Mission Statement

Health Education

The purpose of health education is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve and maintain personal wellness. Through a comprehensive health curriculum students are encouraged to take ownership of their lives by learning to set goals and make positive decisions.

The professional staff of the Mahopac Central School District believes that health education is a vital component of the core curriculum at each grade level. We recognize the direct correlation between student health and academic achievement. We realize that personal achievement in any aspect of a student’s life is contingent upon his/her ability to maintain physical, social and emotional well being. Our ultimate goal is to empower students with the necessary health information and skills needed as they pursue academic success, personal fulfillment and community involvement.

CURRICULUM GOALS

  • Students will develop the ability to think independently and make positive health choices based on current/factual health information.
  • Students will develop a positive self-concept.
  • Students will develop a sense of empowerment with regard to their personal and community well-being.
  • Students will develop an understanding of health influences.

Theme One:

Introduction To Health

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will gain a respect for the interconnectedness of the many aspects of health.
  • Students will understand the relationship between lifestyle and quality of life.
  • Students will be aware of the importance of making positive health choices in order to achieve happiness and success.
  • Students will know how to access health information and services in order to achieve and maintain wellness.

Content

  • Definition of health (multidimensional)
  • Health influences
  • Values clarification
  • Decision-making
  • Community resources for health information and services

Activities and Assessments

  • Health Symbol and Influence Worksheet
  • “Why You Are The Way You Are” self-exploration paper
  • “Turning Negative Health Behaviors into Positive Health Behaviors”- self awareness paper
  • “Victory Party” –decision making activity
  • Self-Assessments: Myers Briggs, National Wellness Institute
  • Finding resources in the community

Theme Two-

Mental and Emotional Development

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will identify mental health characteristics.
  • Students will develop a positive self-concept.
  • Students will identify signs of stress.
  • Students will identify and demonstrate healthy coping strategies.
  • Students will recognize signs of declining mental health.
  • Students will identify options for recovery from mental illness.
  • Students will differentiate between healthful and abusive relationships.

Content

  • Components of mental health
  • Warning signs of declining mental health
  • Self-concept development and expression
  • Definition of stress (positive and negative)
  • Signs of stress
  • Effective coping strategies for stress management
  • Effects of chronic stress on health
  • Characteristics of healthy vs. abusive relationships
  • Effective communication skills
  • Mental illness treatment and recovery options
  • School and community resources for mental health information and services

Activities and Assessments

  • “My Strengths”-self assessment
  • “I love myself because…” “Myself” (poem)
  • Mental health worksheet
  • Stress self-assessment
  • Stress and stress management worksheet
  • Yoga, visualization exercise
  • American Heart Association-stress reduction techniques
  • Suicide-warning signs, facts and prevention
  • Guest Speaker: Sexual harassment/abuse

Theme Three-

Nutrition and Fitness

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will understand the guidelines for healthy eating.
  • Students will understand the components of physical fitness.
  • Students will gain an understanding of the signs and symptoms of disordered eating.

Content

  • Nutrients
  • Food pyramid, multi-cultural
  • Food labels
  • Aerobic, strength, flexibility and body composition
  • Body Image
  • Healthy weight management and fad diets
  • Disordered eating

Activities and Assessments

  • Nutrition and fitness self-assessments
  • Nutrient classification
  • Portion sizes
  • Dietary Guidelines
  • Eating healthy for high school students
  • Facts and Myths of dieting
  • Basal Metabolic Rate
  • Fitness Myths
  • Video: Disordered Eating

Theme Four-

Substance Abuse Awareness and Prevention

New York State Standards

  1. Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  1. Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  1. Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will know the physiological and psychological effects of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
  • Students will differentiate between the healthy use, misuse and abuse of legal and illegal drugs.
  • Students will demonstrate assertiveness skills to avoid or remove one's self from drug-involved situations.
  • Students will know how to access professional help for substance abuse problems for oneself and others.

