Grade 1
A Healthy Body
A Sample Unit on Preventing Infections
Unit Introduction: A Healthy Body
Being sick is a reality in a child’s life. Yet sickness can
be quite mysterious to children and is often a source of worry
even when worrying is unwarranted. It is important for students
to learn how sickness may sometimes be prevented, how we can
control diseases, and how we can cope - or help others cope
- with sickness.
The strand A Healthy Body teaches students how nutrition,
physical activity, leisure and good hygiene practises constitute
proper body care, helping to prevent, fight or control diseases.
Activities within this strand, and integration with other
strands, help students develop an understanding of the roles
played by family, friends, members of the community and health
professionals in providing support and medical care to people
who are ill. Teaching these topics through the Decision-making
Process enables students to apply information in daily life,
and to take into account positive and negative pressures which
may affect the ways we take care of ourselves.
Grade Level Perspective
"Becoming Models of Wellness" is the grade 1 perspective.
Within this unit, students look at how their behaviour and
actions might serve as models for others to follow in order
to avoid the spread of germs and viruses. The three-level
Decision-making Process is used with that perspective in mind.
HIV/AIDS Education
This sample unit incorporates HIV/AIDS education, a required
part of the Elementary Health Education program. Parents have
the option to withdraw their child from classes which deal
with this component of the program. In this unit, lessons
which incorporate HIV/AIDS education are clearly identified.
Alternate arrangements should be made for the students who
do not attend those lessons.
Current Health-related Information
Health-related information changes rapidly and publications
must be updated constantly. For this reason, we do not suggest
specific pamphlets in this unit. Instead, we provide names
and addresses of organizations where accurate, up-to-date
information may be obtained. For information on AIDS and other
infectious and non-infectious diseases, contact the following
organizations and ask for information on specific diseases,
including information on prevention:
|
National
AIDS Documentation Centre
1565 Carling Avenue
Suite 400
OTTAWA, ON K1Z 8R1
Fax: (613) 725-9826
|
Health Canada
Publications Unit
Communications Branch
13th Floor, Section A
Brooke Claxton Building,
Tunney’s Pasture
OTTAWA, ON K1A 0K9
|
Posters and pamphlets can also be obtained from Local Health
Districts. Please note that such publications will provide
teachers with up-to-date information. They should not be used
in the classroom unless they match the age appropriate instructional
guidelines and objectives of the HIV/AIDS component in the
curriculum.
Gathering Resources
The introductory activity in this unit suggests the use of
pictures showing a variety of people (male and female, young
and old, of different races and ethnic groups, people with
physical disabilities, healthy and sick people). Consider
asking parents or colleagues to contribute to this collection
of pictures. Consider developing a thematic health-related
picture file by recycling outdated magazines, newspapers,
textbooks, activity books, encyclopedias, etc.
This sample unit also suggests the use of fiction and non-fiction
resources on the following topics:
Specific titles are suggested only as examples. These and
other appropriate titles are listed in Health Education:
An Initial List of Implementation Materials for the Elementary
Level, 1998. Additional instructional materials to support
this curriculum will be listed in Health Education: A Bibliography
for the Elementary Level, scheduled to be published in
the spring of 1999.
Teachers are encouraged to investigate possibilities for
using resources suggested in other lists of materials, such
as the bibliographies accompanying the curriculum guides for
all other areas of study.
In addition to the school’s resource centre and the public
library, check the following sources for instructional materials:
- children’s magazines
- Internet sites
- television and radio programming
- brochures
It is also important to access local human resources such
as health professionals, parents, or Elders. As in all subject
areas, care is required when arranging for guest speakers
and classroom presenters. It is the responsibility of teachers
to clarify with the speaker the content and objectives of
the presentation.
Unit Overview
It is assumed in this unit that the students are already
familiar with the Decision-making Process at this point. In
grade one, the steps within each level guide instructional
planning but are not formally taught.
| Level |
Steps |
Activities |
| Level A
Stop! |
1. Think
2. Research |
- Being healthy: defining sickness and health through
a classification activity.
- At the doctor’s office: learning about sources
of support.
- How do people catch diseases? Activities focusing
on the concepts of infection and infectious diseases.
(Germ
Themed Paper)
- Fighting back: presenting the
immune system.
- Our guards are not always strong enough: a lesson
on HIV/AIDS.
|
| Level B Explore... |
3. Look at options and consequences
4. Choose an option |
|
| Level C
Go! |
5. Design and carry out an action plan
6. Examine the results. Revise as needed. |
- Let’s give our guards a rest! The students design
and carry out an action plan to implement their
decision.
- Progress is monitored and the plan is revised
accordingly.
|
Additional Internet Resources:
Taken
from: Health
Education: A Curriculum Guide for the Elementary Level (Grades
1-5) Sample Units
|
