• Middle School Health Education

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Michelle Fenwick

Office Location: MSSC 114

Office Phone: (618) 798-5112

E-mail: mfenwick@madison.k12.il.us

Office Hours: M-F 7:45-8:30am, 2:30-2:45pm

Texts: Life Planning Education: a Youth Development Program; Health Teacher Online Curriculum; Your Body and How it Works

Course Description: The ability to make sound health decisions is as important as any ability we possess.   Your generation is the first generation expected to have a shorter life than that of their parents.  Health Education will inform you of the behaviors and habits which lead to poor health and early death, as well as the behavior and habits which lead to good health and extended life.  This class will provide opportunities to practice decision making skills, positive health choices, and refusal skills. It will also provide a map of the Human Body and ways to take care of it.

Course Philosophy: Health Education is not MY course.  It is OUR course.  Learning works best when we work together.  You will help to shape this course.  Much of our work will be done in groups.  Working in groups helps give the class a sense of community.  Even when working individually, we will share our work with our classmates.  Whatever your reason for taking this class, you will get the most out of it if you have a strong stake in it.  Education requires work, but it should also be fun. 

GROUND RULES: This course is designed to have you involved in discussions of personal and sometimes sensitive topics.   The ground rules for this class follow:

• CONFIDENTIALITY: What we share in this group will remain in this group.
• OPENNESS: It is important to be open and honest but not to disclose others’ personal/private lives.  Discuss general situations as examples, but do not use names or identifying descriptions.
• NON-JUDGEMENTAL APPROACH: It is ok to disagree with another person’s point of view but not to judge or put down another person.
• “I” STATEMENTS: It is preferable to share feelings and values using sentences that begin with “I”, as opposed to “you”.
• RIGHT TO PASS: This class encourages participation, but it is ok to pass on answering a question.
• THERE ARE NO DUMB QUESITONS: Any question you have is worth asking, someone else probably has the same question!  The QUESTION BOX is always available for anonymous questions.
• MAKE NO ASSUMPTIONS: It is important not to make assumptions about group members’ values, sexual behavior, life experiences, or feelings.

As your teacher, I assume that:

• Young people can make good choices and decisions if they have complete information, attitudes, and skills.
• Young people need opportunities to gain the appropriate information, attitudes and skills.
• Adults who trust and believe in young people, and who are skilled in working with them, can help provide those opportunities.
• Experiential learning is an excellent way to learn

The Question Box

The Question Box will be located in the classroom and will be available at all times.  If you have a question but are too embarrassed to ask it out loud in front of the class, write the question down and I will answer it as soon as I have an answer for you.  I will address the question and the answer to the whole class unless you state on your paper to address you privately.  I will NOT say who asked the question or look directly at you when answering the question and your anonymity will be protected unless you decide to out yourself.

Learning Terminology

I recognize the fact that many people are not familiar with the medical or technical terms for human anatomy and functions of the body.  Please don’t hesitate to name a part of the body or a function whatever you normally call it.  I will at that time instruct you in the appropriate name for that part and we will then expect you to use the formal term. 

Disclosure of Serious Issues

I promise to maintain confidentiality of all students within this classroom.  I am a “safe” person to talk to about highly personal issues.  However, in some extreme cases, I am required to report serious issues to the appropriate and proper authorities.  In cases of physical or sexual abuse, state laws require me to report to DCFS according to our school policy.  In cases of other problems, such as serious depression, suicidal thoughts, or substance abuse, I will follow our program guidelines in order to provide the best care possible for you.  Referrals may be made to the school counselor or program director in order to assist you in caring for yourself.

Health Education Course Goals and Objectives:

Goals:

Students should

• Gain knowledge about their bodies,  prevention of communicable diseases,  drug use and abuse, nutrition and exercise, and other related topics.
• Explore attitudes and values about growing up, friendship and other subjects.
• Practice the skills of goal-setting, decision-making, negotiating, communication, managing stress, and others.

Course Objectives:

Chapter 1. Owner's Manual: Introduction

• Graphic Organizer: Body Organization
• Getting it All Together: An Activity
• Vocabulary Review
• A Closer Look at a Human Cell
• Questions
• Vocab Revie

Chapter 2. Body Organization: Working Together

• Questions
• A Factory and a Storehouse
• Questions
• The Thigh Bone's Connected to the...
• Questions
• Vocab Review
• What's In A Name?
• What's the Connection Here?
• Questions
• Vocab Review
• What Kind of Joint is This?
• Questions
• Vocab Review
• Graphic Organizer:The Skeletal System
• Things are Changing Around Here
• What's Your Problem?
• Vocab Review
• Who Are You and What Do You Do?

Chapter 3. Moving Along: The Muscular System

• Questions
• Vocab Review
• Do You Want To Or Not? Classifying Muscles
• Activity
• What Kind of Muscles are Those?
• Questions
• Vocab Review
• Holding it all Together
• Questions
• What Kind of Job Do You Have?
• Questions
• Vocab Review
• Which Way Are You Going?
• Questions
• What Class Are You In?
• Graphic Organizer: The Muscular System
• What's In A Name?
• What's Your Problem Now?
• Questions

Chapter 4. It's Time To Deliver: The Circulatory System

• Questions
• The Little Things You Do
• Questions
• Parts of the Circulatory System: Have a Heart
• Questions
• Activity
• Vocab Review
• Parts of the Circulatory System: Tubes and More Tubes
• Questions
• Parts of the Circulatory System: Blood is Thicker Than Water
• Questions
• What Type are You?
• Activity
• Which Way Should I Go?
• Graphic Organizer: The Path of  Your Blood
• There is So Much Pressure: Blood Pressure and Pulse

Chapter 5. Food For Thought: The Digestive System

• Questions
• We Want This To Be as Simiple as Possible
• Questions
• The Five Connected Parts of the Digestive System
• Activity
• Questions
• Distant Relatives: Organs that Help Digestive System
• Activity
• Questions
• Graphic Organizer: The Digestive System

Chapter 6. Like a Breath of Fresh Air: The Respiratory System

• Questions
• Who "Nose" What the Parts of This System Are?
• Questions
• What is Breathing?
• Questions
• Respiration: What is It?
• Questions
• A Graphic Organizer: The Respiratory System

Chapter 7. You Can't Keep It All: The Excretory System

• Questions and Review
• The Urinary System
• Questions
• What a Waste
• Kidney Failure
• Questions
• That's No Sweat
• Questions
• Graphic Organizer: The Excretory System

Chapter 8. Keeping It All Going: The Nervous System

• Questions
• Are Nerves Really Made of Steel?
• Activity
• She's a Real Brain
• Questions
• Ouch! That's Hot! Reflex Actions
• Activity
• Graphic Organizer: The Nervous System

Chapter 9. It Takes  A Long Time: The Endocrine System

• Questions
• A Graphic Organizer: The Endocrine System