This course is an in-depth evaluation of health and wellness, exploring all aspects of health, including physical, emotional, and social well-being. We cover anatomy and body systems as a basis for understanding the body. We take a refreshing look at diet; while examining in detail the components of food, we also simplify the elements of diet to make it accessible. Some of the many topics covered are personal health care, drugs, sexuality, aging, alternative medicine, and the environment and health. An integral part of the course is fitness; students engage in a regular aerobic and strength building fi tness program, using a heart rate monitor as a tool. Students learn the value of exercise for optimal brain function. This course includes a variety of project choices, including research, interviews, multi-media presentations, introspection, and more. The course reading incorporates cutting edge research, and students are encouraged to tune into the media for health related topics. Societal and medical influences on diet and health are explored. The following books are included with this course:
Oak Meadow Integrated Health & Fitness Syllabus
Health: Making Life Choices (McGraw-Hill)
Human Anatomy Coloring Book (Matt)
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (Ratey)
In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto (Pollan)

Oak Meadow students can meet their Physical Education requirements in many ways. For example, students may belong to a local gym, take formal lessons in martial arts, or take swimming at the YMCA. For students who are not taking formal lessons or who may not belong to a gym, their PE requirements can still be met by keeping a log of the physical activities they are involved in.