Course Content:

Students will have health for one trimester each year. If you would like to see a copy of the Healthy Family Living curriculum , you may contact the office at (708)246-3210 and ask for a copy. To get a general idea of what is studied in Healthy Family Living, you may ask your son or daughter, or simply take a look at the textbook. These are the major units of study:

• Personal Health
• Mental/Emotional/Intellectual and Social Health
• Physical Development, Structure and Function of the Human Body
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Prevention and Treatment of Illness and Disease
• Nutrition
• Consumer Education and Community Health
• Safety and First Aid

A few of the major assignments they may complete in fifth grade are a poster for personal health care, a drawing and oral presentation of a specific body system, an initial that tells about self-concept, a medicine label activity, and a food pyramid poster.

Major assignments in sixth grade may include a self-esteem silhouette, a problem-solving project using Inspiration software, a food labeling activity, a disease poster project using computer technology, and a drug safety pledge and prevention poster.

Major assignments in eighth grade may include a self-concept collage, a self evaluation of eating habits, a stress inventory, a responsible choices role-playing project, a group video of refusal skills, and CPR certification on adult, child, and infants.

If there is homework, it will be posted on STI, as well as written on the board in my room. If there is nothing listed, there is no homework.

Materials Needed for Class:

• Textbook (Health and Wellness) by Macmillan McGraw-Hill
• Pen or Pencil
• Notebook Paper or Spiral
• Notes Previously Taken
• 2 Pocket Folder
• Assignment (if given)
  
  

Grading Procedures:

Students are graded on a total point system. Projects, tests and quizzes are worth more points than homework assignments. All assignments and tests are graded based on the school grading scale, which is listed below:

• A+ = 98-110%
• A = 95-97%
• A- = 92-94%
• B+ = 89-91%
• B = 86-88%
• B- = 83-85%
• C+ = 80-82%
• C = 77-79%
• C- = 74-76%
• D+ = 71-73%
• D = 68-70%
• D- = 65-67%
• F = 64% and below

Classes will consist of various types of learning possibilities (including lecture with notes, group work, individual projects, oral presentations, problem-solving exercises, vocabulary worksheets, role-playing, video projects, etc.)

Students will not always receive daily homework assignments in health. It is likely that there will be an average of one to two homework assignments per week. However, if a students did not complete an assignment in class, he/she will be allowed to take it home to complete it. One letter grade will be deducted for each day that an assignment/project is late. Students are given the opportunity to earn extra credit in several different ways during the quarter, including bringing articles for the HEALTH NEWS BULLETIN BOARD, various review worksheets and extra credit questions on the tests.

If a student misses class, it is his/her responsibility to see me to get the make-up work. If it is because of Band or Connections, the student must see me before the end of that same day in case there is necessary homework or a test scheduled for the next day. If a students is absent from school, he/she should see me the day that he/she returns to check on what was missed while absent. If necessary, I will allow extra time to complete the make-up work, if the student discusses this with me prior to when it is due.

Classroom Expectations:

Students are expected to be on time, be prepared for class with necessary assignments and materials, and be respectful to others and their property.

If any of these expectations are not met, I use the "three strike" method before assigning consequences. Whe these expectations are not met, I have a clipboard on my desk that is used to record names and dates. The first two notations are simply warnings. However, the third time a students is late to class, unprepared, or missing and assignment, he/she will receive a detention, and possibly a call home. Also, if a student is talking or inappropriate in class, he/she wil receive two warnings, and then will be sent out of the room to the office with a Behavior Referral/Detention form. If a student is disrespectful, verbally or physically threatening to others, or uses obscenties to another students or adult, he/she will be sent immediately to the office with a Conduct Referral.

In addition, if a student is missing an assignment or project, I will ask the student to write a note explaining what he/she is missing and include the date and his/her signature. I will keep these notes in a folder, so that if there is any misunderstanding about what is missing at a later date, it can be looked up and explained. I may ask this student to come in at recreation or after school to complete the work. Failure to come will receive a detention for non-compliance to a teacher request.

*A Note About Me

This is my 28th year in the Pleasantdale school district. I have a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, and a Master of Science in Health Education. I have taught both physical education and health (sometimes both in the same year). For the last several years, I have been teaching health only. I have written in several professional journals, written a chapter in a college health text on teaching methods, and also written the teachers edition of Current Health Magazine (Weekly Reader Publications). I really enjoy teaching health education because of the relevance of the subject matter to adolescents. I also, have been co-coordinator of Peer Leadership for over fourteen years. I am married and have two living children. One, a son, has graduated from college and is now working in advertising. The other is a daughter who is a senior in college, and will begin her doctorate in Clinical Psychology next year.