COURSE PHILOSOPHY

Finding balance in one’s physical, mental, and social wellness is the fundamental foundation for a healthy life. Health Education, in addition to teaching key concepts or knowledge, must also teach a variety of skills students will need to negotiate safely and healthfully throughout their lives. This knowledge includes the most important and enduring ideas, issues, and concepts related to achieving good health. The skills include how to access reliable information, self-management, identifying internal and external influences and ways to respond to those influences, interpersonal communication skills, goal setting, decision making, and finally, advocating skills for oneself and others about health issues.

Community and consumer health, family life, mental health, injury prevention, nutrition and fitness, disease prevention, and substance use and abuse are key concepts that are targeted throughout the 6-8 program. The eighth grade program builds upon earlier material and introduces new information necessary in promoting health and wellness. It is the combination of the knowledge and skills within these key areas, which result in health literacy.

A skills based program is one that focuses on more than just attaining information. Students arecoached so that they can transfer information into usable skills. Students are taught how to personalize knowledge, believe it, understand its importance and personal relevance, believe in their own ability to act upon it, and then actually have the skills to act upon that knowledge when necessary. It is through small and large group discussions, role-plays, skits, and values-based activities that students process and internalize information that is presented.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• How do physical, emotional/mental, social and environmental health contribute to a person's overall wellness?
• How can we challenge ourselves to grow physically, mentally, and socially throughout our lifetime?
• What must one do to maintain health and prevent disease?
• How can internal/external influences contribute to the health of myself and others?
• How do you determine valid sources of health information, products, and services?
• How can goal setting and decision making challenge one to grow physically, emotionally/mentally, and socially?
• How does my ability to communicate impact my overall wellness?
• How does one advocate for personal, family, and community health?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does goal setting enable one to achieve long-term and short-term goals?
• What is the connection between healthy/unhealthy relationships and high-risk behaviors?
• How do decision making and communication skills promote social health and well-being?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• define the components of goal setting.
• identify characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
• identify strategies to achieve long-term and short-term goals.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• demonstrate the DICE model of decision-making process (Define the problem, Information, choices, Evaluate).

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• demonstrate the DICE model of decision-making process (Define the problem, Information, choices, Evaluate).
• demonstrate effective communication skills to include active, passive, and assertive.
• formulate short-term and long-term goals.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• explain the characteristics of active listening and reflective communication.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What motivates one to make food choices?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEELOP A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• identify and use reliable nutrition resources.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• assess one's own eating pattern for variety, moderation, and proportionality.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• explain cues for personal eating behaviors (e.g. taste, hunger, mood, stress, self-esteem, etc.).

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• compare what motivates people to adopt particular eating habits (e.g. family, economics, culture, tradition, nutrition value, health).
• evaluate the role/impact of the media and current culture on eating behaviors.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How do the physical effects of drugs impact one's life?
• What are the emotional and social risks of drug use/misuse?
• How does one become addicted to a drug?
• What are the effects of addiction on the user's social relationships, i.e. family and friends?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• define stimulants, depressants, narcotics and hallucinogens.
• list the physical effects of stimulants, depressants, narcotic, hallucinogens and marijuana on the body.
• define addiction and its impact on adolescent development.
• identify the progression of the development of addiction from abstention through addiction.
• identify available resources when affected by another's addiction

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• examine why addictive behaviors of others is beyond one's control.
• examine the impact of drug use and addiction on family and peer groups.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• explain the risks associated with being a passenger in a car with a driver who has used alcohol and/or other drugs.
• discuss the strategies to avoid becoming a passenger in a car with a driver who has used alcohol and/or other drugs.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does abstinence allow one to achieve physical, mental/emotional and social health?
• How does one contract, treat and prevent STDs, including HIV/AIDS?

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

DEVELOPING A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• identify myths and misconceptions regarding STDs/HIV.
• identify the ways sexually transmitted diseases are spread and strategies to avoid contracting an STD/HIV.
• list several common signs and symptoms of an STD/HIV infection for males and females.
• identify reliable sources of information regarding STDs/HIV.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• explain why abstinence is the only 100% effective method in preventing unplanned pregnancies and STD/HIV infection.
• explain why sexual activities besides sexual intercourse can lead to contracting an STD/HIV (i.e. skin to skin contact).
• explain the sexual and non-sexual modes of transmission of STDs/HIV.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• describe how a person can transmit an STD/HIV in the absence of symptoms.

EXAMINING THE CONTENT The student will . . .

• analyze the reasons for and benefits of practicing abstinence.