Waltham Public Schools

WHS Grade 9 Health Curriculum Guide
This required course is an introduction to health and wellness. This is a semester based course that will be paired with Freshman Personal Fitness and Wellness. Topics include 1. Health and Wellness (including stress management, decision making, goal setting), 2. The Human Body Systems as they relate to health and fitness 3. Nutrition and the Digestive System 4. Disease Prevention 5. Refusal Skills/Addiction, 6. Substance Abuse Prevention (including tobacco, e-cigarettes, vape, opiates, marijuana, prescription drugs, alcohol), 7. Healthy Relationships/Violence Prevention 8. Reproductive and Sexual Health, 9. Mental and Emotional Health (including stress, anxiety, depression and suicide). The following SEL core competancies will be weaved into the learning throughout this semester course: Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one's emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one's strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism. Self-management: The ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals. Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the wellbeing of self and others. Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed. Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Unit	Timeframe	Big Ideas (Statements or Essential Questions)	Major Learning Experiences from Unit
Health and Wellness	2 lessons	5 dimensions of health and wellness Decision making goal setting Self Esteem Stress and Stress Management	Students will be able to identify and understand what wellness is, how to make an informed decision and how to set goals. Students will be able to appy stress management techniques to reduce stress.
Human Body Systems	6-10 lessons	Structure, function and homeostasis of: Skeletal, muscular, nervous,cardiopulmonary, integumentary systems.	students will be able to describe how our human body systems work together to maintain homeostasis
Nutrition and Fitness	4-6 lessons	Nutrition/Fitness and the Digestive System Overview of the digestive system Components of nutrition and fitness Develop a nutrition and fitness plan	Students will be able to utilize their learning to form a nutrition and fitness plan that is designed for their lives
Refusal skills/addiction	4-6 lessons	Refusal Skills, Addiction and treatment Tobacco, Alcohol and experimentation How to resist the pressure	Students will practice refusal skills in order to be able to transfer these skills to their daily lives
Substance Abuse Prevention	4-6 lessons	Tobacco, e-cigarettes, vape, opiates, marijuana, prescription drugs Tobacco, Alcohol and over the counter drugs Marijuana Risks and prevention Other drugs including opiates, hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants	Students will be able to identify risk factors of using substances and know how to get help for themselves and others
Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships	4-6 lessons	Healthy Relationships/Violence Prevention (including bullying, harassment and dating violence), Bullying and Cyberbullying Sexual Harassment Dating Violence Building Healthy Relationships	Students will be able to identify what a healthy relationship is and how to get help if a relationship becomes unhealthy. Students will be able to identify the types of abuse in abusive relationships. Students will able to demonstrate how to support students who are victims of abusive relationships. Students will be ablet to compare/contrast unhealthy and healthy relationships. Students will able to effectively communicate consent, and physical boundaries. Students will be able to create a plan to get out of an unhealthy relationship.
Reproductive and Sexual Health	6 lessons	Male,Female Intersex Reproductive Systems Taking Care of your Sexual Health Understanding Sexuality, Understanding gender identity and expression,	Students will be able to use gender inclusive langugage and understand gender identity, gender expression. Students will be able to understand how to take care of their sexual health. Students will recognize the signs of puberty and the cognitive, social, physical and emotional changes associated with signs of puberty. Analyze how peers, medial, self-esteem, and family can influence self-esteem.
Disease Prevention	6 lessons	Overview of the immune system, diseases, disorders, lifestyle diseases, infectious diseases, risk taking and prevention Abstinence, sexual health, preventing chronic illness HIV, STI, pregnancy facts and prevention	Students will be able to identify risk factors and understand the steps needed to prevent STI's HIV, pregnancy, lifestyle and infections diseases. Students will Students will know how and when to seek help for infectious diseases. Students will be able to compare and contrast the different contraceptives available. Students will be able to understand the milestones and strides made in treatments available to those with an STI. Identify risk factors associated with an unplanned pregnancy.
Mental Health	6-10 lessons	Mental and Emotional Health (including stress, anxiety, depression and suicide). Suicide Prevention Getting Help Responding to emotions in a healthy way Conflict resolution	Students will be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide, depression, anxiety and get appropriate help for themselves or a loved one.

