911 Safely walking to school, in traffic, crossing streets, dangerous situations
Self-management	Identifying ways to care for and show respect for self and others
Nutrition and physical activity	Healthy snack choices: nutritious snack vs. occasional treat Practicing and supporting others in making healthy choices
Stress management and suicide prevention	Learning basic knowledge and skills that support positive health choices and behaviors - understanding the concept of good stress and bad stress
Social skills	Learning personal and social skills that contribute to individual safety
Media literacy	Recognizing how the media influences health choices
Substance abuse	Demonstrating refusal skills to protect health

First Grade: physical growth and change occur over time; the relationship between behavior and healthy development.

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Recognizing germs, common cold, influenza
Prevention	Hand-washing, use of soap, awareness of anti-bacterial overuse
Growth and development	Describing physical, social, and emotional indicators of healthy people
Environmental	Identifying ways to protect and preserve a healthy environment
Personal and physical safety	Preparing for fire emergencies at school and in the home Applying safety rules to prevent injury
Self-management	Understanding personal space, hands to oneself, no pushing, honoring privacy
Nutrition and physical activity	Understanding how eating nutritionally balanced meals and snacks promotes health, and how culture influences personal health behavior, such as selection of food and meal preparation
Stress management and suicide prevention	Learning basic knowledge and skills that support positive health choices and behaviors: knowing what makes you feel anxious, worried, upset (stressors)
Social skills	Knowing personal and social skills that contribute to individual safety
Media literacy	Identifying the ways various media promote products and services that influence health choices
Substance abuse	Respecting your own body and work to keep it free of all substances that do not promote good health and well-being

Second Grade: Develop a safety plan for healthy living

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Eye and ear safety, computer screen safety, ear buds and hearing, video games and vision
Prevention	Identifying common health problems; knowing how they can be prevented, detected and treated
Growth and development	Describing the basic structure and function of human body systems
Environmental	Identifying ways to protect and preserve a healthy environment,
Personal and physical safety	Playground safety, responsible play, situations to avoid, safety with peers. Identifying what to do when physically lost, recognizing who is helpful vs. harmful, knowing parent contact information and identification
Self-management	Understanding how culture contributes to individual family & community beliefs and practices affecting health
Nutrition and physical activity	Learning to recognize and apply principles of the USDA food pyramid, and how to accurately read a "nutrition facts" label
Stress management and suicide prevention	Managing sleep issues, bedtime routines and adequate sleep requirements
Social skills	Recognizing personal and social skills that contribute to individual safety
Media literacy	Recognizing how products, goods and services are marketed to the community
Substance abuse	Actively practice good decision-making skills by using skits and role playing situations

Third Grade: Identify responsible health behaviors and demonstrate strategies to improve or maintain personal health

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Dental health awareness, brushing, flossing and visits to the dentist, braces
Prevention	Hygiene, spreading germs and disease due to nose picking, covering mouth with arm when coughing and sneezing
Growth and development	Reviewing how basic body systems work and interrelate in normal patterns of growth and development
Environmental	Identifying ways to protect and preserve a healthy environment,
Personal and physical safety	Understanding how following safety rules helps protect people at home and in the school and community - demonstrating ways to avoid or reduce the risk of threatening situations
Self-management	Identifying appropriate touching of others and personal boundaries
Nutrition and physical activity	Applying principles of healthy meal planning and food preparation; reinforcing the value of daily physical activity in PE classes and at recess
Stress management and suicide prevention	Recognizing stressors and the relationship of stress and anxiety to behavior and health; learning to manage stress and develop appropriate coping skills
Social skills	Demonstrating use of interpersonal communication skills to enhance health
Media literacy	Creating PSA messages for health topics that highlight wellness
Substance abuse	Collaborating with others to improve the quality of life; setting a personal health goal for a substance free and healthy lifestyle

