Health Education Annotations by Cailyn Cadigan

Mental and Emotional Health

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 14:53:34 UTC

This article on mental and emotional health from CBS News discusses how in Texas suicide is the second leading cause of death for students ages 10 and older. Tashina Calhoun is on a mission to make sure children and schools are safe. Through her non-profit One-belief organization Calhoun gives mental health presentations at schools across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. In attempts to help kids learn to process their emotions in ways that don't end in violence against themselves or others. There's growing evidence that social media can lead to harassment, affect body image, and exacerbate mental health issues. She believes that if we teach students how to critically evaluate what they see online and how algorithms work, we may see a significant difference in statistics.

This pertains to teaching health to elementary students because this involves their age group. Most students have access to social media at home, so if we teach the students at a young age how to properly manage social media this can save a child's life. A way teachers can help children learn about the dangers of social media is by reminding students to stay off technology and teaching the students about daily affirmations. It is essential for teachers to know about this topic because their students are taking their own lives. If a teacher became educated about this topic it could save students lives.

Vandergriff, C. (2023, May 15). The destructive impact of social media on Teens’ Mental Health. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/destructive-impact-social-media-teens-mental-health/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

Healthy Eating

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 15:06:09 UTC

This article on healthy eating from CBS News discusses that over 100 schools across 11 northern Colorado school districts are partnering with the state's largest medical provider to improve healthy eating habits. It is called the "5210+ challenge". This challenge states that each student must indulge in five fruits and vegetables every day. Two hours or less of recreational screen time. One is one hour of activity every day. Zero is zero sugary drinks. The plus sign stands for getting at least nine hours of sleep per night. This article pertains to teaching health to elementary students because the students are the ones completing the challenge. Teachers can educate their students about this challenge and encourage students to try it out for themselves. This is essential for teachers to know about because it is important for students to know about healthy lifestyle choices early on.

Thomas, D. (2023, February 22). UCHealth and 129 Northern Colorado Schools Partner to promote healthy eating. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/uchealth-northern-colorado-schools-healthy-eating/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h

Preventing Tobacco Use

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 15:25:21 UTC

This article on preventing tobacco use from CNN News discusses how there has been a 1% decrease in high schoolers smoking e-cigarettes since last year. However among middle school students, overall tobacco use increased from 4.5% to 6.6%, and use of multiple tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco. Even though the percentage has slightly dropped for high schoolers the work is far from over. Smoking cigarettes is the “leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. This is why teachers must address to the students about the harmful impacts of smoking. In the classroom, teachers can share news articles, pictures, and facts to prevent students from smoking. It is essential that teachers know about this topic, so they can stop addiction before it starts. Teaching the students at a young age can prevent them from smoking in the future.

Hassan, C. (2023, November 3). Youth tobacco use rates declined slightly in us, but “work is far from over,” health officials say. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/02/health/youth-tobacco-rates-decline-survey/index.html

Personal Health and Wellness

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 15:49:39 UTC

This article on personal health and wellness from National Institute on Drug Abuse discusses how Anti-poverty programs may help reduce disparities in brain development and mental health symptoms in children. States that provide stronger social safety nets have lower socioeconomic disparities in the brain development and mental health of children 9 to 11 years old, according to research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The disparity in brain structure between children from high- versus low-income households was more than a third lower in states with greater cash assistance than in those offering less, and the disparity in mental health symptoms was reduced by nearly a half. This pertains to teaching health in elementary school because some of these students may have delayed brain development due to socioeconomic disparities. It is important that we are aware of students' backgrounds so we can assist as needed. It is essential for teachers to be aware of this because the teacher may be unaware of why the student is struggling in school. Knowing more about their personal lives outside of school can help develop a plan for the students' assisted learning.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, October 9). Anti-poverty programs may help reduce disparities in brain development and mental health symptoms in children. National Institutes of Health. https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2023/05/anti-poverty-programs-may-help-reduce-disparities-brain-development-mental-health-symptoms-children

