Health
GRADE SEVEN | GRADE EIGHT
The health curriculum is designed to inform seventh and eighth grade students about themselves and their world. The objective of the curriculum is to enable students to make choices that will keep them healthy and safe.
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Grade Seven
Students in grade seven are introduced to health education by studying the meanings of health and wellness. Students study physical fitness, learn about the functions of the heart and lungs, the measurement of pulse rates and the benefits of exercise and cardiovascular fitness. In the unit on nutrition, seventh graders study nutrients, the food pyramid, and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Students also learn about eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia and obesity. In this context, they are taught about the importance of a proper diet, the dangers inherent in excessive dieting and the serious medical consequences of eating disorders.
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Grade Eight
The eighth grade curriculum begins with a unit on tobacco. Students learn about why people smoke, the consequence of tobacco use on the various parts of the body, the effects of second hand smoke and the rights of non-smokers. Students then study stress: sources of stress, behavioral and biological consequences of stress, and stress management. The final unit focuses on skin cancer. Students learn about the different forms of skin cancer and discuss means of prevention. Throughout the year, the school presents relevant films and speakers who engage the students in connection with the topics addressed in the curriculum.
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