Key Components of the Curriculum

Awareness

Understand the curriculum and have knowledge to implement it

Exploration

Use the curriculum and experiment in some areas of teaching

Synthesis

Adapt teaching to help students achieve curriculum objectives

Refinement

Fine-tune and improve use of the curriculum

Dimensions of Wellness

• am aware that Wellness 10 focuses on balancing the four dimensions of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual.

• understand that the spiritual dimension can be addressed in many ways and does not necessarily require religious instruction.

• have students complete the Wellness Inventory in Unit 1.

• have students review their Wellness Inventory during Unit 2 and use it to guide their physical activity action plan. (Physical dimension)

• have students review their Wellness Inventory during Unit 2 and use it to inform their decision making about adding a stress management technique to their action plan. (Psychological dimension)

• review the Inventory during Unit 5 to inform student decision making about volunteering in the community. (Social and spiritual dimensions)

• design my Wellness 10 program to ensure that the four dimensions of wellness receive equitable attention over the length of the course.

• provide time, at the end of each week, for students to reflect upon those dimensions of wellness that we have focused on during the week.

• work with the wellness liaison committee to seek out community members who are striving to attain, or have attained, balance among the dimensions of wellness and are willing to share their experiences with students.

• encourage the wellness liaison committee to support Wellness 10 students, teachers and the overall program by promoting a school and community environment that is conducive to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health.

Decision-making process

• attended a workshop designed as an orientation to the renewed Wellness 10 curriculum.

• understand that Health Education (grades 1-9), Wellness 10, and Life Transitions 20, 30 are all taught through a decision-making process.

• use Levels A and B in each unit and in each strand of unit 2 and Level C in at least two strands ‑ Physical Activity and Fitness and Stress Management.

• have all students design and carry out a two-strand action plan of Physical Activity and Fitness and Stress Management.

• use Levels A, B, and C in all of the strands of wellness throughout unit 2.

• encourage and assist students to add a third strand to their action plans ‑ Leisure, Healthy Eating, or Relationships.

• use Levels A , B, and C throughout units 2, 3, 4, and 5.

• encourage and assist students who want to design and carry out action plans in units 4 or 5.

Assessment and evaluation

• attended an orientation workshop and realize that the renewed curriculum guide features a variety of student assessment techniques.

• understand that assessment is the process of gathering data and evaluation is the process of making a judgment based upon that assessment data.

• understand that student assessment and evaluation techniques are to be linked to instructional methods and, subsequently, to curriculum objectives.

• try some of the student assessment techniques suggested in each sample lesson and sample unit.

• share the assessment criteria with students.

• use the assessment data in evaluating student progress within each of Levels A, B, and C of the decision-making process.

• discuss the evaluation process with students.

• have all students design and carry out a two-strand action plan of Physical Activity and Fitness and Stress Management.

• continue to broaden my repertoire of assessment techniques.

• involve students in determining assessment criteria and in designing assessment tools.

• use assessment techniques that are linked to the learning objectives and instructional methods as well as the decision-making process.

• involve students in determining weighting of assessment projects for unit evaluations.

• use a variety of student assessment techniques in learning experiences that I have developed myself.

• ensure that the student assessment techniques employed in teacher-developed units are directly linked to learning objectives and to the decision-making process.

• adapt assessment techniques or choose alternate assessment techniques that allow students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

• support students in designing assessment instruments and in self-assessment activities.

• attended an orientation workshop and noticed that the renewed curriculum guide features a variety of instructional methods from a range of instructional strategies.

• understand that instructional methods are linked to curriculum objectives.

• know that 100 hours is the prescribed instructional time for Wellness 10 and that 60-75 hours of Wellness 10 content is delivered through physical activities ‑ where students are physically active.

• realize that physical activity is used as a vehicle to teach important understandings of Wellness 10.

• understand that some portions of Wellness 10 are more efficiently and effectively taught in a classroom setting.

• try some of the suggested instructional methods within each unit.

• try some of the suggested instructional methods for teaching important understandings of wellness while students participate in physical activities.

• plan for a range of activities from each activity area.

• try some of the suggested instructional methods for teaching important understandings of wellness that are not addressed through physical activity.

• continue to broaden my repertoire of instructional methods.

• use a variety of instructional methods that are directly linked to the learning objectives in each strand and unit.

• qmethods that are directly linked to the decision-making process (i.e., instruction most conducive to students reflecting, researching, generating alternatives, and so on).

• am able to adapt instruction for the benefit of all students by substituting appropriate instructional methods.

• choose a range of activities from each activity area based upon the needs and interests of students.

• use a variety of instructional methods in learning experiences that I have developed myself.

• select instructional methods that are most suited to the learning objectives as well as the decision-making process.

• select instructional methods to address student needs and strengths and alternative methods to broaden students’ learning abilities.

• involve students in choosing a range of activities from each activity area in order to attain or maintain personal wellness.

• understand that the renewed Wellness 10 curriculum is resource-based.

