Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.1B Grade 6 CPI 2

 

Standard: 2.1 - Wellness

 

Strand: B - Growth and Development

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 2 - The student will compare the rate of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual change during various life stages and discuss ways to foster healthy growth.

 

Grade: 6

 

Sample Activities:

 

·       STAGES OF GROWTH - Ask students: “How long does it take to become an adult?” Write the student responses on the board. Explain that everyone goes through the same stages to become an adult. Students create a chart that outlines the stages of growth, the ages at which they occur and important changes and events during each stage. Students share their charts and discuss any misconceptions.

 

 

·       INTERVIEW - Each student interviews a senior citizen focusing on his/her eating habits, exercise and activity pat-terns, and self-image. The interview should focus on the elements of a healthy life. Students develop the information into a video or booklet entitled “Ten Tips for a Long, Healthy Life.”

Variation: Students interview a couple married 40 years or longer, focusing on factors that contribute to personal and marital health. Students videotape the interviews or compile the information, take photos of each couple, and develop a photo album.
 

·       ADVANTAGES OF... Divide the class into three groups. One group represents children, one group represents teenagers, and the third group represents adults. Each group brainstorms the advantages and disadvantages of being the age of its assigned group and develops an ad campaign to promote the advantages. Students share the ads and discuss.

 

       Variation: Students write an essay entitled “The Advantages of Being Me.”

 

·       LIFESPANS - Students research the life spans of various animals and compare them to the life span of human beings. What factors contribute to the similarities and the differences? Students compare the gestation periods, the social nature of the species, child-rearing responsibilities, and the roles of the male and female of the species and develop a graphic organizer outlining their ideas.

 

·       WHAT'S HAPPENING? - Students use a variety of print, media, and technological resources to complete a chart similar to the one below. Discuss the changes.

 

 

 

·       PRESENTING IMAGES - Every person has unique physical features, feelings, and talents. Explain that during times of rapid growth, these three things change. Define each of the terms and brainstorm characteristics for each category. Each student selects at least three personal descriptors from each category of the master list and creates a collage that represents his/her personal image.

 

·       CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE - Explain that change is one thing that is guaranteed to occur throughout the life cycle. Ask students to think about phases they have already experienced and the kinds of changes that have occurred. Use a life cycle time line to remind students of the various phases from infancy to senior citizen. Each student develops a time line of their own life cycle from infancy to their present age, outlining
important events that have occurred. After a discussion of the changes, students predict the personal changes they expect to occur in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, and 25 years in the future. Encourage students to predict goals and accomplishments. After students have listed their predictions, explain that they are setting the groundwork for their goals right now. (Use examples such as education to prepare for college and a career.) Relate their predictions to the achievement of health goals, and explain how wellness can support the achievement of those goals.

Variation: Students interview an adult to ascertain how the individual’s health status and decisions have influenced their lifetime goals and achievements.

Variation: Students develop a list of health goals and identify strategies to achieve the goals.

 

·       MOVING FORWARD - Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with a different trigger word related to adolescent growth and development. (e.g., growth, puberty, hormones, dating, independence, moods). Each group develops a list of five questions related to its trigger word. Reconvene the class and collect the questions. The next day, the teacher answers each question.

Variation: Assign questions to small groups for responses.

Variation: Invite a panel of adolescent health specialists to present accurate information on common health concerns of young adolescents. The speakers should emphasize positive adolescent health behaviors.