PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH

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The Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health were developed using National Standards for Physical Education, National Health Education Standards, the 1985 State Goals for Physical Development and Health, and other states' standards and local outcomes from Illinois school districts.

As the nation moves forward into the twenty-first century, a tremendous opportunity exists to enhance our health and well-being. Much of that opportunity lies in our ability to address the growing health challenges that are facing children and youth. Although progress is being made, poor physical fitness; violence; lack of proper nutrition; communicable diseases; and alcohol, tobacco and other drug use continue to plague our society and most notably our youth.

Comprehensive physical development and health programs offer great potential for enhancing the capacity of students' minds and bodies. Extensive research connects the ability to learn to good health. Healthy minds and bodies are basic to academic success and, in later life, enhance the ability to contribute to a productive work environment.

The benefits of comprehensive health and physical education include promoting a healthy generation of students who are able to achieve their highest potential, reversing the trend of deteriorating health and physical fitness among youth, and helping to lower the cost of health care in the United States.

The goals and standards for physical development and health foster workplace skills, including identifying short- and long-term goals, utilizing technology, following directions, and working cooperatively with others. Problem solving, communication, responsible decision making, and team-building skills are major emphases as well.

Through comprehensive K-12 physical development and health programs, students will achieve active and healthy lives that will enable them to achieve personal goals and contribute to society.

APPLICATIONS OF LEARNING
Through Applications of Learning, students demonstrate and deepen their understanding of basic knowledge and skills. These applied learning skills cross academic disciplines and reinforce the important learning of the disciplines. The ability to use these skills will greatly influence students' success in school, in the workplace and in the community.

SOLVING PROBLEMS
Recognize and investigate problems; formulate and propose solutions supported by reason and evidence. Physical activity is a catalyst to problem solving. Students learn how to move quickly and decisively in games, how to deal with their opponents in sports, and how to gain advantage and respond to changing situations. In physical development and health, students also learn how to acquire and understand basic health information, assess such information and address health problems.

COMMUNICATING
Express and interpret information and ideas.
Physical activity and movement can be a medium of communication. Students learn to observe others, listen, act and react-understanding the intentions of others and making their own intentions clear. Students also need to understand written and oral communications ranging from warning labels to medical advertisements and health-related news reports. They should be able to question and analyze information to help them make individual decisions about good health.

USING TECHNOLOGY
Use appropriate instruments, electronic equipment, computers and networks to access information, process ideas and communicate results. Students monitor fitness and analyze movement skills with monitoring instruments, video and computer software. These tools allow students to keep records, graph progress, create simulations and compare performance to national statistics. On-line services provide added information about health issues and fitness. Technology provides students with tools comparable to those used in the professional fitness and health fields.

WORKING ON TEAMS
Learn and contribute productively as individuals and as members of groups. Students learn to recognize individual strengths, resolve differences and use teamwork as a necessary tool for working with others. Teamwork is also integral to many sports. Sports in turn teach the elements of teamwork in other fields. One overall goal of physical development is to give students the knowledge and skills necessary for working on teams to achieve specific objectives or a common goal.

MAKING CONNECTIONS
Recognize and apply connections of important information and ideas within and among learning areas. The quality of students' physical fitness and health is an important factor in their readiness to learn. In addition to creating the physical conditions for learning, the subject areas of physical development and health directly relate to other academic content. For example, mathematics is used for measurement, scoring and statistical recordkeeping in physical activities and sports. Health principles and knowledge provide a basis for academic studies in medicine and environmental science. A knowledge of health issues is necessary to understand important historical events and social organizations studied in social science.

STATE GOAL 19: Acquire movement skills and understand concepts needed to engage in health-enhancing physical activity.
STATE GOAL 20: Achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness based upon continual self-assessment.
STATE GOAL 21: Develop team-building skills by working with others through physical activity.
STATE GOAL 22: Understand principles of health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury.
STATE GOAL 23: Understand human body systems and factors that influence growth and development.
STATE GOAL 24: Promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision-making skills.

HEALTH
HEA100
Length of course: 1 semester
Credit: 2 unit

Health Education is a required course for all students. Such topics as physical fitness, emotions and mental health, first aid, safety, genetics, the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, communicable diseases including STD's, and nutrition are covered to help students gain the knowledge and attitude needed to raise their level of health and enjoyment of living.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
PED200
Length of course: 2 semesters
Credit: 1 unit

Physical Education is required for all students (unless waived). They will be introduced to physical fitness, team sports, individual sports, and activities that have long-term value. Physical education will consist of activities such as: The President's Physical Fitness Challenge, softball, flag-football, soccer, whiffleball, flicker ball, bowling, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, table tennis, horseshoes, lawn darts, golf, frisbee-golf, pillow polo, badminton, pickle ball, rhythm and dance, written examinations, and skill tests.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING
PED220
Course length: 2 semesters
Credit: 1 unit
Prerequisite:none

Physical conditioning is a great opportunity for students to train both their bodies and their minds. It will focus on three areas: flexibility, strength training , and cardiovascular endurance. Activities include: Free weights, weight machines, polyometrics, stationary bikes, stair stepper, jump ropes, dot drill, stretching, wind sprints, and long distance running. Students will learn locations of muscles and how their heart rate is affected by exercise.

FITNESS FOR LIFE
PED210
Length of course: 2 semesters
Credit: 1 unit

The Walking class is designed to help develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Students will keep a daily logbook "Walk for Four Seasons." They will record place walked, time walked and location walked. Students will walk approximately 2 miles a day.