Health and Physical Education Department

Dr. Erica Pratt, Director

Phone: 508-841-8856 Email: epratt@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Frameworks focuses on building resilience that promotes the ability to thrive, persevere and maintain a positive attitude.  Health Literacy is the capacity to obtain, understand and evaluate basic information.   Health Self-Management enables students to integrate and apply essential knowledge and skills with respect to their own health-related decisions and behaviors.  Health Promotion and Advocacy enables students to recognize and fulfill personal, social and civic responsibilities.  The purpose of comprehensive school health is to provide each student  with ongoing learning opportunities designed to maximize the prospect that each student will make positive decisions throughout life.  The course of study will enable students to examine the options available to today's youth and identify components that are high risk and to be avoided.  Our focus is on the promotion of wellness, not merely to prevent disease and disability.

Health Education at SHS incorporates standards and content outlined in the MA Comprehensive Health Curriculum Frameworks and provides opportunities for all students to develop and demonstrate health-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices.  Lessons integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health.  This instruction is part of a sequential program designed to reinforce knowledge & positive attitudes to contribute to optimum health and wellness. Physical education is an integral part of the total education of the student, contributing to the physical development of the individual through promotion and appreciation of physical fitness and activity.  Lessons are developed as a planned sequence of learning experiences designed to fulfill the growth, development, and behavior needs of each student.  We recognize the unique opportunity physical education has to contribute to social and emotional development, opportunities for positive peer group interaction, good sportsmanship, and proper self-discipline and control.

Health 9: Wellness (9016T)                                         

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade:  9                A Level                                     Prerequisite:  None                                        

The Wellness course is a graduation requirement for all freshmen. Emphasis is placed on health-related skills of analyzing influences, interpersonal communication, and decision making. The core content includes: Mental/emotional health including anti-bullying, substance abuse prevention focusing on addiction and current drug trends, sexuality focusing on reproduction and contraception. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Health 10: Healthy Living (9017T)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade 10                                                                       Prerequisite:  Health 9

The Healthy Living course is a graduation requirement for all sophomores.   Emphasis is placed on health-related skills of analyzing influences, goal setting, advocacy, and self-management.  The core content includes: CPR/AED and first aid training, nutrition including personal diet analysis and healthy choices, and anti-bullying.  This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Health 11: Lifelong Health (9018TT)                                                                 

Meets Expectations for Student Learning: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade: 11               A Level                            Prerequisite:  Health 10                                       

The Lifelong Health course is a graduation requirement for all juniors.  Emphasis is placed on the health-related skills of accessing information, advocacy, interpersonal communication.  The core content includes: Lifestyle and infectious disease prevention, bullying prevention, and lifelong health skills. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Global Health (9120)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Elective Semester Grade: 12         Prerequisite: Health 9,10, and 11

Students interested in fields of medicine, environmental, and influencing public policy would benefit greatly from this course.  Global Health is a multidisciplinary field that involves a blend of health and social sciences, such as biology, medicine, epidemiology, environmental science, anthropology, economics, and sociology. Students will have the opportunity to examine infectious diseases, lifestyle diseases, and mental illness while considering how society and culture influence our health. They will investigate barriers to solving global health issues, as well as explore solutions for improved global health. Potential topics include CVD, diabetes, and the obesity epidemic; HIV/AIDS, malaria, influenza, and tuberculosis; stress, depression, and anxiety; food supply, safety, and nutrition; and environmental and societal factors, such as climate change, big industry, economic disparities, and water availability. Students will analyze the relative importance of issues and practicality of solutions with discussion, debate, and position papers. Students who want to take this course for honors credit must execute a written agreement with the teacher for additional work. This course meets for 3 days of the 7-day rotation.

Physical Education 9-12

Physical Education is required for all students in every grade and must be passed each semester for graduation.  Students in grades 9 and 10 are scheduled into four strands of Adventure I, Creative Movement, Lifetime I and Team Sports. Orientation to the fitness center is presented to all students.  The physical fitness levels of students are assessed and recorded each year in a pre-test and post-test format.  Skill competencies, written assignments and class evaluations are incorporated into the units.  Each grade level is expected to show proficiency in the activities that are important for their personal development at the appropriate stage.

