Health and Nutrition, Textbook (2nd edition)

Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition, 2nd edition covers what maturing students need to know to help them make the best choices they can for themselves as they become young adults.

Health is about stewardship: managing what you have as well as you can. This 15-module course covers the physical, nutritional, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual aspects of growing into a healthy adult. Students will study the human body systems, senses, genetics, temperaments, and physical influences on thoughts and feelings. The course respectfully covers mental illness and emotional stability, as well as the inestimable value of another human being, our culture, our biological sex as related to our gender roles, our families, socialization, communication skills, and conflict resolution skills. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of both macronutrients and micronutrients, including the importance of exercise and proper diet.

Parental Note: This is a full health textbook. Some students may not be mature enough to discuss some of the topics. The reproductive systems are covered in detail, including accurate, yet respectful, illustrations and descriptions. We respectfully discuss the act of marriage, sexual misconduct, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. We discuss alcohol and drug abuse, depression, pornography, and other topics that also require maturity. Please use your knowledge of your students to decide if this course is appropriate for their maturity levels.

General Topics Include:

• Practical topics include information on the things that students encounter every day, such as hydration and sleep. Realistic nutritional advice is presented in a form that allows students to take charge of their eating habits. And while most high school health courses only deal with physical health, Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition, 2nd edition recognizes that health is just as dependent on social, emotional, mental, and spiritual vitality.
• Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition, 2nd edition covers the difficult topics too. We live in a culture polluted by sexual dysfunction. Apologia designed this health curriculum to tell the truth to teens about the beauty of married sex, the developing baby, and the joy of being parents. We warn teens about the dalliance into immodesty, pornography, and casual sexual activity.
• Apologia also recognizes that some teens struggle, so we tackled the topics in a way that is gentle on the young person who struggles with mental illness, with a disability, or a poor prognosis. We emphasize that each person must do the best he or she can with what is given to them by God, who numbers our days. We even included a chapter on peace. We don’t seek peace as Americans; we distract and entertain ourselves and miss the rewards of simple living. Too often we have to get old before we discover the secret to peace. Apologia wants students to know the importance of peace in their day-to-day lives.

Course Credit Information for US students

• Elective – Students who are taking Health and Nutrition as an elective course need only the textbook which is specifically written to expand a student’s knowledge of topics typically not taught in high school. As such, its easily read, conversational style can enhance a student’s high school studies without additional burden. As an elective, students would be expected to read the text and complete the On Your Own questions to ensure they have comprehended the materials. The answers to the On Your Own questions are found at the end of each module. A student could easily finish the course in one semester, reading one module per week. This would be a 14-week course plan. However, it is also acceptable that a student would plan to read through a module every two weeks at his or her leisure. This would make a full-year, 28-week course.
• State Requirement – Students who are taking Health and Nutrition as a state requirement should also purchase the Student Notebook. The notebook contains projects, Study Guides, and exams for the student to complete for State credit. The answers to the On Your Own questions are found at the end of each module. The answers to the Study Guides and exams are found online at the Book Extra site for this title. A student could easily finish the course in one semester, reading one module per week. This would be a 14-week course plan. However, it is also acceptable that a student would plan to read through a module every two weeks at his or her leisure. This would make a full-year, 28-week course.