Health Self-Paced

Course Essential Questions:

• What does it mean to be healthy?
• Who and what influences our health choices?
• What are the current risks teens face and how do these trends impact health?
• Why is it important to use valid healthcare information in order to make appropriate health decisions?

Course Learning Objectives:

• Develop skills needed to live a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
• Access, evaluate and use valid information to achieve overall wellness.
• Examine concepts related to wellness and implement realistic plans for a lifetime of optimal well-being.
• Apply decision-making skills that enable students to become well-informed, health-literate individuals.

Unit 1: Introduction to Health (Topics 1-2)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What are the expectations and how do I navigate around this course?
• What does it mean to be healthy?
• How do the decisions I make affect my health triangle?
• Why is it important to use valid sources when researching health-related topics?

Topic 1: Health Triangle

• Analyze the relationship between physical, emotional and social aspects of health.
• Assess how personal attitudes, values, and beliefs influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
• Evaluate and assess personal practices and behaviors that reduce or prevent health risks.

Topic 2: Teen Risk Behaviors

• Reflect on the importance of health literacy for achieving and maintaining good health.
• Determine the validity and reliability of different types of health resources.
• Interpret data to determine current health-related trends.
• Analyze how some behaviors influence the likelihood of engaging in other unhealthy behaviors.

Unit 2: Physical Health (Topics 3-5)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• How does nutrition and exercise assist in lifelong health?
• How can I set physical health goals that help me stay committed to wellness?
• What are appropriate ways to reduce risks to promote safety of self and others?

Topic 3: Healthy Eating

• Describe the recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and explain how they are useful in planning a healthy diet.
• Summarize the importance of eating a variety of appropriate foods to meet nutrient requirements that align with individual needs.
• Analyze healthy approaches to weight management.
• Assess signs of eating disorders and explain their effects on healthy growth and development.

Topic 4: Let’s Get Physical!

• Determine how an inactive lifestyle contributes to chronic disease.
• Summarize the mental, emotional, and social benefits of physical activity and the importance of selecting appropriate, enjoyable activities.
• Evaluate the recommended amounts and types of moderate, vigorous, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening physical activity for adolescents and adults.
• Analyze ways to increase physical activity and decrease inactivity.
• Examine the basics of goal setting and the goal setting process.

Topic 5: Safety & Injury Prevention

• Formulate ways to reduce the risk of injuries from participation in physical activities.
• Examine the effects of self care on physical performance.
• Assess the importance of CPR and identify local resources for CPR education.
• Evaluate the use of safety equipment for specific physical activities.
• Discover how to recognize a concussion and identify next steps if a concussion is suspected.

Unit 3: Drug Use & Abuse (Topics 6-8)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What effect does alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs have on the mind and body?
• What are some of the reasons teens turn to drugs and alcohol?
• What resources are available to help those affected by addiction?

Topic 6: Alcohol

• Classify acute and chronic health problems associated with alcohol use and abuse.
• Analyze the influence alcohol has on judgment and the ability to make decisions.
• Differentiate between physical and psychological addiction.
• Explain the effects of chemical dependence on members of the family.

Topic 7: Nicotine

• Analyze short- and long-term effects of tobacco and nicotine use.
• Evaluate community laws and policies related to the sale and use of tobacco/nicotine products.
• Summarize long-term health benefits of abstaining from or discontinuing tobacco/nicotine use.
• Formulate an action plan to prevent addiction.

Topic 8: Drugs

• Differentiate between proper use and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicines.
• Evaluate the harmful effects and legal issues related to using performance-enhancing drugs.
• Brainstorm alternatives to abuse of drugs as a means of social acceptance.
• Identify resources in the school and community that provide help for drug abuse and addiction.

Unit 4: Social Health (Topics 9-11)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• What are some common characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships?
• How do I protect my sexual health?
• What are effective strategies to promote safe social environments?

Topic 9: Healthy Relationships

• Differentiate characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
• Evaluate effective strategies for handling challenges in relationships.
• Recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development, physical appearance, gender roles, and sexual orientation and summarize the benefits of respecting individual differences.
• Analyze how sharing or posting personal information electronically about self or others on social media sites and other digital communication can negatively impact mental and emotional health.

Topic 10: Sexual Health

• Examine the signs and symptoms of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Analyze methods of birth control including their effectiveness, required user action or proper use, and possible side effects.
• Explain the importance of preventative care necessary to maintain sexual and reproductive health.
• Analyze the emotional, social, physical, and financial effects of becoming a parent.

Topic 11: Abuse & Violence Prevention

• Identify ways to prevent and address bullying, harassment, bias, prejudice, and discrimination.
• Analyze federal, state, and local laws intended to prevent violence.
• Demonstrate the ability to access reliable school and community service providers and resources for health care services related to sexual health & violence prevention.
• Evaluate strategies for avoiding and dealing with sexual health situations that involve personal risk or danger.

Unit 5: Emotional Health (Topics 12-13)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• Why are teens more susceptible to emotional changes?
• What mental health resources are available to teens?
• How can effective stress management techniques improve your overall wellness?

Topic 12: Mental Health

• Describe how brain development and emotions change during adolescence.
• Analyze the causes, symptoms, and effects of depression and anxiety.
• Examine how mental and emotional health can affect health-related behaviors.
• Determine when and how to seek help for mental and emotional health problems.

Topic 13: Stress

• Summarize personal stressors at home, in school, and with friends.
• Explain the body’s physical and psychological responses to stressful situations and ways to reduce their impact.
• Identify strategies for coping with stress.
• Describe situations where people have demonstrated resilience.

Unit 6: Wellness (Topics 14-15)

Unit Level Essential Questions

• How do diseases and health conditions impact our lives?
• What factors contribute to disease and how can we prevent them?
• What practices are necessary to promote disease prevention and optimal wellness?
• What is your personal vision for a healthy life?

Topic 14: Disease Prevention

• Summarize important health screenings, immunizations, checkups, examinations, and health screenings necessary to maintain good health.
• Differentiate between infectious, noninfectious, acute and chronic diseases, communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Examine the controllable factors that contribute to optimal wellness.
• Justify why it is important to seek help and treatment for common infectious diseases and chronic diseases.

Topic 15: Optimal Wellness & Wrap Up

• Understand how to use family history, gender, and age to make informed health related decisions.
• Examine the wellness continuum.
• Make a commitment to practice healthy behaviors.
• Instruct and support others to make positive health choices.