D1. Understanding Health Concepts
Specific Expectations
By the end of Grade 7, students will:
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Personal Safety and Injury Prevention
D1.1
describe benefits and dangers, for themselves and others, that are associated with the use of computers and other digital technologies (e.g., benefits: efficiency and time savings; increased access to information; improved communication, including global access; dangers: misuse of private information; negative impact on mental health, including possible social isolation, feelings of depression, and addiction; identity theft; cyberstalking; exposure to online predators, including those involved in sex trafficking and/or soliciting explicit sexual images; hearing damage and/or traffic injuries associated with earphone use; financial losses from online gambling), and identify protective responses [A1.2 Coping, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self]
- Teacher prompt: “We’ve already discussed the benefits of using technology. Along with the benefits, there are risks, such as being targeted for harmful online interactions, encountering online violence and hate, including that generated by hate groups, and dealing with unsafe social media challenges. Another risk is encountering pornography and other sexually explicit material that promotes gender stereotypes, unsafe sex practices, and unrealistic portrayals of sex, sexuality, and relationships. What are some ways of staying safe when you are online? What should you keep in mind when you are using a computer or mobile device? What can you do to take care of your physical and mental health when it comes to digital media?”
- Students: “It’s important to be aware of how much time you are spending online and to set healthy limits for screen time. There are apps to help with this.” “Everyone should be aware that anything they write or post could become public information. If you do not want someone else to know about something, or someone has not given you permission to share something, you should not write about it or post it.” “You should never share your password.” “Not everything we come across online is real. For example, some social media challenges are hoaxes, and may be harmful. I need to think carefully and critically about what I see online.” “If you are a target of online harassment, you should save and print the messages you received and get help from a parent, teacher, or other trusted adult.”
- Teacher prompt: “Sexting – or the practice of sending explicit sexual messages or photos electronically, predominantly by smart phone – is a practice that has significant risks and potential legal consequences. What are some of the risks? What can you do to minimize those risks and treat others with respect?”
- Students: “Photos and messages can become public even if shared for only a second. They can be manipulated or misinterpreted. If they become public, they can have an impact on the well-being of the individuals involved, their future relationships, and even their jobs. There are also legal penalties for anyone sharing images without consent.” “You shouldn’t pressure people to send photos of themselves. If someone does send you a photo, you should delete it. Do not send it to anyone else or share it online, because respecting privacy and treating others with respect are just as important with online technology as with face-to-face interactions.”
D1.2
demonstrate an understanding of linkages between mental health problems and problematic substance use, as well as between brain development and cannabis use, and identify school and community resources (e.g., trusted adults at school, guidance counsellors, public health services, help lines) that can provide support for mental health concerns relating to substance use, addictions, and related behaviours [A1.2 Coping, 1.4 Relationships, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “Problematic substance use is a term that refers to the pattern and types of use of substances in ways that have a higher risk of negative individual and societal health impacts. One type of problematic substance use is potentially harmful use. Examples of potentially harmful use include underage drinking, binge drinking, or harmful ways of using substances, such as injecting drugs. Substance use disorder is use that has become a physical and/or mental addiction, involving frequent and compulsive use despite negative health and social effects. Problematic substance use and mental health problems are often closely connected. Many people suffer from both, although it is important to note that one doesn’t necessarily cause the other. In some cases, the causes may be quite different, or both may be caused by a common factor, which could be genetic, developmental, or environmental. For example, traumatic events (an environmental factor) can lead to both mental health and substance use problems. In other cases, mental health problems may contribute to problematic substance use: alcohol and drugs may be used as a means to cope with a mental health problem and may make the symptoms worse. Conversely, long-term drug use can lead to a loss of contact with reality and to the development of delusions and other psychotic symptoms similar to those seen with some mental health problems. What are some mental health problems that are sometimes connected with problematic substance use?”
- Student: “Sometimes people use drugs or alcohol as a way of coping with overwhelming feelings. But problematic substance use is also sometimes associated with having a mental illness, such as an anxiety disorder.”
