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FEBRUARY

Healthy Relationships | Healthy Valentine's Day Celebration | Physical Activity

Healthy Relationships

Learn about the communication, consent, and respect that goes into a healthy relationship.

Communications

• Bulletin Board
  • Use the “Love is Respect” slogan to frame your bulletin board.
  • Make a “Our Hands Are Not For Hurting” banner with the handprints of students, they can also write something next to their hand that they do use their hands for (example: my hands are for painting, my hands are for playing guitar, my hands are for throwing a football, my hands are for holding, my hands are for writing, etc.) You could also take pictures of students’ hands with similar statements written or painted on them.
  • Post an example of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence Teen Power & Control Wheel for a good visual of the different types of violence that can be experienced (it’s not just physical).
  • Take pictures of students holding cards/signs saying what love is to them.

• School Announcements
  
  • “There are a lot of different things that might make you attracted to someone, but having a healthy relationship with your partner is about more than attraction; it requires respect, trust and open communication."
  • “Whether you’re looking for a relationship or are already in one, make sure you and your partner agree on what makes a relationship healthy. It’s not always easy, but everyone deserves a healthy relationship!"

Learning for Students 

• Review the Loveisrespct “Dating Basics” with your students. Facilitate a discussion on what makes a healthy relationship.
• Present OUSD's Consent and Sexual Harassment lesson plan/guide slides.

Activities

• Create an “Our Hands are Not for Hurting” banner. Have students paint their handprints on the banner and write something their hands are for (such as my hands are for gardening, my hands are for playing guitar, etc.).  
• Go over OUSD Safe Touch Lesson for Grade TK to 3.
• Go over discussion questions and activities from KidsHealth Healthy Relationships Teacher's Guide for Grades 6 to 8.
• Use KidsHealth Healthy Relationships Teacher's Guide for Grade 9 to 12 to facilitate a discussion on the different types of abuse (emotional, physical, verbal, sexual), go over dating violence statistics and talk about the importance of addressing this issue at a young age. 
• Conduct the Loveisrespect Relationship Spectrum exercise with students to help them better understand the differences between healthy to unhealthy to abusive behavior.

Resources to Share 

• Why She Stayed: Ray Rice Video Sheds Light on Domestic Violence
• Loveisrespect Teen Safety Plan
• Contact OUSD Sexual Health Education Program Manager, Ilsa Bertolini (ilsa.bertolini@ousd.org, 510-879-4607) for more resources.

Healthy Valentine's Day Celebrations

We encourage healthy snack options and/or non-food celebrations for Valentine's Day.

Communications

• Flyer/Poster
  
  • OUSD Healthy Valentine's Day ideas

Activities

• Heart shaped cookie cutters to cut out fruit, vegetables, cheese, etc.
• Nourish Interactive activity pages about foods that help your heart, including red fruits and vegetables
• All students sit in chairs in a circle with one student in the middle who says "I love my neighbor who ___ (adjective e.g. "likes swimming") __" Then all kids who match that adjective have to find a new seat. Last student without a seat is in the middle and starts again "I love my neighbor who..."

Resources to Share

• OUSD Healthy Valentines Letter to Parents Template
• SHAPE America tools to build a Heart Healthy School
  

Physical Activity

This month, think about ways to encourage being active! This is the time to prepare for the California Physical Fitness Test! Remember, physical education is not about “getting sweaty”. It is about students receiving high quality, intentional instruction that equips each student with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to PLAN, CARRY OUT, EVALUATE, and ADJUST their own physical activity endeavors and responses across their lifespan.

Communications

• Bulletin Board
  • Post pictures of students being active, whether during recess/free time or during physical education class, or of teams if your school has organized team sports.
  • Highlight the benefits of exercise. Co-create this list with students.
    • Fun
    • Better concentration/more focus
    • More energy
    • Increased flexibility
    • Better sleep
  • Create a list of all the ways students can be safely physically active outside of school:
    • If you need to run errands close by, walk or bike instead of taking the bus or sitting in a car, as long as you feel safe to do so.
    • Go on a hike this weekend.
    • Take a walk around Lake Merritt or along the beach.
• School Announcements
  • “Every year in the early spring, OUSD students in the 5th, 7th and 9th grades join students statewide to take the California Physical Fitness Test. This year's assessment dates are on [DATES]. Students are encouraged to participate to the best of their ability and using their best efforts."
  • “Research shows that physical activity increases growth and function of brain cells, like fertilizer for the brain! Physical activity produces chemicals in the brain that increases focus and feelings of calmness."

Learning for Students 

• Take advantage of Active Learning Opportunities iin the classroom from Action for Heatlhy Kids.

Activities

• Follow GoNoodle physical activity videos to get students moving!
• Incorporate Action for Healthy Kids classroom activity breaks like brain breaks or stretching to increase movement in the classroom (in English and Spanish).

Resources

• Find activities at Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development and explore a park!
• Discover the Forest or park near you.