D1. Understanding Health Concepts
Specific Expectations
Personal Safety and Injury Prevention
D1.1
demonstrate an understanding of practices that enhance personal safety in the home (e.g., observing precautions for answering the phone and door, establishing home fire escape strategies, respecting electrical outlet covers, following precautions for preparing and storing foods, washing hands), outdoors (e.g., using UV protection; observing safety rules when riding the bus, riding a bicycle, walking to school, approaching railway tracks and crossings; carrying medication for allergic reactions; being cautious when approaching animals), and when online (e.g., not sharing personal information, checking with an adult if information found online is true) [A1.5 Self, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “What are some things you should do to stay safe when you are at home, outside, or riding on the school bus?”
- Students: “At home, you should make sure that an adult always knows where you are when you’re playing outside. You should not touch any household product that has a symbol on it that means danger or poison. You should have a plan and know what to do in an emergency.” “When you’re outside, you should wear a hat to protect you from the sun and a helmet when you’re riding your bike, tobogganing, or snowboarding.” “You should sit facing the front of the school bus, and always cross the road in front of the bus when you get off. Don’t get so close to the bus that you can touch it. Get help from the driver or another adult if you drop something in the ‘danger zone’ – the area around the bus where the driver can’t see you.” “If you have a nut allergy, tell your friends and their parents about it when you’re playing at their house. Make sure your snacks do not have nuts, and always carry an autoinjector.” “If you want to come up to an animal or touch it, you have to ask permission from an adult and learn how to do it safely.”
- Teacher: “What are some things you should do to stay safe when you are playing online games, searching the Internet, or accessing videos?”
- Student: “I know that whenever I am on a device, I need to use it with respect for myself and others and think about my personal safety. If I see a picture or video online and feel uncomfortable, confused, or unsafe, I should stop and tell a parent or trusted adult right away. It is important not to talk to strangers in the virtual world because they may not be who they say they are. Also, I should follow household rules about being online.”
D1.2
identify common food allergies and sensitivities (e.g., to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, fish) and the reactions they might cause (e.g., swelling, skin rash, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, coma, death)
- Teacher prompt: “Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that can be life threatening. Food is the most common cause of anaphylaxis, but insect stings, medicine, latex, or exercise can also cause a reaction. What is the reason for our school policy that asks students not to bring nut products to school?”
- Student: “A lot of people have allergies to nuts. If you have a nut allergy, you can have a very dangerous reaction if you eat or come into contact with nuts or something that is made with nuts.”
D1.3
describe the difference between prescription medicines and non-prescription medicines, giving examples of each, and identify rules for the proper use of all medicines [A1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “Prescription medicines, such as penicillin and other antibiotics, are prescribed by a physician or nurse practitioner and are available only at a pharmacy. How can you recognize a prescription medicine?”
- Student: “On the label of the bottle, it has the name of the patient, instructions for using the medicine, and a prescription number.”
- Teacher: “How are commonly used non-prescription medicines and health care supplements – for example, cough syrup; vitamins; herbal, homeopathic, and naturopathic remedies; and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit medicines – different from prescription medicines?”
- Student: “You don’t need a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner to get them. You can get them in places like health food stores and not just in pharmacies. Some First Nations, Métis, and Inuit medicines come from the land, and are considered a gift.”
- Teacher: “What should we do to ensure that medicines are used safely and correctly?”
- Student: “You should only take medicine that an adult who is caring for you gives you. You should never share prescription medicines. All instructions, like how much you should take and when you should take it, for all medicines should be followed carefully.”
Human Development and Sexual Health
D1.4
outline the basic stages of human development (e.g., infant, child, adolescent, adult, older adult) and related changes, and identify physical, mental, social, and environmental factors that are important for healthy growth and living throughout life [A1.5 Self]
- Teacher prompt: “How does your body change as you grow? What helps you to grow and be healthy?”
- Student: “As you grow, you get taller and bigger. Your bones grow. Your muscles grow. You grow faster at some stages than at others and not everyone grows the same amount at the same time. When you’re an adult, your body doesn’t grow anymore, but it still changes – for example, your skin gets more wrinkled and your hair might turn grey. Things that help make you healthy all through your life are eating well, being active, getting enough sleep, and having people to care for you.”
- Teacher: “When we look at growth and change throughout life, we can consider teachings from different cultures, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, about the cycles of birth, life, and death. Indigenous communities have rite of passage ceremonies for each life stage, and teachings about growing and changes in roles and responsibilities at each stage. For example, the Anishinaabe teach about seven stages of life, and believe that at each stage, learning traditional teachings, such as the seven-grandfather teachings, from family, community, and Elders contributes to their overall mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health.”
D1.5
demonstrate the ability to identify and appreciate aspects of how their bodies work and describe what they can do to ensure that they will continue to appreciate their bodies as they grow and change [A1.1 Emotions, 1.3 Motivation, 1.5 Self]
- Teacher prompt: “You have already identified what you like about what your body can do. How can you show appreciation for what your body can do?”
- Student: “I take care of my body by brushing my teeth, getting enough sleep, being active, and eating well.”
- Teacher: “Our bodies’ job is to work a certain way, not to look a certain way. How can you focus on the things your body helps you do, instead of what your body looks like?”
- Student: “I can remind myself that every person’s body is unique, and that’s why I do not compare the size or shape of my body to others. I will focus on recognizing and appreciating what my body can do, like how my feet spring up when I jump or how my stomach moves out and in as I breathe.”
Mental Health Literacy
D1.6
demonstrate an understanding of how a person’s body and brain respond to challenging or uncomfortable situations (e.g., they may feel tired, easily overwhelmed, confused, or overstimulated; they may want to cry or they may have very intense feelings; they may get a headache or feel hot), and describe what they can do to feel better at those times [A1.1 Emotions, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self]
- Teacher prompt: “When you are worried or feel uncomfortable about something, your body may let you know about it in different ways. This is something everyone experiences in different ways. What are some of these ways?”
- Student: “I get tired and don’t want to be around anyone. I feel like I want to cry.”
- Teacher: “It’s helpful to recognize what you’re feeling. Sometimes crying or being on your own helps. What are some other things that you can do when you feel like that?”
- Students: “When I’m sad, I like to play with my cat.” “When I’m at school, it helps me to talk with a friend or my teacher about how I’m feeling.”
- Teacher: “How do you know if someone else might be feeling worried or uncomfortable about something? How would you treat them?”
- Student: “Sometimes you can tell by looking at someone’s face but sometimes it’s hard to tell how another person is feeling, so it’s good to ask. If someone doesn’t want to talk or play, I can give them space but I could also check on them in case they want to join later – or maybe ask if they want to talk.”