Content

  • Define dependency and codependency
  • Distinguish between over-the-counter prescription, brand name and generic drugs, differentiating between legal and illegal use
  • Differentiation between use, misuse and abuse of drugs
  • Media influences on drug use
  • Awareness of drug interaction
  • Modes of administration of drugs
  • Tobacco: smoke or smokeless, contents of cigarettes
  • Diseases associated with long and short-term tobacco use
  • Alcohol as a depressant drug
  • Differences in alcohol content (proof)
  • Definition of BAC and its effects on the body (factors of absorption)
  • Drunk Driving
  • Definition and treatment of alcoholism
  • Facts and myths of illegal drugs
  • Financial effects of drug abuse
  • Community treatment and resource options

Activities and Assessments

  • Putnam County Resource Officer
  • Intoxication simulation
  • Fact and myths worksheets
  • Handouts: Recipe for a cigarette, etc.
  • Attend an open AA or NA meeting
  • “You Be The Judge” opinions about alcohol behavior
  • Alcohol crossword puzzle
  • “28 Days” (movie and discussion)
  • Website Resource Analysis
  • Video: Faces of Addiction"

Theme Five-

Communicable & Non-Communicable Diseases

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will be able to distinguish between communicable and non-communicable diseases.
  • Students will understand the relationship between the major health influences: lifestyle, environment and genetics on non-communicable diseases.
  • Students will develop an awareness of the signs, symptoms of commonly recognized diseases.
  • Students will understand the preventative measures and treatment options for commonly recognized diseases.

Content

  • Characteristics of communicable and non-communicable diseases
  • Examples of commonly recognizable diseases
  • Effects of heredity, lifestyle and environment on non-communicable diseases
  • Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes (risk factors, treatments and resources)
  • Types of pathogens and the diseases they cause
  • Lymes Disease
  • Understanding of global health concerns
  • The Body’s response to pathogens
  • Community resources for the prevention, and treatment of diseases

Activities and Assessments

  • World Health Organization and Global Health Concerns
  • Video: American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association
  • Warning signs of cancer worksheet
  • Encarta “Dividing Bacteria”
  • “Boy in the Plastic Bubble” (movie and discussion)
  • Lymes Disease Guest Speaker

Theme Six-

Human Sexuality and Family Life

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will gain an understanding of gender specific reproductive anatomy and physiology, inclusive of pregnancy and childbirth.
  • Students will appreciate that sexuality is an important part of an individual.
  • Students will appreciate the dynamics of all types of human relationships, including parenting across the lifespan.
  • Students will understand the impact of their sexual decisions on their health, both long and short term.

Content

  • Definition of sexuality versus sex
  • Biological male and female
  • Dating Sequence
  • Development of Relationships
  • Physiology of reproduction
  • Conception, fetal development and birth
  • Child Development
  • Parenting across the lifespan
  • Abstinence & Contraception
  • Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS
  • Community resources for sexual health and relationship development

Activities and Assessments

  • Refusal/assertiveness skill cards for abstinence
  • Video: “Whenever you sleep with someone” “Tough Roads Ahead”
  • Worksheets: Anatomy and Physiology male and female
  • Guest Speakers: Birth Educator, Putnam Department of Health
  • Role Plays: “Sexual Pressure”
  • Facts and Myths
  • “Teenage Lament” (poem and discussion questions)
  • “Student to Student Guide to Sexual Health and Relationship Support” project

Theme Seven-

First Aid and Community Safety

New York State Standards

  • Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health.
  • Students will acquire the knowledge and ability to create and maintain a healthy environment.
  • Students will understand and be able to manage their personal & community resources.

Goals and Objectives

  • Students will gain an awareness of safety and injury prevention.
  • Students will demonstrate various first aid techniques.

Content

  • Rescue breathing and CPR
  • Bleeding, burns, shock, poisoning, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and hypothermia
  • Outdoor Safety (wilderness, boating, etc.)
  • Community resources for personal safety

Activities and Assessments

  • Guest Speakers: Coast Guard Auxiliary, Appalachian Mountain Club
  • Role Play: accident scenarios
  • Demonstrations
  • Survival Game
  • “Student to Student” Guide to Personal Safety Community Resources

1