• know that the majority of essential print resources required to successfully teach each unit are provided as appendices in the curriculum guide or are available on the Internet, and these resources are identified in the At a Glance charts located at the beginning of each unit.

• know that a copy of the bibliography is distributed to each school.

• am aware that the bibliography is also posted on the Saskatchewan Learning web site and is available from Curriculum Distribution Services (787-5987).

• realize that the teacher’s responsibility is to select and use resources that support students in achieving the curriculum objectives.

• realize that resources include equipment and facilities that support students in achieving the curriculum objectives related to physical activity and fitness.

• work with the teacher-librarian to gather existing resources and evaluate them to decide which ones are suitable to support units 1-5.

• am familiar with the school division materials selection policy that includes procedures for selecting resources.

• know the name of the wellness and health promotion contact person in the local health region.

• know the name of the Saskatchewan Physical Education Association (SPEA) contact person in the region.

• encourage students to help collect print (e.g., newspaper and magazine articles), non-print (e.g., Internet, radio, television), and other resources that can be used to support student achievement of the curriculum objectives.

• work with the teacher-librarian and resource-based learning consultant to gather new resources and evaluate them to decide which ones can be used to support all students throughout units 1-5.

• use the bibliography and annual updates as guides to order new resources for units 1-5.

• collaborate with health educators and health care professionals within the health region and community to plan for student achievement of curriculum objectives.

• have developed a resource list of individuals and organizations within the community that are available to support the Wellness 10 program.

• work with the teacher librarian, resource-based learning consultant, and other individuals/groups such as the wellness liaison committee, to select new resources for units 1-5.

• use a variety of print and non-print resources, including human resources, and websites to accommodate the special needs of some learners in achieving the learning objectives within the provincial curriculum.

Prescribed instructional time

• know that 100 hours is the prescribed instructional time for Wellness 10.

• know that the time allocated for unit 1 is 5 hours, for unit 2 is 60 hours, for unit 3 is 5 hours, for unit 4 is 15 hours, and for unit 5 is 15 hours.

• understand the rationale for providing students with a balanced menu of physical activity.

• work with in-school administrators to schedule appropriate instructional time allotments for the gymnasium and for a classroom.

• teach the five units within their allocated times.

• prepare a yearly/semester plan that provides students with a balanced menu of physical activities.

• teach units 4 and 5 within their allocated times but do so throughout the semester or year, as determined by student needs or interests.

• prepare a yearly/semester plan that provides a balanced menu comprised of an increasing number of lifelong activities.

• plan for wellness classes in the gym, classroom, and community agencies/ organizations/facilities.

• provide opportunities for students to assume more responsibility for their wellness by helping them prepare action plans that involve participation in lifelong activities outside of scheduled Wellness 10 class time.

Wellness liaison committee

• attended an orientation workshop and learned that a liaison committee continues to be recommended.

• am increasingly aware of the value of such a committee.

• am working with in-school administrators, school division administrators, health region personnel, Elders or band council, and parents to create a liaison committee consisting of the principal, a trustee, health professional, health promotion contact from the health region, clergy member, parent, students, and others.

• work with other wellness teachers and the principal to provide the liaison committee with an overview of Wellness 10.

• work with the wellness liaison committee, in-school administrators, and school division administrators as they define roles and responsibilities for supporting Wellness 10.

• work with committee members and other wellness teachers on a variety of activities (e.g., gathering, evaluating, and acquiring materials). The committee may also support wellness in the school by collaborating with the health region and community agencies.

• benefit from the work of the liaison committee as it supports wellness in a direct fashion while indirectly supporting Comprehensive School Health among students, teachers, and the community.

Comprehensive school health and School Plus

• understand the Comprehensive School Health framework.

• understand that the Comprehensive School Health Framework represents the philosophy of wellness.

• understand how Comprehensive School Health and Wellness 10 support and promote the changing role of the school as defined in School Plus.

• plan an information night and invite parents/caregivers to attend. At the information night, I provide an overview of the wellness curriculum including the HIV/AIDS education unit. I also describe the opt-out process regarding unit 3.

• provide parents, the wellness liaison committee, health region, and community agencies with an overview of Comprehensive School Health and, as a starting point, their role in supporting the HIV/AIDS education unit within such a framework.

• share responsibility for working toward School Plus by nurturing the development of the whole child - physical, psychological, social, and spiritual.

• work with partners at the school, neighbourhood, school division, and health region to establish the four components of Comprehensive School Health (i.e., instruction, support services, social supports, and healthy physical environment) within units 2 and 3.

• share responsibility for achieving Wellness 10 objectives within a School Plus environment by working with community partners and other human service providers to nurture the development of the whole child.

• plan each of units 1-5 confident of the support of parents, the wellness liaison committee, community agencies, and appropriate health region resources.

• continue to work with some partners and add others to support units 4 and 5 within a Comprehensive School Health Framework.

• share with other teachers of Wellness 10, effective practices that encourage partnerships and actions at the local/school level among teachers, human service providers, families, and community members/agencies to implement School Plus.