Adventure I (9108)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade(s):  9-10 A Level         Prerequisite:  None

Adventure I is a required course for 9th or 10th grade students and satisfies, in part, the physical education requirement for graduation. This course will allow students to progress through an experientially-based program that emphasizes interpersonal skills and individual growth. Throughout the semester, students will be encouraged to develop greater self-confidence while acquiring a sense of trust and commitment in their classmates. This course meets for 3 days during a 7-day rotation.  The Adventure Education strand includes: Icebreakers, Trust Activities, Low Outdoor Adventure Elements, Selected High Outdoor Adventure Elements, Indoor Rockwall

Creative Movement (9109)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade(s):  9-10 A Level           Prerequisite:  None

Creative Movement (CM) is a required course for 9th or 10th grade students and satisfies, in part, the physical education requirement for graduation. CM Introduces the fundamentals of movement through the development of basic dance techniques and comprehension of rhythm. Elements of dance composition are introduced and provide students with the opportunity to create individual and group work. The integration of basic yoga practices allows students to learn skills including relaxation, postures, breathing, concentration, meditation, and positive thinking. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.  The Creative Movement strand includes: Ice breakers, Swing, Waltz, Line Dancing, Hip Hop, Yoga, and Cardio Kickboxing.

Lifetime I (9107)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade(s):  9-10 A Level Prerequisite:  None

Lifetime I is a required course for 9th or 10th grade students and satisfies, in part, the physical education requirement for graduation. Lifetime leisure and recreational activities are purposefully designed to offer students experiences that will provide a foundation for leading a healthy, physically active lifestyle. The activities selected for this course are designed to teach skills associated with the enjoyment of individual and dual lifelong activity.  This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation. The Lifetime I strand includes: Icebreakers, Heart Rate Monitors, Fitness Orientation, Frisbee Activities, Golf, Tennis, Badminton

Team I (9106)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Required   Semester    Grade(s):  9-10 A Level Prerequisite:  None

Team I is a required course for 9th or 10th grade students and satisfies, in part, the physical education requirement for graduation. Introduction to basic rules and individual/ team skill development with practical application through game competition. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.  The Team Sports strand includes: Icebreakers, Group Initiative Activities, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Floor Hockey, Multicultural Games

Adventure II Physical Education (9115)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Elective Semester    Grade(s): 11 and 12 A Level         Prerequisite:  Adventure I

Adventure II is an elective course for 11th or 12th grade students and may be taken to meet, in part, a student's minimal physical education requirement or as an additional elective course. The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop teamwork and problem solving and goal-setting strategies while experiencing risk-taking challenges through the engagement of experiential education, cooperative games and upper-level challenge course activities. Students participate in the following activities:  Icebreakers, Trust Activities, Low Outdoors Adventure Elements, High Outdoors Adventure Elements. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Lifetime II Physical Education (9114)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning:  1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Elective Semester    Grade(s): 11 and 12 A Level              Prerequisite:  Lifetime I

Lifetime II is an elective course for 11th or 12th grade students and may be taken to meet, in part, a student's minimal physical education requirement or as an additional elective course. The purpose of this course is to enable students to reach the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day and encourage students to engage in these lifetime activities outside of the school day and beyond high school.  Students will participate in a variety of activities such as Icebreakers, Heart Rate Monitors, Orienteering/Geocaching, Mountain Biking, Lawn Games, Pickleball, and Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing -weather permitting.  This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Personal Fitness and Conditioning (9113)

Meets Expectations for Student Learning: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Elective Semester    Grade(s): 11 and 12 A Level                     Prerequisite:  None

Personal Fitness and Conditioning is an elective course for juniors and seniors and may be taken to meet a student's minimal physical education requirement or as an additional elective course. Students will examine the five health-related components of fitness and strategies to address each in their fitness training. Students will design and implement their own fitness program, use heart rate monitors, record their progress, and complete activity logs to monitor their success. This course meets for 3 days during the 7-day rotation.

Team Sports II (9116)

Meets expectations for Student Learning 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Elective Semester Grade(s) 11 and 12   A Level                     Prerequisite:  Team Sports I

Team II is an elective course for 11th or 12th grade students and may be taken to meet, in part, a student's minimal physical education requirement or as an additional elective course. Students will learn each game’s skills and techniques, and put them to the test in tournament play run by the students, through the Sport Education Model teaching system.  Students will rotate through different role-playing assignments, including, but not limited to, captains/coaches, fitness trainers, equipment managers,  statisticians/scorekeepers,  referees, and player perspectives. Through their experience in these positions of responsibility for running their team, the students will have a chance to ultimately gain valuable insight and lifetime carryover skills for supervision and management, along with information on each sport.  Team II strand includes activities such as Icebreakers, Flag Football, Soccer, Team Handball, Basketball

Foundations of Physical Education (9118)

Elective Semester Grade(s): 11 and 12                              Prerequisite:  Director’s Approval

This elective course may be taken to meet, in part, a student's minimal physical education requirement or as an additional elective course.  Students under the direction of the Physical Education teaching staff, serve as peer partners in a unified physical education setting.  Students have the opportunity to develop knowledge & skills that promote PE, wellness, sports & recreation activities for all abilities that can be incorporated into a physically active lifestyle.  Students will gain valuable physical activity experiences while working in a diverse setting that fosters leadership & teamwork in an inclusive environment. Course meets 3 days during the 7-day rotation.