- Teacher: “Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, and contains THC [Tetrahydrocannabinol], which can impair the development of the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. Why are teenagers especially susceptible to the negative effects of any drug use, including cannabis use?”
- Student: “The brain is not fully developed until around age 25. Frequent and long- term cannabis use at a young age can harm the brain and lead to problems with memory, concentration, thinking, learning, handling emotions, decision making, and mental health.”
Human Development and Sexual Health
D1.3
explain the importance of having a shared understanding with a partner about the following: delaying sexual activity until they are older (e.g., choosing to abstain from any genital contact; choosing to abstain from vaginal or anal intercourse; choosing to abstain from oral-genital contact); the reasons for not engaging in sexual activity; the concept of consent, the legal age of consent, and how consent is communicated; and, in general, the need to communicate clearly with each other when making decisions about sexual activity in a healthy, loving relationship [A1.1 Emotions, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “The term abstinence can mean different things to different people. People can also have different understandings of what is meant by having or not having sex. Be clear in your own mind about what you are comfortable or uncomfortable with. Being able to talk about these boundaries with a partner is an important part of sexual health. Having sex can be an enjoyable experience. It can also be an important part of a close, loving, and committed relationship, such as marriage or a long-term, healthy relationship, when you are older. Some people may think that sex is the best way to express love, but there are many other important and meaningful ways in which it can be expressed. Having sex has risks too, including the possibility of getting sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) or becoming a parent when you don’t want to. There are also emotional and other considerations to think about. What are some of them?”
- Students: “It’s best to wait until you are older to have sex because you need to be emotionally ready, which includes being able to talk with your partner about how you feel, being prepared to talk about and use protection against STBBIs or pregnancy, and being prepared to handle the emotional ups and downs of a relationship, including the ending of a relationship. Some people see sex as little more than a physical act and do not realize the emotional impact it can have. Engaging in any type of sexual activity with a partner can make the relationship more emotional or more complicated.” “Some people choose to or are encouraged to wait to be sexually active for personal, cultural, or religious reasons.” “People should not feel that they need to engage in sexual acts in order to please their partner or to gain social acceptance. A person should not have sex if they are feeling pressured, if they are unsure, if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if their partner is not ready or has not given consent. It is also important to remember that a person is free to change their mind about any type of activity at any time, and that their boundaries must be respected.”
D1.4
identify sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs), and describe their symptoms
- Teacher prompt: “Common sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections include human papillomavirus (HPV), genital herpes, chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhea, and hepatitis. In some cases when a person has an STBBI, there are visible symptoms, but in many cases, the person has no visible symptoms, so it’s hard to tell if you or someone else has an STBBI. All STBBIs can have a significant impact on your health if they are not treated. What are some symptoms of an STBBI? If an STBBI has no symptoms, how can you find out if you have it?”
- Student: “Sometimes when you have an STBBI, you can see symptoms, such as pubic lice or genital warts. In other instances you may experience itching, redness, or pain when urinating. If you are sexually active you should be regularly tested by a health-care provider even if you don’t see or experience any symptoms. Depending on the STBBI, tests can be done by taking swabs from the cervix, vagina, urethra, or other body parts, or by taking urine or blood samples.”
D1.5
identify ways of preventing STBBIs and/or unplanned pregnancy, such as delaying first intercourse and other sexual activities until a person is older and using condoms and other forms of protection consistently [A1.2 Coping, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self]
- Teacher prompt: “Engaging in sexual activities like oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse means that you can contract an STBBI. The most reliable way to avoid sexually transmitted infections is to not have sex. If a person is thinking of having sex, what can they do to protect themselves?”
- Student: “They should go to a health clinic or see a nurse or doctor who can provide important information about protection and HPV vaccination. People who think they will be having sex sometime soon should keep a condom or other effective and suitable form of protection with them so they will have it when they need it. They should also talk with their partner about being emotionally ready to have sex and about using protection before they have sex, so both partners will know that protection will be used. If a partner says they do not want to use a condom, for example, a person should say, ‘I will not have sex without a condom.’ If you do have sex, it is important that you use protection every time, to help prevent contracting an STBBI or becoming a parent before you are ready.”
