The health courses offered by Idaho Digital Learning for both Middle and High School are based on the foundational concept of health and wellness that is illustrated by the Health Triangle: Physical, Mental/Emotional, and Social Health. This concept reveals the interwoven relationship of these three aspects of a person’s health; and emphasizes that what happens in each area, impacts all others.
Our courses provide instruction relating to mental/emotional health, social health, and physical health. Units target nutrition, fitness, hygiene, and how lifestyle choices in these areas have a direct and profound impact on a person’s health. Other units target how to build and maintain good relationships, communication skills, conflict resolution, and decision making.
Mental health, stress, and coping strategies are covered in the curriculum; and risk taking behaviors identified, as well as ways to lower risks that impact aspects of health and wellness. Basic First Aid Skills, and facts about infectious disease, STD’s, and non-infectious disease are included in the curriculum. Finally, facts regarding substance abuse as it relates to alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and tobacco products are presented.
The main difference between high school and middle school health courses are these: Middle School Health includes one lesson in every unit that covers one body system; like cardiovascular, respiratory, and the immune system. There is a greater emphasis given to direct instruction on risk taking and types of risks in middle school. The thought behind this is that if students can learn to identify risks early in their development, they will have the skills and information they need to make better choices and avoid unnecessary risks.
Middle School Health has an emphasis on puberty, while High School Health emphasizes refusal skills, contraceptives, and pregnancy. Both have some content on STD’s, with a greater emphasis in the High School Health course. Content is presented in age appropriate ways in each course.
