H E A L T H A GRADE 7 COURSE A.M.S.A.     Aug. 16, 2006

SUGGESTED TEXT:
    DFH   DECISIONS FOR HEALTH, level red (Holt Rinehart).
Lesson numbers from the following reference are also listed in parentheses:
    M&H   Meeks & Heit. HEALTH & WELLNESS (McGraw-Hill Glencoe).
    This book is available for those who wish to seek additional information.


GENERAL REMARKS

• This is a one-semester course that meets once a week, on Fridays.
• It was planned by a joint group of faculty and parents.
• No final exam is planned in this course. The rest of your lives is really one big lifelong final exam.
• All students will be expected to participate in class discussions and to submit two class projects. One class project will be a poster; the other will be a paper. More details will come later.
• Together with certain open circle discussions in home room period, this course addresses the relevant Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (see references at end).
  
• Parents who object to their children attending classes dealing with human sexuality may exempt their children from such classes by writing a letter to the school principal requesting such an exemption. Letters of this kind must be received by the third week of the semester.
• We encourage students to discuss each new topic with their parents. This is especially important for personally sensitive topics.
• Some class sessions will begin with a presentation of some facts and a review of vocabulary. Students should ask any questions that would help clarify or further explain this material. Class discussion is expected on many subjects. For example, students might be asked to offer examples of healthy and unhealthy practices, or different ways to handle a given situation.
• Some topics, marked by (**), will be covered in more depth in the Anatomy & Physiology course (10th grade).
• Many topics can and should interface with Open Circle discussions.
• We will try to arrange single-sex discussions for certain topics dealing with sex.
• The school nurse may occasionally participate for some topics.

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LIST OF TOPICS

1. GOOD HEALTH IN GENERAL:     What this course is all about.
   Taking charge of your own health (being responsible). DFH ch. 1 (M&H 1)
2. Good habits for health and safety. Healthy & unhealthy behaviors. How to make good decisions. Setting realistic goals and reaching them. DFH ch. 2 (M&H 3,4,6,7)
   Getting and evaluating health information. (M&H 2,52) (Supplementary handout neded.)
3. Self-esteem. Character and leadership. DFH ch. 3
   
   MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
4. Mental health. Emotional health. Stress management. DFH ch. 7, 8
   
   PHYSICAL HEALTH
5. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & FITNESS: Activity and inactivity. Rest and sleep. Proper exercise (without excess). Personal hygiene. DFH ch. 4 (M&H 30-35)
6. Accident & injury prevention; first aid. DFH ch. 17 (M&H 61-62, 69-70)
7. Your changing body, its growth and development. DFH ch. 16 (M&H 19,20,24) (**)
   Related open circle topic:   Single-sex question & answer session.
8. Pregnancy, childbirth, and infant care. Child care (babysitting). (M&H 21,22,23) (Supplementary handout neded.) (**)
9. NUTRITION: Our food needs. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Vitamins and minerals. Fiber. Good eating habits. Healthy and unhealthy food choices. Food choices in different situations. DFH ch. 5 (M&H 25-28) (**)
10. Weight and body image. Obesity and BMI. Dieting. Anorexia and other eating disorders. DFH ch. 6 (M&H 29) (**)
    Related open circle discussions on nutrition & eating disorders.
    
    SAFETY AND RISK PREVENTION
11. DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL:
    Communicable diseases. Immunizations. Importance of personal hygiene. DFH ch. 14 (M&H 44) STDs;   HIV and AIDS. (M&H 46) (Supplementary handout neded.) (**)
    
12. Long-lasting (chronic) and noninfectious diseases. DFH ch. 15 (M&H 45,47-49)
    
13. DRUGS AND DRUG ABUSE: What are drugs? OTC and prescription drugs. Side effects and interactions. DFH ch. 13 (M&H 36) (**)
14. Alcohol. Psychoactive drugs in general (with alcohol as an example). DFH ch. 12 (M&H 37) (**)
15. Tobacco. Addiction in general (with nicotine as an example). DFH ch. 11 (M&H 38, 40) (**)
16. Illegal drugs and drug laws. Drug abuse and its treatment. (M&H 39, 43)
    Related open circle topic:   Peer pressure concerning drugs, etc. (M&H 41,42)

    SOME COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS:
    Alcohol Tobacco Marijuana	Cocaine Heroin Steroids	Sleeping aids Diet aids Inhalants

TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED IN OPEN CIRCLE

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
1. CHARACTER AND SELF-ESTEEM:     Choosing friends; dealing with peer pressure. What it means to have good character. Leadership. (M&H 8)
2. EMOTIONAL HEALTH:   Managing stress and crisis. Mental health. (M&H 9,10)
3. Dealing with disappointment & rejection. Dealing with loss & grief. Dealing with depression. (M&H 11,12)

   ". . . grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference"             - -   Reinhold Niebuhr

4. FAMILY LIFE: Healthy family relations; adjusting to family changes. DFH ch. 9 (M&H 13,14)
5. Interpersonal relationships.   Friendships & dating.   Abstinence from sex.   Harmful relationships and their avoidance. (M&H 15-17)
6. Marriage and parenthood.   Other interpersonal relationships. (M&H 18)
   
   CONFLICT RESOLUTION & AVERTING VIOLENCE
7. Avoiding conflicts and violence. DFH ch. 10 (M&H 63-65)
   Bullying; conflict resolution. (M&H 5)
8. Sexual harrasment and its prevention.   Rape prevention and protection. (M&H 66)
9. Avoiding gangs. (M&H 67-68)
   
   PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
   (These topics may be deferred to 8th grade)
10. CONSUMER HEALTH: Being a wise consumer.   Financial health and resource management. (M&H 50,51)
11. COMMUNITY & PUBLIC HEALTH (M&H 53-55)
12. ECOLOGICAL (ENVIRONMENTAL) HEALTH:   Pollution. (M&H 56-58)
13. Conservation. (M&H 59,60)

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REFERENCE

• Massachusetts Comprehensive Curriculum Framework: Health Education.

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