Healthy Environment K-2 Internet Sources
Elizabeth Sutermeister and Carly Waner
HLED 455

Internet source for students

General Information:
Health Science Education Tools for Kids-
www.learntobehealthy.org/kids/

• This website is an online health education center that is designed to help students, educators, teachers, parents, families, and the community become more aware of physical and mental health science concepts. The health educational resources that this website provides includes games, activities, and lesson plans, which make it a great interactive resource for students. This website also includes other great online health resources and links for more information on health education. I would utilize this resource within my class by having students log on to their own account on the website in the computer lab and have them do the different games or activities in order to learn more about physical and mental health science concepts.

Core Integration:

• The website offers different “kits” that include games that students can play in regards to certain health topics. One of the kits is called “Dental Health” for grades K-3. I could integrate these games that relate to dental health into Science. First, I could give the students an introduction to dental health and then have them play the different games in the computer lab. This will give them some more information on dental health and what it entails. We could then talk about what can happen to teeth if we don’t properly take care of them. We could do a science experiment as a class that shows how sweet drinks can rot teeth. This would be an integrated lesson including health education and science.

NHES Standards:

• Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

1.2.1: Identify that healthy behaviors impact personal health.

1.2.3: Identify ways to prevent communicable diseases.

• Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

7.2.1: Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.

• Learning Objectives: Students will become more knowledgeable on physical and mental health topics.

Science as Inquiry Standards:

• Levels K-4: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, understanding about scientific inquiry

Physical Science Standards:

• Levels K-4: Properties of objects and materials

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives:

• Levels K-4: Personal health

 

Internet source for teachers

General Information:

• The United States Environmental Protection Agency Website – https://www.epa.gov/children
• This website has reliable government information for teachers to explore and consider when teaching children’s health topics in relationship to environment. This website offers basic information, scientific information, links to additional resources and lesson plans that integrate children’s health topics into science and environmental concepts.

Core Integration:

• One example of possible core integration is this lesson plan; Children’s Health Curriculum Lesson 1: Environmental Health 101 Teachers can use this lesson to integrate “healthy environment” and science education. This lesson plan incorporates science topics and asks students to relate their lives to the lives of other living things to better understand how everything on earth affects each other.

WAHES Standards:

• H1.Sa1.Ka – Identify safety hazards in the home.
• H1.Sa1.Kc – Identify fire, water, and sun safety rules.
• H1.Sa1.1a – Identify safety hazards in the school.
• H1.Sa1.1c – Understand fire, water, and sun safety rules.
• H1.Sa1.2a – Identify safety hazards in the community.
• H1.Sa1.2c – Describe emergency, fire, and safety plans at home and at school.

 

Internet source for parents

General Information:

• Kids Health – 
• Kids Health has individual webpages designed for parents, teachers and students. From the parent’s homepage, parents can click on a number of various health topics including topics that cover “healthy environment” like “first aid & safety”, “growth & development” or “school & family life”.  Each topic provides a list of relevant and informative articles for parents. Since the website is easy to navigate from the homepage, the web address could be sent home in a newsletter with a short description of how to navigate to the “parents” page and how to best utilize the information on the website, as well as a short description of which topics will be covered in class.