Do you think the book Beautiful Girlhood would be enough for 1/2 credit high school health?

[HappyGrace]

Plus discussions/study/reading about sexuality/drugs and alcohol?

 

Or should I add in her occasional sewing lessons with an older woman, her cooking, etc.? Kind of lump all the miscellaneous "life skills" stuff under the half-credit for health? (trying to basically just get that required 1/2 credit out of the way in 9th grade)

 

Or does that look cheesy? And if so, could you please share what you have used for a required half-credit of health?

 

 

Thanks so much-I am new to this with a rising freshman.

 

 

[Starr]

I also add in what to look for in your own health, how to treat things such as fever, basic first aide, and world health such as ebola, malaria, tb etc.  Add up the hours you'll be fine.

[ocelotmom]

Sewing is not health unless you're talking about learning to stitch up a wound or something. If the requirement was "health or life skills", that would be fine. If the requirement is specifically health, it's not. It's like reading literature and calling it science - reading literature is perfectly worthwhile and valuable, but it isn't science (disregarding books that have both scientific and literary merit, which would be the equivalent of learning to stitch up wounds).

 

I can see cooking being included in health if the focus was on nutrition, putting together balanced meals, and things like that. 

[HappyGrace]

Oh, ok, I see, thanks, ocelotmom-that's true and I hadn't looked at it that way.

 

Anyone else have ideas like Starr gave of what could easily be covered under the umbrella of health? Thanks!

[ocelotmom]

Anatomy and physiology, microbiology, pathophysiology, common mental health issues (even if she's in perfect mental health herself, chances are she's going to have to deal with them in someone else), stress management, lifespan health needs (different nutritional needs for different ages, common causes of death at different ages and steps that can be taken for prevention), nutrition, the importance of exercise and finding enjoyable physical activity (I wouldn't include a whole lot of PE hours, but it's relevant), accident prevention, healthy body image and eating disorders, personal hygiene, the effects of chemicals in food, body care products, etc. and healthier alternatives, examining different diets and their benefits and drawbacks, health careers, public and low-income health resources in the community, involvement in actively managing her own healthcare (how to choose a healthcare provider, how/when to make appointments, what level of care is appropriate in a given situation (ie. ER vs. urgent care vs. make an appointment), learning to ask appropriate questions, things like that), volunteering in a healthcare setting, first aid and CPR, disaster preparedness...

[regentrude]

I honestly think nobody will care what a 0.5 credit for health contains.  I highly doubt colleges give a fig about the content - it's not really a rigorous academic subject.

I had my DD take a CPR/first aid course, read a book on teenage issues, body development, sexuality and reproduction. We discuss, on an ongoing basis, nutrition, fitness, mental health, prevention, home remedies, preventive medical care etc. as parts of parenting. I would do the same if I was not home educating.

I see "Health" more as a life skill than an academic subject and only include it on the transcript on the off chance somebody wants to check a box. But sewing - nope, unless she is practicing surgical stitching it would not fall under the umbrella.

[ocelotmom]

I think maybe it would be great if you could find a local (christian?) midwife to meet with and speak to.  I know my former employer would have loved to help a fellow homeschooler to cover health in a meaningful way.  I think Natural Family Planning should be taught to girls this age, including cycles and how they work, temping, charting etc.

 

Yeah, that's one I thought of when showering just now. FAM/NFP is so useful from just a general awareness perspective, even if you have no intention of using it for birth control or TTC yet.

[HappyGrace]

Sounds like maybe the BG book doesn't exactly fit the bill for health. I like a lot of these other ideas. I do want to keep it simple and low key bcuz I don't think colleges care about the .5 health credit, and she has a lot on her plate academically.  We talk about a lot of this stuff in the course of life (we eat organic foods/non-processed, she constantly for fun goes on Wellness Mama and other blogs, makes her own makeup from organic products, etc.) so there must be a way to just somehow turn this stuff into "health" but I'm not sure how to do it. Regentrude-did you write that all up on the course description or just the CPR course and book she read?

[regentrude]

. Regentrude-did you write that all up on the course description or just the CPR course and book she read?

 

Here is my course description. It is on the last page of an 8 page packet and I would bet no admissions counselor even glanced at it.

 

 

 

Health. 0.5 credit. No grade.

A high school level health class, covering the following topics: human body systems, growth and development, sexuality and pregnancy, nutrition and physical activity, personal care and hygiene, alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse, mental health, diseases and disorders. The student took a First Aid/CPR/AED class at XXX and received CPR certification.

Textbook: Changing Bodies, Changing Lives by Ruth Bell.

[mom2jjka]

I have seen private schools around here lump fitness, nutrition and health together. 

They cover PE, first aid, major body systems, drug/alcohol information, and proper dietary guidelines.

[HappyGrace]

Thanks, Regentrude, that really helps so much-I like that and will do something similar.