How does what we do affect our health? What changes do we experience in adolescence? What behaviors are risky? How can we make good decisions? What are good refusal skills? How does our emotional health affect our physical health? How can we manage stress? What is an emotional illness? What is a healthy social relationship?
Health Science students were asking and answering these questions as we began our class last fall. They have diligently done research, presented reports, done role-plays, and listened
to guest speakers. Our studies have included several in-depth studies. We have studied the development of the human fetus from conception to birth, learning the technical vocabulary and understanding the process in detail. Recently, we studied the effects of tobacco. Each student researched a topic and presented an oral report with a visual component. We also had an informative visit from a Lung Association speaker who played “Tobacco Facts Jeopardy” with us and showed us specimens of diseased lungs.
We kicked off our unit on nutrition by watching Supersize Me, a documentary about a man who ate nothing but McDonald’s food for a month. We are reading Nutrition for Dummies, but we have renamed it Nutrition for Very Smart People because it is full of complicated information about proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Coming attractions include units on communicable and non-communicable diseases, physical fitness, and drug and alcohol abuse. We hope to culminate our studies with a unit on sleep and health, if we have time.
One activity that we all love is our organic garden behind the Presidio. When we started last fall, the ground was like cement and we did some tough digging, but we now have many veggies growing: artichokes, cabbages, beets, radishes, carrots, spinach, chard, lettuce, strawberries, and more. Each student has selected a favorite gardening role. Dylan Boswell is our aphid expert armed with soapy water. Michelle Macias is great with a shovel and a hose. In the strawberry patch, Sean Kavanagh and Joshua Figueroa are aggressive weeders. Lucie Mendoza loves to thin the carrot bed, to water, and to get muddy. Jocelyn Halperin, Hayley Hranicky-Galitzer, and Libby Tuomi have the patience to weed around delicate seedlings. Our most experienced gardener, Connor Proctor, often helps guide the others. Newcomer Shaye Collester has yet to reveal her special preference, but she is sure to find her niche soon. And, of course, TA Max Launspach helps me keep everything running smoothly and cheerfully.
Throughout the year, I have been impressed by the intelligence, enthusiasm, and diligence of these fine students. And they also know how to make everything we do fun.
~ ~ Peggy Lauer