Grade 6 Health Course
Welcome to the semester-long Health course, a holistic program which aims to give students accurate information in the areas of Physical, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, as well as develop the skills they need to make healthy and safe choices for the rest of their lives.
The course includes the following units:
In Unit 1, students reflect on their own social, emotional and mental health and understand that all of these areas of health are interconnected. Self-esteem, body-image, the importance of values, managing stress, coping with difficulties, respecting individual differences, and bullying will be our areas of focus.
In Unit 2, students learn about the importance of having a balanced diet. They discover what the various nutrients, vitamins and minerals do for our bodies, and learn how to read nutritional labels on food packaging. An important life skill! Students will find out the health impacts of high-sugar diets and see for themselves how much sugar is in various drinks.
Unit 3 tackles the topic of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, however, the focus is on the first two common drugs. Students will engage in various hands-on activities to see and feel for themselves the negative health impact of smoking on your lungs. Students will watch various anti-smoking commercials and analyse how the media uses marketing to target youth. They will also learn about how alcohol affects brain development in teenagers.
Unit 4 is the topic that typically has the highest student engagement! The focus of Unit 4 is on the social, emotional and physical changes that teenagers can expect as they navigate the awkward years of puberty. Students will talk about different kinds of relationships in their lives, identify gender stereotypes and how they can limit people, as well as learn about the human reproductive system.