Fourth Grade: Recognize that needs change as growth and development occurs

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Dental health refresher, fluoride, mouth guards, braces, oral hygiene
Prevention	First aid: simple skills such as keeping a wound clean and covered; learning proper use of OTC preparations
Growth and development	Understanding "what we know" vs. "what we do" healthy behaviors
Environmental	Recognizing characteristics of the environment that contribute to health;
Personal and physical safety	Focusing on the sexual abuse prevention program that is conducted by school psychologists and the District Health Coordinator
Self-management	Learning appropriate vocabulary for private body parts, and appropriate public behaviors
Nutrition and physical activity	Recognizing influences that affect healthy choices and behaviors. Responding to incidences of food poisoning, food contamination.
Stress management and suicide prevention	Learning test-taking strategies that lessen stress and anxiety - talking to someone, getting physical activity, keeping a journal, developing resiliency
Social skills	Using interpersonal communication skills in a positive way to avoid hurt feelings and misunderstandings
Media literacy	Identifying characteristics of valid health information and health-promoting products and services, and where to locate them
Substance abuse	Identifying the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs

Fifth Grade: How to access resources in the home, school and community to assist with health problems

General Topic	Description of lesson
Wellness	Sun safety, skin protection, puberty education and family life education
Prevention	Understanding of immunizations and vaccinations, proper use of drugs
Growth and development	Learning how to recognize and get help when an illness, injury or emergency situation occurs
Environmental	Recognizing characteristics of the environment that contribute to health
Personal and physical safety	Understanding personal safety rules to avoid abuse, abduction, poisoning and unintentional injuries
Self-management	Using situational events to discuss relationships, peers, respect, bullying, harassment, self-esteem
Nutrition and physical activity	Understanding the principles of food allergies, and how behaviors such as food selection, exercise and rest affect growth and development
Stress management and suicide prevention	Learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and other methods to manage stress (keep a journal, get exercise, talk to someone, read, etc.)
Social skills	Demonstrate use of interpersonal communication skills to enhance health
Media literacy	Bringing in current events clips about health from the media
Advocacy	Learning how to â€œtake a stand for healthâ€ and be a role model for healthy behaviors; achieving health literacy
Substance abuse	Getting help for a friend making unwise choices (rescue instead of tattling)

HEALTH EDUCATION OVERVIEW OF MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The overall goal of the Health Education Curriculum at Scarsdale Middle School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well being. Our mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which benefits adolescents in all aspects of their growth and learning.

Students attend health class for one academic quarter per grade level. The curriculum spirals through each grade level (that is, it builds on previous instruction) with a variety of age-appropriate topics that correlate with the New York State and National Standards for Health Education while also addressing specific needs of the Scarsdale community. Therefore, in addition to the curriculum outline, classes will often examine topics taken from current events and community experience. Middle School health teachers benefit from a partnership with the Scarsdale-Edgemont Family Counseling Service's youth outreach workers, who visit classrooms and facilitate discussions on community issues.

It is worth noting that the Joint Committee on National Health Education Standards has declared that â€œhealth literate individualsâ€¦are critical thinkers and problem solvers, responsible and productive citizens, self directed learners, and effective communicators.

Health 6 Topic Outline

Wellness: Exploring connections between physical, mental/emotional and social health, and identifying attributes of a healthy individual

Self-Esteem: Examining factors that influence the development of healthy self-esteem

Healthy Decision-Making Skills: Identifying factors that may influence decisions (such as peer influence), and using a decision-making model to work through stressful adolescent social situations

Bullying Prevention/Empathy Development: Recognizing different types of bullying (causes and effects), and practicing assertive skills ---how to respond to bullying situations and create a safe school environment

Internet Safety: Developing strategies to avoid Internet dangers such as cyber-bullying and Internet predators

Substance Abuse Prevention (Tobacco and Alcohol): Understanding short and long-term effects of tobacco and alcohol on physical, mental/emotional and social health, and on the developing adolescent brain

Media Literacy: Exploring how advertisements are created; analyzing messages in tobacco and alcohol advertisements

Nutrition: Reading and understanding food labels and ingredient lists; healthy meal planning and snack ideas

Understanding Puberty as a Natural Part of Adolescent Development: Understanding how and why the physical, emotional and social changes of puberty are a normal and natural part of life

HIV/AIDS: Uncovering myths and realities of how this virus may be spread, including HIV transmission; understanding how HIV affects the immune system

Health 7 Topic Outline

Personality Type: Developing self-awareness about decision-making, relationship management and managing one's personal learning environment

Food and Sustainability: Understanding the effects of food choices on the health of growing bodies, and the impact on the environment; cultivating and harvesting the Edible SMS Community Garden

