Your Posture

HPE Lesson Plans - Health - KHE, 1HE, 2HE, 3HE, 4HE, 5HE

Safety | Mental, Social & Emotional Health | Substance Abuse & Disease Prevention | Growing Up Healthy

4TH GRADE VIRTUAL HEALTH

L23: You Are Growing Cell by Cell| L24: Your Brain & Nervous System: The Control Center for Growth | L25: Your Skin & Its Care | L26: Your Teeth & Their Care | L27: Your Vision & Hearing | L28: Your Posture| L29: Your Physical Fitness | L30: Nutrients & Your Digestive System | L31: Food and the Nutrients It Contains | L32: Using MyPlate | EXTRA: Understanding a Food Label | EXTRA: Preparing Food Safely

Growing Up Healthy

Your Posture

See below for the following:

Standard(s), Essential Question(s), Big Idea(s)

LEARNING TARGET / SUCCESS CRITERIA

I will describe the importance of and demonstrate good posture.

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PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY

Vocabulary

posture - the way you hold your body / having good posture helps you feel good about yourself, helps prevent problems with your bones, muscles, and joints, gives your inner organs room to function, and helps your whole body work at its best

OPENING (Engage)

Main Idea

Having good posture is important for your self-image and your health.

Why Learn This?

Learning how to hold your body correctly will help you take pride in your appearance and stay healthy.

WORK PERIOD (Explore/Explain/Extend/Elaborate)

READ: Your Posture

Picture yourself receiving an award from the President of the United States. The award might be for doing good work in school or for your athletic skills. It might be for helping others in your community. You would stand tall and walk proudly to get your prize. Standing tall and walking with pride are not just for receiving special awards. Good posture is important every day.

What is good posture?

Your posture (PAHS-cher) is the way you hold your body. Having good posture helps you feel good about yourself. It also helps prevent problems with your bones, muscles, and joints, especially as you get older. Good posture gives your inner organs room to function. It helps your whole body work at its best.

When you have good posture, your ears, shoulders, and hips are in a straight line. Your chin is parallel to the floor. Your shoulders are level, and your knees are relaxed. Your spine is as straight as possible with only a slight S-shaped curve. Hold this posture when you walk. It helps to imagine that a string is pulling gently upward on the center of your head.

You should also have good posture when you sit down. Always sit with your back straight. This is important whether you are sitting in a hard or a soft chair. When you write at a desk, pull your chair close to the desk. You should not lean over your work. Rest your feet flat on the floor or on a footstool to help prevent backaches.

Good posture is also important when you lift heavy things. Never bend over to lift something heavy. Instead, bend your knees and squat so the object is in front of you. Grasp the object close to your body and keep your back straight. Lift the object by slowly straightening your legs. Let your legs, not your back, do the hard work.

How can you have good posture when using a computer?

It is important to practice good posture when you sit at a computer. Good posture at the computer lets you work or play longer without getting tired or achy.

When you sit at a computer, sit up straight. Use the picture above as your model. Use the same good posture you use when writing at a desk. Sit back in your chair, and relax your shoulders. Let the chair support your shoulders and back.

Whenever you can, work at a computer with an adjustable keyboard rack that you can raise and lower. You should be able to type without having to reach up or bend forward over the keyboard. Keep your wrists straight when you type. When you use the mouse, hold it loosely to prevent cramps in your hand.

An adjustable chair is also important. Adjust the seat to a good height so that the monitor is at eye level and the keyboard is at wrist level. Adjusting the chair may mean your feet don't touch the floor. If this happens, find a footrest. Your feet should rest flat on it.

Good lighting also is important when you work at a computer. Working in poor light can strain your eyes, making them feel tired or sore. Things may begin to look blurred, or you may get a headache. Work in a well-lit room. Make sure that the lights don't shine directly on the screen. Glare from the screen can cause eyestrain. Also, try to avoid working at a computer in front of or opposite an uncovered window. The outside light can make it hard to read the screen. A filter placed over the screen can help lessen the glare.

You can do other simple things to prevent eyestrain and muscle soreness when you work at a computer. Blink your eyes often to moisten them. Look away from the screen every few minutes. Looking into the distance gives your eyes a chance to rest and refocus. Sitting at a computer can tire you as much as some sports. Your muscles can feel tired from lack of movement. Standing up and stretching at least once every half hour allows your muscles to relax.

REMEMBER...Having good posture is important for your self-image and your health. Learning how to hold your body correctly will help you take pride in your appearance and stay healthy.

CLOSING (Evaluate)

• Complete Lesson Checkup

• Finished Early? (sign into BrainPOP using Clever)

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Standard(s)

HE4.1a - recognize the relationship between healthy behavior and disease prevention

HE4.3a - identify the characteristics of valid health information, products, and services

HE4.3b - list resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information

HE4.5b - describe the possible consequences of an unhealthy decision and healthy alternatives when making a health-related decision

Essential Question(s)

1. What is good posture?

2. How can you have good posture when using a computer?

Big Idea(s)

1. When you have good posture, your ears, shoulders, and hips are in a straight line. Your chin is parallel to the floor. Your shoulders are level, and your knees are relaxed. Your spine is as straight as possible with only a slight S-shaped curve. Hold this posture when you walk. It helps to imagine that a string is pulling gently upward on the center of your head.

2. When you sit at a computer, sit up straight. Use the picture in the reading above as your model. Use the same good posture you use when writing at a desk. Sit back in your chair, and relax your shoulders. Let the chair support your shoulders and back.

RESOURCES / INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

• see below

DCSD Board-Approved Instruction Materials

• Your Health: Teacher's Edition - Grade 4. Harcourt Brace & Company. 1999.

Technology

• Google Sites - HPE website

• Chromebook

• large video screens for whole-class viewing

• sound system for sharing of audio

• BrainPOP - Body Systems

  • BrainPOP - Circulatory System

  • BrainPOP - Digestive System

  • BrainPOP - Endocrine System

  • BrainPOP - Nervous System

  • BrainPOP - Respiratory System

  • BrainPOP - Urinary System

• Senses

  • BrainPOP - Balance

  • BrainPOP - Eyes

  • BrainPOP - Hearing

  • BrainPOP - Smell

  • BrainPOP - Taste

  • BrainPOP - Touch

• BrainPOP - Body Weight

• BrainPOP - Broken Bones

• BrainPOP - Carbohydrates

• BrainPOP - Eating Disorders

• BrainPOP - Fats

• WBrainPOP - Fitness | At-Home Fitness

• BrainPOP - Growth

• BrainPOP - Heart

• BrainPOP - Metabolism

• BrainPOP - Muscles | Steroids

• BrainPOP - Nutrition

• BrainPOP - Obesity

• BrainPOP - Personal Hygiene | How Soap Works

• BrainPOP - Salt

• BrainPOP - Skeleton | Joints | Scoliosis