Kentucky Department of Education

With the increase of health-related conditions and diseases (e.g., Type 2 diabetes, high  cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, overweight and obesity) among our children and youth, and a decrease in the amount of physical activity and nutrition education, parents, schools and community leaders are growing concerned.  Is everyone sacrificing academics for the health of today's students?  How can schools achieve both outcomes at once?

 

KDE staff has identified resources that combine the best of both worlds: academic achievement within various content areas (i.e., math, science, social studies, language arts) and improved health and physical education knowledge and skills.  The search uncovered some valuable resources that schools may incorporate into their teaching and learning.  While this is not a comprehensive list, we encourage concerned schools and communities to review these resources and determine what will meet the needs of their students and staff.  As additional resources are identified, they will be placed on our website.

SCHOOL HEALTH INDEX
The School Health Index is designed for use at both the elementary and middle/high school levels. It was developed to provide schools with a tool to assess their policies and programs in relation to the recommendations of CDC school health guidelines. The School Health Index can help schools: (1) identify strengths and weaknesses; (2) prioritize actions for improvement; and (3) develop a team approach to implementing school guidelines recommendations.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Division of Adolescent and School Health
You may obtain a printed copy in the following ways:
Request by email: healthyyouth@cdc.gov
Request by telephone: (888) 231-6405
Request by fax: (888) 282-7681
Download from CDC web site: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHI

TAKE 10
Take 10 is a research-based curriculum tool developed to teach classroom-based physical activity and nutrition education from kindergarten to fifth grade students.  Developed by teachers, these materials contain safe and age-appropriate, 10-minute physical activities that can be integrated into language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and general health.  Take 10 requires no special equipment or teacher training and was developed to be used in the regular classroom setting.  Students will find it fun while it creatively helps them meet daily physical activity requirements.  This curriculum addresses the national and Kentucky's health and physical education standards. 

International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation (ILSI RF)

1156 15th Street NW, 2nd Floor

Washington DC 20005

(202) 659-0074 phone

(202) 659-3617 fax

take10@ilsi.org email

www.take10.net

 

EAT WELL AND KEEP MOVING
Eat Well and Keep Moving is an interdisciplinary nutrition and physical activity curriculum aimed at building lifelong healthy habits in upper elementary school students. This knowledge and skill-based curricula has proven successful in children eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing the intake of saturated fats and total fats, watching less television, and increased knowledge and skills in physical activity and nutrition.  With a total of 44 lessons for fourth and fifth graders, this curricula fits easily into an existing curricula and reassures classroom teachers who may wish to build on math, language arts, science, social studies skills, but may be unfamiliar with the topic.  The research-based curricula has been developed by the Harvard School of Public Health and addresses multiple components within the Coordinated School Health model. This approach ensures students can develop healthy habits with the help of teachers (e.g.,) school nurse, principal, counselor, food service, parents).  The 44 lessons are simple and easy to use for fourth and fifth graders. Both the national and Kentucky curriculum standards are addressed in the materials.

 

The Harvard School for Public Health               
www.hsph.harvard.edu/prc
Human Kinetics
1-800-747-4457  
www.humankinetics.com

PLANET HEALTH
Developed by the Harvard School for Public Health, Planet Health uses an interdisciplinary approach to teach physical activity and nutrition at the middle school level.  The 60-plus academic lessons encourage inquiry-based learning, literacy skills and incorporate our national and state learning standards.  Field testing of the curricula indicated a reduction of television viewing time and increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables.  This curricula integrates mathematics, science, social studies and language arts while addressing obesity, physical activity and nutrition education.  Such topics can be reinforced and assist in the development of lifelong wellness habits that last a lifetime.

The Harvard School for Public Health               
www.hsph.harvard.edu/prc
Human Kinetics
1-800-747-4457  
www.humankinetics.com

BRAIN BREAKS
This free resource was developed by undergraduate health education students from several colleges in Michigan.  The concepts of these 3-5 minute activities have been designed to give students a way to learn kinesthetically and integrate physical activity/education into other content areas.  The target audience for the resource is early primary through late elementary.  The short lessons are designed to address content areas such as science, social studies, mathematics and language arts by targeting the cognitive, psychomotor skills, fitness and psychosocial learning domains.  The piloted activities match our national and Kentucky curriculum standards.

Central Michigan University
Phone: (989) 774-3953 or (800) 214-8961
Fax: (989) 774-3943
emc.cmich.edu