As a result of a Team Nutrition Training (TNT) Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) has available a number of free, innovative, research-based, interdisciplinary Planet Health curriculum developed and tested by the Harvard School of Public Health. The Planet Health curriculum has simple health themes integrated into physical education, language arts, math, science and social studies classes. The curriculum has been correlated to the Arkansas curriculum frameworks.
To receive the free, revised Planet Health curriculum, sixth eighth grade teachers must attend a workshop on implementation of the curriculum. Planet Health focuses on improving the health and well-being of students while building and reinforcing skills in language arts, math, science, social studies, and physical education. For maximum results, teachers should be willing to continue the curriculum for a minimum of three years.
Teachers previously trained in Planet Health have given it an enthusiastic thumbs-up! Planet Health is fun, flexible and comprehensive for students and teachers. The curriculum includes:
- 35 ready-to-use lesson plans, plus 31 micro units,
- Power Down, a two-week campaign to reduce television and other media viewing time, which can be launched in the classroom and school-wide,
- FitCheck, a self-assessment tool to help students track and improve activity levels, and
- CD-ROM with reproducible worksheets, parent information and newsletters and school health resources.
WHAT:
Planet Health Teacher Training Workshop
AUDIENCE:
Grade Six through Eight language arts, math, science, social studies, health, consumer economics and physical education teachers
TIME:
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. and/or 12:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m.
WHERE / WHEN:
South Central Coop., Camden June 4
Northwest Coop., Farmington June 8
Arch Ford Coop., Plumerville - June 10
DeQueen/Mena Coop., Gillham June 15
Crowleys Ridge Coop., Harrisburg June 17
North Central Coop., Melbourne June 23
Northeast Coop., Walnut Ridge June 24
Wilbur Mills Coop., Beebe - June 29
See ESC Works Event Calendar for location and registration. Each participant must register with ESC Works. If you need help with this, please contact your educational cooperative.
All participants in the workshop will receive a copy of the Planet Health curriculum FREE OF CHARGE. Each participant must agree to incorporate the curriculum into classroom instruction for the 2010-2011, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 School Years. Workshop attendance is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-received basis. Because grant funds are used to fund this project, the supply of curriculum is also limited. Advance notification will be given if there are insufficient quantities of the curriculum to provide each participant a copy. Multiple teachers from the same school will be allowed to attend the workshop if space is available, even if the curriculum is not. If additional funds become available, curricula will be provided to participants who attend and do not receive a copy at the workshop.