First Aid and CPR: Skills training: safety precautions, general procedures, bleeding and wounds, burns, strains and sprains, breathing emergencies, sudden illness

Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases: Immune system overview; HIV/AIDS education and prevention; prevention of illnesses; understanding contributing factors for non-communicable diseases, such as environment, heredity and lifestyle

Mental Health: Learning to use appropriate vocabulary for mental health topics, reducing stigma, and creating empathy; participating in small group discussions to check for understanding, facilitated in cooperation with school psychologists

Health 8 Topic Outline

Mental and Emotional Health: Analyzing teen dilemmas, decision-making styles and healthful actions vs. risky behaviors; managing stress; understanding depression, including intervention and getting help from trusted adults in the community; understanding suicide warning signs and where to go for help; defining self-injury and eating disorders as other examples of unhealthy behaviors; understanding death and grieving and the process of reaching acceptance; resiliency education -- bouncing back from stress and disappointments

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs: Learning resistance methods for preventing substance abuse ( tobacco, marijuana, steroids, alcohol) and avoiding risky behaviors; meeting the Scarsdale Youth Officer

Consumer and Community Health: Examining media messages concerning body image; analyzing the impact of societal messages and obesity rates on physical appearance and body image; Recognizing examples of nutritional quackery and misleading advertisements

Physical Health and Nutrition: Encouraging positive body image and self-acceptance during adolescence, a time of rapid growth and change: understanding desirable weight and body composition; making the connection between physical activity and well-being

Growth and Development: Understanding human sexuality, including feelings associated with moving towards male and female reproductive maturity; gender expression and sexual orientation; and resisting pressure to become sexually active

Communicable and Chronic Diseases: Understanding Sexually Transmitted Infections such as HIV/AIDS education and prevention; gaining a global perspective on the incidence of HIV.

Social and Relationship Health: Recognizing healthy vs. unhealthy relationships; discussing appropriate use of social networking communication; Internet safety and online etiquette; recognizing sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviors

HEALTH EDUCATION OVERVIEW OF HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The High School provides a one-semester health education class in tenth grade. The goal of the program is to have students apply the knowledge they have gained over the course of their education toward living a healthy lifestyle, and to empower them to use the skills they have learned to make informed decisions.

The curriculum encompasses seven developmental personal and social skills which when mastered, enable students to enhance personal, family and community health and safety. These health education skills include:

1. Self management

2. Relationship management

3. Stress Management

4. Communication

5. Decision making

6. Planning and goal setting

7. Advocacy

The curriculum focuses on nine content areas that convey essential information for students to know and be able to use in order to be safe, healthy and achieve academically. These knowledge areas were determined by the Centers for Disease Control. They are:

1. Physical activity and nutrition

2. HIV/AIDS, STI's

3. Sexual risk

4. Tobacco

5. Alcohol and other drugs

6. Family Life/Sexual Health

7. Unintentional injury

8. Violence Prevention

9. Other related health areas

Skills and knowledge areas are integrated throughout the curriculum.

SELF MANAGEMENT: Assess and analyze one's current health and safety status; apply appropriate knowledge and skills; monitor, evaluate and adjust one's behavior to enhance personal health and safety; learn the history of mental health science and treatment

DECISION MAKING: Make well-informed choices

PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING: Develop health-enhancing short-term and long-term goals

STRESS MANAGEMENT: Manage positive and negative change in health enhancing ways, including resilience skills

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT: Assess and analyze interpersonal and intra-personal knowledge and skills, and then monitor, evaluate and adjust behavior to enhance personal, family and community health and safety

COMMUNICATION: Verbal and non-verbal communication, assertiveness, refusal, negotiation, conflict management and collaboration; Avoidance and prevention of sexual risk, HIV/AIDS, STI's, violence

FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION: Family life/sexual health; parenting education; human reproduction; sexual orientation

ADVOCACY: Persuade others to promote, support or behave in ways that enhance personal, family and community health, such as tobacco free community parks and public spaces, food selection and other related health areas

COMMUNICATION: Listen, understand and express oneself in respectful, safe and health enhancing ways; Use communication skills to avoid use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, prescription drug use, misuse, abuse, and inhalants and steroids

Last Modified on 09/26/2011 05:42:46 PM

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