- Teacher prompt: “HIV [Human Immunodeficiency Virus] is a serious viral infection that can be controlled with treatments. HIV attacks the cells in the body that help to fight infections until they are no longer able to do their job. With treatment, the damage that HIV does to the body’s immune system can be slowed or prevented. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get an HIV test. Today, with antiviral and other medicines, people with HIV are living longer, with a better quality of life. HIV can lead to AIDS [Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome], a state of health in which a person’s immune system has been weakened by HIV and the person can no longer fight other infections. It is common for a person with AIDS to develop other infections, such as pneumonia or some kinds of cancer. HIV can be transmitted whether or not someone has symptoms of the infection. However, HIV treatment can reduce the amount of HIV in someone’s body to the point where it cannot be transmitted. HIV transmission results from specific activities and does not occur through everyday contact with someone living with HIV or AIDS. What are some of the ways a person can be infected with HIV, and what can be done to prevent the transmission of HIV?”
- Student: “HIV may be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids – semen, blood, vaginal or rectal fluid, and breast milk. HIV cannot live outside the body. For you to be infected, the virus must enter your bloodstream. That can happen through the sharing of needles as well as through unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse, which is the most common method of infection. It is very important that you use protection, such as a condom, if you do have sex. Avoid sharing drug-use equipment or using needles that have not been sterilized for any purpose, including piercing, tattooing, or injecting steroids. One of the best things you can do to stop HIV is to stop the stigma that is associated with having the infection. Gossiping about someone with HIV, shaming them, or avoiding everyday contact with them makes it more challenging for them to tell others that they have HIV or to get tested for it. These things make it easier for HIV to spread.”
Mental Health Literacy
D1.6
demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between mental health and mental illness and identify possible signs of mental health problems [A1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “Mental health and mental illness are like physical health and physical illness. A person can be in good health but have a diagnosed illness. We don’t say that someone who has a diagnosed health condition, such as diabetes or asthma, is ‘unhealthy’. If they make healthy choices, as circumstances allow, such as getting adequate sleep, being physically active daily, and eating healthy nutritious foods, they can maintain their health while still having a diagnosed illness. The same is true of mental health. If a person takes care of their mental health, as best they can, and has a sense of well-being and resilience, they can be mentally healthy even if they have a diagnosed mental illness, such as an anxiety disorder or depression. Whether or not we have a diagnosed mental illness, our mental health is impacted by our feelings, thoughts, and actions, and by our experiences and circumstances in our day-to-day lives. How would you explain the relationship between mental health and mental illness?”
- Student: “Mental health refers to a person’s overall sense of well-being – when the person knows what they are good at and when they need help, and when even if they have ups and downs, they can operate pretty well every day. Mental illness is something that a doctor would tell you you have, just like a physical illness. It’s like any illness, only it affects your ability to think, to relate to others, or to function every day.”
- Teacher: “Everyone experiences stress from time to time. There are common stressors that all students experience, like having tests and assignments or being worried about making a team or about being included in something. And sometimes life can be very stressful for young people – times when a parent loses a job or someone moves away or someone gets really sick. It’s important to know that although we all have stress and that it sometimes leads to feelings of anxiety, this does not mean that we have an ‘anxiety disorder’ or some other form of mental illness. Experiencing a range of feelings is normal as we develop and learn about how our bodies and brains work together. When problems go on for a long time, it might be a sign that a person needs help. Possible signs of a mental health problem include frequently having feelings of sadness or anxiety that are stronger than usual or last longer; having difficulty paying attention; having problems with eating, sleeping, or managing expectations at school; or being addicted to substances. What are some other signs that a person might benefit from seeking support from a trusted adult?”
- Student: “Signs that someone might need help include having feelings that interfere with everyday activities. For example, a person who feels too sad and tired to get up for school, or who loses interest in activities they normally enjoy, or whose behaviour suddenly changes a lot might need some support. A person who can’t go to a friend’s party because they are sure everyone will be judging them and talking about them might also need help. If you are unsure about your own mental health or someone else’s, it’s good to ask for help.”
