Life Skills/Health Education

Overview

Some of the TN Health Education & Lifetime Wellness Standards will be covered in Guidance Classes which will be taught by the School Counselor in grades 5-8, and through the 9th grade Lifetime Wellness course.

Monroe County Schools has purchased a curriculum titled, LifeSkills Training by Gilbert J. Botvin that addresses some of the TN Health Standards.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your child’s school. You may also view a copy of the curriculum online (below) or at your child’s school.

Life Skills Curriculum

Botvin Life Skills Training

5th Grade Health Lessons

1) Introduction: Intro to the program and class materials

2) Self Esteem Short-term goals; Long-term goals; Self-esteem journal

3) Decision-Making 3 Step Method to decision making; What decisions would you make; Decision-making journal

4) Smoking Information Smoking & society; Immediate and long-term effects; New smoking laws; Smoking info journal

5) Advertising How advertising affects you; Tricky techniques; Places where products are advertised; Creating a healthy product; Advertising journal

6) Dealing With Stress Brainstorming: stress through the ages; Time-wasters inventory; Time-management calendar; Study skills; Test-taking techniques; Stress journal

7) Communication Skills Listening is part of communication; Passive listening; Active listening; Communication journal

8) Social Skills Conflict resolution; Conflict styles; How does this scenario end; Social skills journal

9) Assertiveness Standing Up for your rights; Which is which; How do you react; Assertiveness journal

6th Grade Health Lessons

1) Introduction: Intro to the program and class materials

2) Self-image and Self-improvement Self-image and how it develops; How I see myself; Taking stock; Setting & achieving personal goals; recording my progress

3) Making Decisions Deciding things on your own; The 3 Cs of effective decision making; Everyday decisions; Putting the 3 Cs into practice; My decision-making planner

4) Smoking Myths and Realities Smoking myths & realities; Who’s using drugs; Smoking and your body; Other ways smoking can hurt you; My reasons for not smoking

5) Smoking and Biofeedback Immediate effects of cigarette smoking; Why smoking makes your heart beat faster; How to take your own pulse; My observations

6) Alcohol: Myths and Realities Drinking fact sheet; Reasons why many people don’t drink; Getting a grip on reality; My reasons for not drinking

7) Advertising Common advertising techniques; Practice analyzing ads; Practice analyzing tobacco & alcohol ads

8) Violence and the Media What is violence; Watching TV; Rating how anxious you feel

9) Coping with Anxiety How to decrease your anxiety; Dealing with anxiety; Rating how anxious you feel

10) Coping with Anger Staying in control; What really bugs me

11) Communication Skills Why are they important; Looking at a recent misunderstanding; Skills for avoiding misunderstandings; Applying Communication skills

12) Social Skills Getting over being shy; Tips for starting a conversation; Developing social skills; Social activities 13) Assertiveness How to be more assertive; Handling difficult situations; Refusal techniques- ways to say no; Assertive action plan

14) Resolving Conflicts Changing you and me to we- tips for resolving conflicts

7th Grade Health Lessons

1) Introduction: Intro to the program and class materials

2) Drug Abuse & Violence: Causes and Effects What is drug abuse; Initial causes of drug use; Why people use drugs; Becoming a drug abuser; Questions worth considering; Smoking experiment- video showing change in pulse & tremors

3) Making Decisions The 3Cs of effective decision-making; Putting the 3Cs into practice; Group decision-making planner

4) Media Influences The power of advertising; The purpose of advertising; Identifying advertising techniques; Practice analyzing tobacco and alcohol ads; Techniques for resisting media influence; Key points about advertising 5) Coping with Anxiety What makes people anxious; Rating how anxious you feel; Deep breathing; Progressive muscle relaxation; Preparation and practice; Mental rehearsal; Positive thinking

6) Coping with Anger Anger diary; Anger-keep it in our let it out; Staying in control

7) Communication Skills Types of communication; What causes misunderstandings; How to avoid misunderstandings; From misunderstanding to understanding; Action plans for impowering my communication

8) Social Skills How to get over being shy; Making contact- meeting new people; My own social script; The art of communication; Asking the right kinds of questions; Practicing social skills

9) Assertiveness Speaking Up for Yourself; What’s your refusal style; How does assertiveness look and sound; Practice saying no

10) Resolving Conflicts Observing Conflicts; What Would You Do

11) Resisting Peer Pressure Recognizing persuasive tactics; Dealing with peer pressure; Persuasive tactics exercise; Ways of saying no; Resisting peer pressure; Action plans for resisting peer pressure

8th Grade Health Lessons

1) Introduction: Intro to the program and class materials

2) Drug Abuse: Causes and Effects Why people use drugs; Understanding drug abuse; What’s my risk; Lowering my risk

3) Making Decisions Making decisions & solving problems; Following the 3 Cs (Clarify-Consider-Choose); Putting the 3 Cs into practice

4) Media Influences Sources of media influences; Resisting media influences; Looking at media influences; Resisting media influences to use drugs

5) Coping with Anxiety Controlling your body; Controlling your thoughts; Action plans for coping with anxiety

6) Coping with Anger That makes me mad; Staying in control; Reframing

7) Social Skills The art of conversation; Rating my social skills; Deep conversation; Practicing social skills

8) Assertiveness Standing up for yourself; The benefits of assertiveness; Saying no; How does assertiveness look and sound; Making requests and asserting rights; Expressing my feelings

9) Resolving Conflicts Conflict styles; Let’s compromise; What would you do

10) Resisting Peer Pressure Dealing with peer pressure; Ways of saying no; How to say no; Action plans for resisting peer pressure

Life Skills Resources & Links

State of Tennessee Health Education Standards