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Homeschool High School: Teaching Health
Homeschool health requirements vary by state. Check your state homeschool law, and see what your state may require for health.
Both times I used Total Health, I combined it with their sports activities to make it a PE credit. I didn't list Health separately on their transcript. With their sports activities, I did have an EASY 150 hours of PE, and I did give them a full credit, but they were doing soccer, swim team and baseball at the time. If I had listed Total Health alone on the transcript, I think I would have given it 1/2 credit, because even with the tests and stuff, I don't think it would take the time for a full year at 1 hour a day to complete. In Washington state, we are required to teach health at some point in their lives, but they don't specify when or how much, so I had no requirement as to it being a whole credit in high school.
If you want to supplement, consider taking a CPR or basic first aid course, that would be great!
We really liked the books by Susan Boe. Written for Christian Schools, it’s assumes the student lives in a reasonably healthy environment, without sex or drugs. It covers physical, spiritual, and social health.
Total Health is a wonderful books, and both of my boys loved it. In fact, when I bought the first one, the kids ended up reading it on their own over summer before school even started. It had a wonderful tone, and had a nice balance between conservative concerns and some of the issues that Christian kids might face at school or youth group.
The Junior High or Middle School Book: Total Health: Talking About Life’s Changes by Susan Boe
The High School Book: Total Health: Choices for a Winning Lifestyle by Susan Boe
For younger students, we used “Passport to Purity” for a discussion about healthy dating from a Christian perspective.
For a more complete exploration of teaching homeschool health, read my article, Homeschool Health for High School.
Unless your state requires it, you don’t have to teach Health every year of high school. Some states want Health to be a requirement for graduation, but colleges generally don’t care about it much. Some colleges want to see students who take health as a separate course, while others assume it is included in Physical Education (PE) classes. More often, colleges don’t mention it as a requirement at all.
Both times I used Total Health, I combined it with their sports activities to make it a PE credit. I didn't list Health separately on their transcript. With their sports activities, I did have an EASY 150 hours of PE, and I did give them a full credit, but they were doing soccer, swim team and baseball at the time. If I had listed Total Health alone on the transcript, I think I would have given it 1/2 credit, because even with the tests and stuff, I don't think it would take the time for a full year at 1 hour a day to complete. In Washington state, we are required to teach health at some point in their lives, but they don't specify when or how much, so I had no requirement as to it being a whole credit in high school.
If you want to supplement, consider taking a CPR or basic first aid course, that would be great!
We really liked the books by Susan Boe. Written for Christian Schools, it’s assumes the student lives in a reasonably healthy environment, without sex or drugs. It covers physical, spiritual, and social health.
Total Health is a wonderful books, and both of my boys loved it. In fact, when I bought the first one, the kids ended up reading it on their own over summer before school even started. It had a wonderful tone, and had a nice balance between conservative concerns and some of the issues that Christian kids might face at school or youth group.
The Junior High or Middle School Book: Total Health: Talking About Life’s Changes by Susan Boe
The High School Book: Total Health: Choices for a Winning Lifestyle by Susan Boe
For younger students, we used “Passport to Purity” for a discussion about healthy dating from a Christian perspective.
For a more complete exploration of teaching homeschool health, read my article, Homeschool Health for High School.
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208 N Western St.
Amarillo, TX 79106
Phone: 1-888-533-2435
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 03:00 pm (PST)
Amarillo, TX 79106
Phone: 1-888-533-2435
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 03:00 pm (PST)
Comments 5
I just chuck A Beka Health at Big Sis each year, and she whips right through it. It's pretty good, although it tends to be a little biased sometimes. For example, the authors frown on Christian rock. Oh well, such things are good opportunities to discuss what we believe.
Christy, have him do the Public Health badge also. If you sign up as the MBC, you'll have control over the depth of some of the "interesting" discussions. Mine loved the trip to the wastewater treatment plant, and the Public Health office was actually interesting.
funny. the things we think we HAVE to do. In Texas, of course, I don't have to do health. I have a SOS 6th grade Health program that I was going to have N buzz through. On second thought, now that I've read this, don't think I will. He is doing a personal fitness merit badge for BSA. That's enough for me.
Kristine,
Just yesterday I saw a new Teaching Company course that I thought was extra-cool! They have a new class called "Nutrition Made Clear" and it looks just GREAT! You could include that as well.
Blessings,
Lee
PERFECT timing, Lee! I've been looking to add in one more class for my 9th grade dd, and I've been asking for health recommendations. The only thing suggested has been Total Health, and it's all been positive. In my searching, I knew you'd used this successfully with your boys. I've put the idea on the back burner for the last week or so, but now I think the Lord is telling me to choose this. I appreciate the link!