Healthy Living 7 th and 8 th Grade Mrs. Gail Hannigan Mr. Markos Tsagas

Healthy Living “Students will learn to make healthy choices and develop an understanding of how their decisions impact their physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.”

Program Overview  Substance Abuse Prevention  Refusal Skills  Sexuality Education  Stress Management  Communication Skills  Keeping the Conversation Going…

Class Discussion Rules  Listen before you form an opinion  Recognize the difference between fact and opinion  Wait for your turn  Remember that no one’s opinion is right or wrong  You do not have to speak; you may “pass”  DO NOT USE PROPER NAMES DURING DISCUSSIONS  No put-downs!  We have a right to change our opinions

Health Education Competencies  1. Core concepts -accurate complete facts related to health  2. Accessing information - knowing where to get valid health information, products and services  3. Self management - practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks  4. Analyzing influences - thinking about the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors  5. Interpersonal communication - use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health  6. Decision making - use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health  7. Advocacy - stand up for, act on health-enhancing choices

Competence Grid

ASSET Survey  Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of healthy development - known as Developmental ASSETS – that help young children grow up healthy, caring, and responsible

External ASSETs  Support  Family support, positive family communication, support from other adults, caring neighborhood, caring school climate, parent involvement in school  Empowerment  Community values, youth as resources, services to others, safety  Boundaries and Expectations  Family boundaries, school boundaries, neighborhood boundaries, adult role models, positive peer influence, high expectations  Constructive Use of Time  Creative activities, youth programs, religious community, unstructured time at home

Internal ASSETs  Commitment to Learning  Achievement motivation, school engagement, homework, bonding to school, reading for pleasure  Positive Values  Caring, equality and social justice, integrity, honesty, responsibility, restraint  Social Competencies  Planning and decision making, interpersonal competence, cultural competence, resistance skills, peaceful conflict resolution  Positive Identity  Personal power, high self-esteem, sense of purpose, positive view of personal future

Seventh Grade Drug Research Project  Goal: Know not only what different drugs do, but why to choose NOT to abuse!  Students randomly assigned one of fifteen types of drugs to research and share information with classmates in informal presentation.  Research done in class using books, clipped articles, and internet sites.  Unsupervised research prohibited!

Peer Pressure Refusal Skills / Techniques  Make a Joke  Give a Reason Why It’s A Bad Idea  Make an Excuse  Just Say No  Suggest an Alternative  Ignore the Suggestion  Repeat Yourself  Leave the Situation  Thanks, but no Thanks  The Power of Numbers

Alcohol Statistics  More than 40 percent of those who start drinking at age 15 or younger develop alcohol abuse or dependence  24.5% of those who start drinking at age 17 or younger develop alcohol dependence  10% of those who start drinking at age 21 or older develop alcohol dependence

Alcohol Statistics  In 2009, 51.9% of Americans age 12 and older had used alcohol at least once in the previous 30 days of a survey  A 2010 survey found that; 13.8% of 8 th graders, 28.9% of 10 th graders, and 41.2% of 12 th graders had consumed some sort of alcohol within 30 days of being surveyed  Accordingly; 5.0% of 8 th graders, 14.7% of 10 th graders, and 26.8% of 12 th graders admitted to being drunk within those 30 days

Marijuana Statistics  In 2009, 28.5 million Americans age 12 and older had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed  A 2010 survey showed that; 13.7% if 8 th graders, 27.5% of 10 th graders, and 34.8% of 12 th graders had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed

8 th Grade Sexual Health  Biology, terminology (no slang used)  STIs  School nurses co-teach a class; opportunities to have anonymous questions answered  Sexual harassment and assault speakers  Healthy / unhealthy relationships-speaker  DVCC

Teen Statistics  By the time young people graduate high school, almost 2/3 have had sex  Nearly 40% of sexually active students did not use a condom the last time they had sex, and 1 in 5 drank alcohol or took drugs before their last sexual intercourse  Approximately 18% of all new HIV diagnoses are among young people aged  Teens and young adults have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any age group  3 in 10 young women become pregnant before they reach the age of 20

What Role Do Schools Play?  Schools have direct contact with more than 56 million students for at least 6 hours a day and for 13 critical years of their social, physical, and intellectual development  The school environment is a key setting in which students’ behaviors and ideas are shaped  Just as schools are critical in preparing students academically and socially, they are also vital partners in helping young people take responsibility for their health and adopt health- enhancing attitudes and behaviors that can last a lifetime

According to the CDC…  Research shows that well-designed, well- implemented school based HIV / STD prevention programs can significantly reduce sexual risk behaviors among students  A study found that health education programs resulted in delay in first sexual intercourse, a decrease in the number of sex partners, and an increase in condom or contraceptive use

Stress Management  Restorative Yoga  Setting realistic and achievable goals  Time Management  Deep Breathing  Spending time with someone who makes you feel comfortable  Avoiding Caffeine and Nicotine and sugary foods  Eat Regular Balanced Meals  Regular exercise  Use of available resources  Have fun

Healthy Communication Skills  Active listening  Brainstorming  Nonverbal communication  Plan time to talk  Begin with an agreement  Use “and” not “but”  Use “I” statements  Avoid “why” questions

Suggestions for keeping the conversations going at home…  “ Eating as a family for at least a few meals a week has been linked to healthier meal choices, fewer cases of substance abuse among teens, and kids with a better sense of well-being.”  Help your children develop as many ASSETS as possible….a caring relationship with family and nonparent adults, boundaries, adult role models, and positive peer role models.  Set clear boundaries with clear rules and consequences and monitor your child's whereabouts. Tell them clearly what your thoughts and expectations about drugs and sex are and then model the behaviors for them.