HEALTH -- COURSE SYLLABUS

Saint Mary's College High School

Fall, 2008 - Spring, 2009

Ms. Carla Harkness Voice Mail: (510) 559-6247

E-mail:

. The objective of the Health Education Program is to introduce the principles of holistic health through nutrition, aerobic fitness, and mental, social, spiritual, and emotional wellness. The course includes discussion of values, peer pressure and decision-making, and education about HIV, AIDS, other STDs, First Aid and CPR, mental and emotional health (including self- esteem, eating disorders, stress and anger management, date rape, and domestic violence and family issues), and the effects of all drugs, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, ecstasy, the opiates, methamphetamines, cocaine, and other harmful substances..

Students will take one semester of Health and one semester of Physical Education during the school year. If the student satisfactorily fulfills course requirements, ten units will be earned, five for Health and five for Physical Education.

HEALTH EDUCATION GOALS

  • Raise awareness of, and inspire a lifelong commitment to, all facets of one's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
  • Focus on informed decision-making, based on the student's values, and continued development of critical thinking skills, using accurate information.
  • Examine and enhance student's self-image and esteem.
  • Help each student set goals for improving and maximizing his or her health.
  • Demonstrate the connection of all components of health.

METHODS AND EXPECTATIONS

Instructional methods will include lecture and question and answer, class discussion, small group work, kinesthetic and “hands-on” activities, correspondence with students through their journals, guest speakers, individual and group health projects, and written exams covering course material for each unit. Audio and visual materials, including DVDs, slides, hand-outs and pictures, appropriate to the health curriculum, will be utilized.

We have high expectations for both academic achievement and appropriate classroom behavior for out students. An effective learning environment is created through mutual cooperation and respect. In that spirit, students are expected to:

  • Come to class with any required materials and be ready to work.
  • Complete all assignments on time.
  • Write or type assignments neatly, using complete sentences and correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

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BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

  • Treat the teacher and classmates with respect at all times.
  • Put-downs, profanity, prejudicial comments, or other types of verbal degradation will

not be tolerated.

  • Respect for the ritual of daily prayer is expected.
  • Raise your hand when you wish to speak.
  • Do not interrupt someone else when they're speaking.
  • Leave food, gum, drinks, pagers, I-pods, cell phones and CD players in backpacks.
  • Respect our classroom environment. Do not write on desks, chairs, walls, or posted materials.

Students who disrupt class in any of these ways will be warned first. Subsequent disruptions will result in a teacher-student after-school meeting, followed by a phone call to parents, a family conference, and finally referral to the Dean of Students if needed.

SYLLABUS:

In the course of the semester, the following units will be studied: Fall Semester:

Holistic Health and Wellness, Nutrition

Cardiovascular health, aerobic fitness, sports injuries, sleep, dreams

Mental Health: self-esteem, time management, stress reduction, eating disorders, addictions, depression, neuroses, psychoses, suicide prevention, resiliency

Emotional Health: media, peer, family, and social pressures, domestic violence, anger management; coping with divorce/blended families; finding emotional support, defining personal values, and critical thinking/decision-making skills

First Aid/CPR

Human Reproduction, HIV/AIDS, other STDs.

Drugs: Prescription, over the counter, controlled, and illegal substances

Tobacco and smoking related diseases

Alcohol: cultural traditions, abuse, binge drinking, alcoholism, DUI.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Health text (softcover) (McGraw Hill/Praxis):

Separate spiral notebook with pockets for journal writing, note taking, and handouts

Pen and pencil

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WRITING, HOMEWORK, PROJECTS, EXAMS:

  • Journal writing on assigned topics , four times weekly.
  • Homework is assigned nearly every class related to the unit studied, such as bringing in ads or pictures, planning a family activity, or researching or writing on a specific health issue.
  • Two research projects, either written or presented to the class, on a student-selected health topic: an individual “Health News” and, time permitting, a group project.
  • An exam after each unit, consisting of short answer and essay questions.

GRADING:

The student's Health grade is determined by points earned for journals, homework assignments, written tests, and individual and group projects. Grades are calculated by the percentage of points earned out of total points possible:

90-100% - A

80-89% - B

70-79% - C

60-69% - D

Below 60%- F

LATE WORK POLICY: Students are expected to turn assigned work and projects ON TIME. Late work due to excused absences will be accepted for full credit within two days of returning to school. Other late work may be turned in one day late for half credit. After that, no credit will be given. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for any missed assignments and make up this work. Homework and other assignments will be written on classroom boards, and posted on the teacher’s web page on the school website, for those who are absent or need a reminder. Students are expected to write out all assignments in class; late work will not be excused if the school’s website is not operating or the student’s server is “down”.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

I heartily encourage involvement of parents and other relatives. I hope this course will enhance communication within your family--that students will share information learned in Health class with their parents, and that parents will ask about what we're studying in school. Let me know if a parent or relative might share their health expertise or resources with me or visit our class as a guest speaker.

------STUDENT/PARENT or GUARDIAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

______and ______have read the

Student Parent/Guardian

We have read the Saint Mary’s College High School Health course syllabus

and understand the course content, expectations, and grading standards.

Signed on ______(date)

______

Student Parent

Please cut on the dotted line, sign and return by: Wednesday, August 20. Thanks.

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