The Human Ecology program is designed to help students:
1. Increase their understanding of their own attributes, values and attitudes, and how these impact their lives;
2. Increase their understanding of, and respect for, the attributes, values and attitudes of others;
3. Increase their self-reliance and decrease their dependence on outside influences;
4. Learn and develop skills that contribute to health enhancing behaviors over the lifetime;
5. Gain knowledge about, and respect for, mankind and his total environment. Many different topics are covered in the Human Ecology Program, drawn from: the NYS syllabus, the new NYS Guidance Document, parents’ recommendations and students.
61050 HUMAN ECOLOGY
1 semester, 1/2 credit, Grades 11-12
This course will use classroom discussion to help students use the information obtained from books, articles, consultants, the media, classmates and videos in their preparation for making health decisions. This course explores how knowledge, feelings and health skills contribute to health behaviors. Students use classroom activities and learn a variety of skills to convey, receive and exchange information, thoughts and feelings, clearly and effectively. Students will have the opportunity to clarify their own values and increase their understanding of, and interaction with, others. Students receive functional knowledge based on the priority risk behaviors outlined by the United States Centers for Disease Control, NYS Commissioner’s Regulations, health and peer reviewed research, and scientifically researched-based programs and curricula. The functional knowledge areas include: Physical Activity and Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Sexual Risk, Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Family Life/Sexual Health, Unintentional Injury, Violence Prevention and Parenting Education.
In addition to the NY State Guidance Document, the Niskayuna School District has Performance Standards for each of the content areas covered in this course. These are available through the office of the district director of health education. This course fulfills the New York State Health, Drug Education and Parenting Education requirements. This course explores how knowledge, feelings and health skills contribute to health behaviors. Students in this class use classroom activities to practice a variety of skills to convey, receive and exchange information, thoughts and feelings clearly and effectively. Due to the mature nature of the subjects covered in the course, students are required to take this course during their junior year or senior year.