Announcements

8th Grade Health Schedule:  Mrs. Young’s Classroom
March 27th – May 4th 
Times:  12:35 PM – 1:20 PM
Week 1:  Mar. 27th – 30th
Tues:  Intro. to 8th Grade Health  
Food Guidelines:   8.3 Dietary habits related to emotional and physical health
Review the new Food Plate guidelines – Identify the vitamins and/or minerals 
from the food groups eaten – Note how your body uses those vitamins and 
minerals 
Activity:  Make an individualized food plate.

Wed:  Introductory Activities:  Ms. Mertens 
8.6 Groups working together to build a safe and healthy community
Completion of Survey Worksheets, Career Folders, Pretests, and Team Building 
Activity
Assignment: Return signed worksheet by Friday, March 30th

Thur:  8.3 Dietary Habits continued…
– Causes of compulsive or abnormal eating behaviors, i.e., anorexia, bulimia, 
obesity and the importance of seeking professional help. The importance of 
physical, recreational and leisure activities in physical and mental 
performance and the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Activity:  Write a long and a short-term health and fitness goal that is 
achievable and purposeful

Fri:  Goal Setting: Ms. Mertens
Read and discuss goal setting articles, completion of goal setting worksheets 
and the creation of long-term health, academic and career goals

Week 2 & 3:  April 3rd – 15th
Tues:  First Aid Clinic – Presentation/Clinic – How would you treat the 
following…..?  Students will provide hands-on care depending on the case 
scenario.  (Students were instructed on these topics last year; so, let’s put 
our knowledge to the test!)
•	Basic First Aid (questions/answers/demonstrations)
•	Heimlich Maneuver (review)
•	CPR update
•	Universal/Standard Precautions (review)
•	Proper hand washing techniques (review)
Activity:  Students are offered stethoscopes to listen to their heart and 
lung sounds, if interested.  Stethoscopes are cleaned between users!


Wed: Decision-making activities – Ms. Mertens
8.2 Applying health concepts and skills to the management of personal and 
family health
•	Virtues and manners
•	Importance of using resistance, problem solving, and decision-making 
skills for resolving health issues
•	Health risks associated with yielding to peer pressure
Spring Break:  ½ Day Thursday – April 15th

Week 4:  April 17th – 20th
Tues:  Natural High video – Speaking the language of today’s youths.  This is 
a powerful film displaying how youths can live up to their highest potential –
 Drug Free – through the way of natural highs!  Showing drug-free heroes in 
music, sports, dance and arts.
Activity:  Discussion will be held after the video regarding how to get out 
of precarious situations.
Wed:  Career Interest Inventories – Ms. Mertens – Meet in the Library - Read 
and discuss Career Interest Inventory Articles, Complete Online Interest 
Inventories and generate individualized student reports.

Thur:  Officer Murray – 8.1 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gangs, questions/answers
•	Risks associated with gang-related behavior 
•	Consequences of involvement in potentially dangerous situations
•	Feelings of immortality and invincibility
Fri:  Academic Career Plans – Ms. Mertens -  Explore components of Academic 
Career Plans, Use Indiviualized student reports to complete Academic Career 
Plans.

Week 5:  April 24th – 27th:  Terra Nova Testing – No Health Class 


 
Week 6:  May 1st – 4th 
Tues:  Analyzing and evaluating the relationship between health-risk 
behaviors and the onset of health problems
•	Understanding Viruses video by the Discovery Channel (only the 
pathogen entering the body and the body’s immune response will be shown).  
Risk factors associated with Communicable vs. Non-communicable diseases – 
Emphasis will be on the immune systems response to infection.
•	Pathogenic, genetic, age, cultural, environmental, and behavioral 
factors that influence the degree of risk for contracting specific diseases
•	Other topics to be covered are as follows:
Portals of entry for pathogens
The Immune Response
Cover your cough
Importance of sleep
Preventative health measures, i.e., immunizations, hygiene, disease prevention
Activity:  Complete the “Your Immune System” worksheet which outlines the 
following responses:  First Line of Defense, Nonspecific responses to trap 
pathogens, Specific Responses to destroy pathogens.  The students will 
complete the “Communicable Diseases” worksheet to pull the entire process 
together.

Wed:  Academic Career Plans - Ms. Mertens – Complete Academic Career Plans

Thur:  8.5 Interpreting and evaluating how health information, products, 
services, and agencies are targeted to impact adolescents
The student will interpret and evaluate how health information, products, 
services, and agencies target adolescents.
•	Review the influence of media resources on personal choices
•	Discuss the persuasive tactics used by media, including the internet, 
cyber bullying and social networking
•	Awareness of consumer rights related to health products and services
•	Consequence of involvement in potentially dangerous situations
Activity:  Prior to the discussion, the class will name the dangers of social 
networking, cyber bullying and media influence on personal choices and 
actions.
Fri: Planning for High School Wrap-Up – Ms. Mertens
Completion of High School Scavenger Hunt Workseet and/or watch and discuss 
movie – Finish incomplete work, complete post-test and career wrap-up 
activity:  Career Pay Day