Current Events

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 15:51:00 UTC

Mental and Emotional Health

Healthy Eating

Preventing Tobacco Use

Personal Health and Wellness

Preventing Drug/Alcohol Use

Gender/ Sexual Identity

Safety and Preventing Unintentional Injury

Intentional Violence/ Injury

Preventing Drug/Alcohol Use

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 16:09:01 UTC

This article on preventing drug/alcohol use from CNN News discusses how more than 1 in 6 US adults and adolescents had a substance abuse disorder in 2022. Of those, about 30 million people had an alcohol use disorder, and 27 million had a drug use disorder, including about 6 million with an opioid use disorder. About 8 million people had both alcohol and drug use disorders, the survey found. About 1 in 5 adolescents ages 12 to 17 – nearly 5 million – had had a major depressive episode in the past year. President Joe Biden has requested billions of dollars to strengthen substance use disorder services and address drug trafficking. This article pertains to elementary students because once they transition from elementary school to middle school they are exposed to more drug and alcohol use. It is essential that teachers are informed about this topic because it is affecting their students from previous years. If they had a conversation about this before

McPhillips, D. (2023, November 13). More than 1 in 6 US adults and adolescents had a substance use disorder in 2022, Federal Survey finds. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/13/health/substance-use-disorder-mental-health-survey/index.html

Gender/ Sexual Identity

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 16:26:20 UTC

This article on gender/sexual identity from The Washington Post discusses how new Florida rules target the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools. The college board states, “Please know that we will not modify our courses to accommodate restrictions on teaching essential, college-level topics”. They share that colleges would not accept the course for credit, and the course would not prepare students for success in the discipline. They believe that it lacks educational value therefore it is not necessary to teach. This information pertains to teaching health to elementary students because there may be students that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. It is essential for teachers to be informed about this topic so teachers can advocate for their students, and ensure that students feel comfortable and accepted in all classrooms.

Anderson, N. (2023, June 16). College Board defends AP course amid Florida restrictions on LGBTQ lessons. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/06/15/florida-ap-psychology-college-board/

Safety and Preventing Unintentional Injury

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 16:44:14 UTC

This article on safety and preventing unintentional injury from PBS News discusses how swim safety advocates aim to overcome historical racial inequalities. A surprising number of American children cannot swim. Part of this issue comes from access and restrictions rooted in racism that have kept generations of swimmers out of pools. In the United States, an average of 11 people are drowning everyday, meaning we are losing 4,000 people a year due to drowning. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black children are 1.5 times more likely, and Native American children are two times more likely than white children to die of drowning. This pertains to elementary students because some of these children could be in danger around water if they do not know how to swim. It is essential that teachers are informed about this so teachers can try to infiltrate swimming lessons into the curriculum. By doing so, you are having the students work with professionals and teaching them an important life skill.

Jibilian, I. (2023, October 21). Swim safety advocates aim to overcome historic racial inequities. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/swim-safety-advocates-aim-to-overcome-historic-racial-inequities

Intentional Violence/ Injury

ccadigan233_ — 2023-11-14 17:00:20 UTC

This article on intentional injury and violence from PBS News discusses how a Brooklyn subway gunman who shot 10 people in a 2022 attack was sentenced to life in prison. James waited until the trains were between stations, then ignited multiple smoke bombs, and fired a 9 mm handgun. Witnesses say James walked calmly out of the station and vanished. He received a life sentence on 10 counts and 10 years for an 11th count for discharging a firearm during an act of violence. This information pertains to teaching elementary students because it is important to inform them to always stay with an adult and communicate a plan with parents or guardians in case of emergency. A way that teachers can inform students about this topic is by reviewing safety tips and precautions with students. This allows the students to be knowledgeable about how to react if an emergency arises.

Calvan, B. C., & Offenhartz, J. (2023, October 6). Brooklyn subway gunman who shot 10 people in 2022 attack sentenced to life in prison. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/brooklyn-subway-gunman-who-shot-10-people-in-2022-attack-sentenced-to-life-in-prison