Time Frame	Big Ideas	Major Learning Experience
3 weeks	Dimensions of Health/Wellness & Organization of the Human Body	The dimensions of wellness (physical, social, emotional, mental/intellectual, spiritual, environmental, finanical, and occupational). The difference between acute/infectious/communicable and lifestyle/noncommunicable diseases as well as types of germs. Levels of organization (atom-->organism), organ donation/tissue engineering, anatomical position, directional terms, planes and sections of the body, body cavities, and major regions of the body. Homeostasis and types of medical imaging.
3-4 weeks	Integumentary System	Integumentary System: Structure of the skin, accessory structures, and disorders of the skin (wounds, burns, disorders, and diseases). How the integumentary system maintains homeostasis. Types of skin cancer, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of and sun safety. Other diseases including impetigo, acne, alopecia, rosacea, psoriaris, etc. Related medical professions: dermatology, plastic surgery, oncology, etc. LAB: Skin damage from the sun
3-4 weeks	Skeletal System	Skeletal System: Function and structure (axial/appendicular) of the skeletal system including the major bones. Bone formation, growth, and remodeling (importance of calcium intake). Types of joints and joint movement. Bone fractures and other skeletal diseases: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, scoliosis, kyphosis etc. Related medical professions: orthopedic, physical therapy, Chiropractor, etc. LAB: Importance of calcium abrsorption
4-5 weeks	Muscular & Nervous Systems	Muscular System: Functions and types of muscles (skeletal, smooth, & cardiac --> naming and grouping of each type). Atrophy, hypertrophy,slow-twitch, fast-twich, and other related vocabulary. Anatomy of a muscle fiber. Benefits of exercise/physical activity Muscular System Diseases: Muscular dystropy, Muscular Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Fibromyalgia, etc Related medical professions: physical therapist, occupational therapist, athletic trainer, etc. LAB: Strengh, endurance, and flexibility * Nervous System: Functions, divisions, and structure of the nervous system (nerve impulses, types of neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters, function of spinal cord, reflexes) Effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain Major divisions in the brain (central and peripheral) Nervous System Disesaes: Spinal cord injuries, Paralysis, Alzheimer's, Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis, etc. Related medical professions: Neurologist, etc. LAB: What the brain looks like from drug/alcohol use
3-4 weeks	Respiratory System	Respiratory System: Structure and function (organs and accessory organs) Learn the path of oxygen through the respiratory system, from the air to the blood and tissues Learn the path of carbon dioxide through the respiratory system, from the tissues and blood to the air Diseases: Asthma, COPD, Lung cancer, Chronic bronchitis, Emphysema, Cystic Fibrosis, etc. Related medical professions: Respiratory Therapist, Pumonoligist, etc. LAB: Healthy vs unhealthy lung
3 weeks	Cardiovascular/Circulatory System	Cardiovascular System: Anatomy of the heart (atria, ventricles, valves, path of blood, types of circulation etc.) Diseases: Atherosclerosis, Ischemic Heart Disease, Angina, Heart Attack, Stroke, CHF, Aneurysm , prevention of heart disease. Procedures: Stent, Angioplasty, Bypass Surgery Related Medical Professions: Cardiologist, Cardiovascular Surgeon etc. LAB: Heart Rate/Pulse & Blood Pressure
4-5 weeks	Digestive System	Digestive System: Structure and function of the digestive system (major organs) Diseases: IBS, IBD, Lactose Intolerance, Dairy Allergy, Constipation, Diarrhea, Celiac, Crohn's Disease, Eating Disorders, Ulcerative Colitis, etc. Major Nutrients (Carbs, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, & Water), Lifestyle Disesaes related to Nutrition, USDA, MyPlate, Harvard Healthy Eating Plate Related Medical Professions: Gastroenterology, Nutritionist, etc. LAB: Healthy meal/snack preparation
3-4 weeks	Urinary/Excretory System	Urinary/Excretory System: Structure and major parts (kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra) Importance of staying hydrated. Waste products filtered out of the body through urine. Fluid balance and electrolytes (water& sodium- dehydration and hyponatremia) Diseases: UTIs, kidney infections, bladder infections, enlarged prostate, kidney stones, etc. Related medical professions: Urology, Nephrology, etc. LAB: Hydration importance
2 weeks	Immune/Lymphatic System	Immune/Lymphatic System: leukocytes, phagocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophil, antibodies, T cells, antigen, immunity including innate, adaptive, and passive immunity. Importance of washing hands, sleep, nutrition, and exercise/physical activity. Diseases: Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, Type 1 Diabetes, etc. Related Medical Professions: Immunologists, Physicians/Pediatricians, etc. LAB: Hand washing correclty
2 weeks	Endocrine/Hormonal System	Endocrine System: Structure and function (hormones, metabolism, hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries, and testes, etc. Use caution/check with a doctor before taking any supplements or herbal treatments. Importance of nutrition, exercise/physical activity, sleep, regular medical check-ups, and family history Related Medical Professions: Endocrinologists, chemists, biologists, researchers, scientists, etc. LAB: Identify abnormal symptons of human body (thirsty but drinking a lot of water, peeing a lot, gaining/losing weight, night sweats, very tired, etc.) that could lead to an endocrine panel
3 weeks	Reproductive Systems	Reproductive & Sexual Health: Male and female reproductive systems (structure & function of each). Difference between biological sex and gender. Birth control methods, Conception to birth. Labor & delivery, birth defects. Diseases:STIs/STDs, Infertility, Endometriosis, PCOS, etc. Related Medical Professions: OB, GYN, OBGYN, Fertility Specialists LAB: Go over how someone would perform a breast or tescticular exam at home
2weeks	Final Project/Wrap-Up	Final Project: Children's Books Health insurance, preventative healthcare (primary health care check-ups) Pursuing a career in healthcare (research / "day in the life").

Health

Grade 9

Advanced Health