Page 175 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: Health and Physical Education, 2015 - revised

diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. Immunizations help save lives, prevent serious illnesses, and are recognized as one of the most effective public health interventions. Choose another example of a law, policy, or program intended to protect community health. What does it do? Why was it put in place? What effect has it had?”
C3. Promoting Healthy Living
By the end of this course, students will:
C3.1 describe actions that individuals can take that contribute to the health of others (e.g., consenting to be an organ donor; donating blood; updating immunizations; using methods such as handwashing to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases; following safer sex guidelines to prevent STIs; advising younger students on health action plans, healthy relationships, and anti-bullying strategies; getting involved in charitable fundraising events and campaigns in support of health-related causes such as smoking prevention, healthy eating, concussion prevention, and breastfeeding awareness)
Teacher prompt: “Organ donation can save lives. In Canada, there are more people who need organs than there are organs available. Better understanding of the issues surrounding consent may encourage more people to become donors. Here are some questions that people commonly ask: What is the organ donation registry? What organs or tissues can be donated? If you sign an organ donor card, can your family override your wishes at the time of your death? Does having a serious illness or a history of illness rule someone out as an organ donor? If a person agrees to become an organ donor, will the doctors still make every effort to save his or her life? Do people have to alter their funeral arrangements if they agree to be organ donors?”
C3.2 demonstrate an understanding of the concept of health promotion, and describe strategies and skills that can be used to promote healthy living in their school community
Teacher prompt: “According to the World Health Organization, ‘health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health’. The purpose is to create a culture of health and well-being locally and globally by persuading and helping people to advocate for and take control of those aspects of their lives that affect their health. It also encourages governments and organizations to provide the policies and resources that are needed to do this.
“Health promotion has a place in our school community too. Although there are some determinants of health that we can’t address in the school setting – the economic factors, for example – we can still create a culture of health and well-being in the school by pro- moting healthy living. What would you need to consider when planning and promoting a healthy living event in our school community, and what strategies and skills would you need to use?”
Students: “First we need to have an understanding of the needs and interests of the students. That requires research and analysis skills. Speaking with our healthy school committee or other school committees could help us find some of that information. In addition, we will need to get the support of staff or student council members. They can help us to coordinate our initiative in the school and find the resources to support it. For example, if we were trying to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems by holding a mental health week, we would need to connect with the board’s mental health leader and other professionals in our school. They might be able to help us find partners with local community agencies.” “As we develop a plan of action, we will need planning, organizational, and collaboration skills to establish timelines and assign responsibilities. We will also need to use effective communication skills to promote
our project through school announcements, school newsletters, the school website,
and posters.”
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
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Health for Life
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