Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 1
Health and Wellness
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Health and Wellness
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Physical Education Health Core
Class: SHS 1
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 10
Grade code: 1.1.5.LI.2
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 5
Content standard code: 1.1.3.CS.1
Indicator code: 1.1.5.LI.2
Theme: Physical Activity and Health
Subtheme: Health and Wellness
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This lesson introduces the essential concepts of health and wellness. As Senior High School students, you are at a critical stage where the habits you form—how you eat, sleep, study, and interact with others—can significantly impact your academic performance and your future health. In Ghana today, we see a rise in lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, even among younger people. This is often due to adopting unhealthy habits like eating too much processed food and spending many hours sitting with phones or watching TV. This lesson will move beyond simply "not being sick" to understanding "wellness" as an active, lifelong journey of making positive choices.
This section breaks down the core ideas for this lesson. A. Differentiating Health and Wellness
Many people use these two words to mean the same thing, but they are different. Health: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." In simple terms: Health is about not being sick. If you don't have malaria or a broken bone, you might consider yourself healthy. It is a *state* or a condition at a specific time. Example: Ama has no fever and feels fine. We can say her *health* is good today. Wellness: This is a more active and holistic concept. Wellness is the *active process* of becoming aware of and making choices towards a healthy and fulfilling life. It's about striving for balance in your life. In simple terms: Wellness is the *action* you take every day to stay healthy and happy. It's not just about avoiding sickness, but about thriving. Analogy: Think of your body as a car. Health is the car not being broken down. Wellness is regularly checking the oil, putting in the correct fuel, washing it, and driving it carefully to enjoy your journey and prevent it from breaking down in the future. B. The Six Dimensions of Wellness
Wellness is multi-dimensional. To be truly "well," we need to pay attention to different parts of our lives. These dimensions all affect each other. Physical Wellness: This is about caring for your body. Explanation: It includes getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular physical activity. It also means avoiding harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Ghanaian Example: Choosing to eat `waakye` with plenty of vegetables (`gari`, spaghetti, salad) and one egg, instead of eating fried rice with three pieces of fried chicken every day. Participating in "Inter-Co" (inter-house sports competitions) or simply walking briskly to and from school. Emotional Wellness: This is about understanding and managing your feelings. Explanation: It involves being aware of your emotions (like stress, anger, sadness), accepting them, and knowing how to cope with them in a healthy way. It's about having a positive outlook on life. Ghanaian Example: Feeling stressed about the WASSCE is normal. Instead of becoming withdrawn or aggressive ("vexing"), you talk to your school counsellor, a trusted teacher, or a good friend about your fears. This is practicing emotional wellness. Social Wellness: This is about having positive relationships and a sense of belonging. Explanation: It involves communicating well with others, developing friendships, and contributing to your community. Humans are social beings; we need good connections to thrive. Ghanaian Example: Joining a school club like the Debate Club or Scripture Union, helping a classmate who is struggling with a topic, and maintaining a respectful relationship with your dormitory mates. Intellectual Wellness: This is about keeping your mind active and open to new ideas. Explanation: It involves being curious, creative, and a lifelong learner. It’s about challenging your mind and thinking critically, not just "chewing and pouring" information for exams. Ghanaian Example: Asking questions in class instead of just copying notes. Reading a book from the library that is not on the syllabus or watching an educational documentary online. Spiritual Wellness: This is about having a sense of purpose and meaning in life. Explanation: This can be achieved through religion, meditation, values, or a connection to nature. It’s about what you believe in and what gives your life direction. Ghanaian Example: For some, it might be attending church or mosque regularly. For others, it could be spending quiet time reflecting at the beach or a place like the Aburi Botanical Gardens, feeling a connection to something bigger than themselves. Environmental Wellness: This is about being in and contributing to a healthy environment. Explanation: It includes the health and safety of your immediate surroundings (your room, your school) and the larger environment (your community, your country). Ghanaian Example: Participating in a dormitory clean-up exercise, throwing your "pure water" sachet in the bin instead of on the ground, and appreciating the importance of protecting Ghana's forests and water bodies. C. Healthy vs. Unhealthy Lifestyles Healthy Lifestyle: A way of living that incorporates positive choices and behaviours to promote wellness and reduce the risk of disease. Key Elements: Balanced Diet: Eating a variety of foods from all food groups, with plenty of fruits and vegetables (e.g., `kontomire`, `garden eggs`, mango, orange). Limiting sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Regular Physical Activity: Aiming for at least 60 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, dancing, playing football or Ampe). Adequate Sleep: Getting 8-10 hours of quality sleep per night is crucial for your brain to consolidate learning and for your body to repair itself. Avoiding "apo" (all-night studying) is key. Stress Management: Finding healthy ways to cope with pressure, like listening to music, talking with friends, praying, or engaging in a hobby. Good Hygiene: Practicing regular handwashing, bathing, and keeping your surroundings clean to prevent infections. Avoiding Harmful Substances: Staying away from alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs like tramadol, which can destroy your body and your future. Unhealthy Lifestyle: A pattern of behaviour characterized by choices that are detrimental to one's health and wellness. Common Negative Behaviours (as seen among Ghanaian youth): Poor Dietary Habits: High consumption of cheap, processed, and fried foods ("fast food") like instant noodles, meat pies, and sugary drinks. This leads to obesity, diabetes, and heart problems later in life. Sedentary Behaviour: Spending excessive hours sitting—watching movies, playing video games, or on social media. This lack of movement is linked to weight gain and poor physical fitness. Substance Abuse: Experimenting with or regularly using alcohol, cigarettes, shisha, or dangerous drugs like tramadol. This can lead to addiction, serious organ damage (liver, brain), mental health issues, and dropping out of school. Sleep Deprivation: Regularly sleeping for less than 7 hours due to social media use late at night, watching movies, or poor time management. This impairs concentration, memory, and academic performance. Risky Sexual Behaviour: Engaging in unprotected sex, which can lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies, drastically altering a young person's life.
Guided Practice (With Solutions)