Your Genes, Your Future • Buy this video VHS | DVD

• review healthy behaviors;
• choose one of their own behaviors they'd like to change or improve; and
• write a letter to themselves pledging to make that change, detailing why it's important to their health and outlining how they might enact the change.

• Computer with Internet access
• Print and online resources about healthy behaviors (exercise) and dangerous and unhealthy behaviors (smoking, taking drugs, drinking alcohol)

1. After watching the video, ask students: How would you describe a healthy person? Write their answers on the board. Possible answers include
   • exercises often,
   • eats healthy foods,
   • doesn't eat a lot of junk food,
   • doesn't do drugs, and
   • talks about their problems with someone.

2. Ask students to write down an aspect of their lifestyle that they'd like to change or improve-for example, "eat a healthier diet" or "get more exercise." Then, have them to list one or two specific ways they could make that change-for example, "eat five fruits and vegetables every day" or "take walks after school, at least three times a week."
    
   
3. Explain that they're going to research the lifestyle aspect they'd like to change and then create an action plan in the form of a letter to themselves.
    
   
4. Once students have chosen a lifestyle aspect to change, give them this list of questions to address in their letter:
   • What aspect of your health would you like to improve?
   • Why is this change important to your health? What could happen if you don't make this change?
   • What behavior do you need to modify? Explain one or two specific behavior changes you can make.
   • Imagine how changing this habit would improve your life.

5. Have students use print and online resources in their research. These Web sites contain helpful information:

   Food and Fitness

   TeensHealth: Food and Fitness
   http://websrv01.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/

   Discovery Health: Nutrition Center
   http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutrition/nutrition.html

   USDA: The Food Guide Pyramid
   http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm

   FDA: Guidance on How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Panel on Food Labels
   http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html

   Dole: 5 a Day
   http://www.dole5aday.com/index.jsp

   Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol

   TeensHealth: Drugs and Alcohol
   http://websrv01.kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/

   Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
   http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/

   National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency: Facts and Information
   http://www.ncadd.org/facts/youdir.html

   The Addiction Cycle
   http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/TheRecoveryPage/Addcycle.html

   Scholastic: Real News about Drugs and Your Body
   http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/headsup/index.htm

   Depression

   Discovery Health: Diseases and Conditions Encyclopedia: Depression
   http://health.discovery.com/diseasesandcond/encyclopedia/2847.html

   Teen Health: Depression
   http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/depression.html

   Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance: Depression
   http://www.dbsalliance.org/Info/depression.html

6. Because students' letters may be personal, you shouldn't share them with the class. Instead, ask students to pull a few lines or a short paragraph that they believe might motivate another student wishing to change the same habit. Tell them that these quotes will be anonymously posted on a "healthy habits" board.

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• Three points:Students were highly engaged in class discussions; wrote a detailed, thorough letter answering all of the questions provided.
• Two points:Students participated in class discussions; wrote a satisfactory letter answering most of the questions provided.
• One point:Students participated minimally in class discussions; wrote a simplistic letter answering few or none of the questions provided.

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depression
Definition:A medical condition that leads to intense, prolonged feelings of sadness or despair
Context:A person suffering from depression may lose interest in things they enjoy, feel tired or irritable, or experience a change in appetite.

diet
Definition:The food and drink that a person consumes; a balanced diet is based on the scientific principles that healthful foods and appropriate nutrients must be consumed each day.
Context:Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.

drugs
Definition:Substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, and cocaine, which are unhealthy, often illegal, and can lead to addiction
Context:Although alcohol and nicotine are legal drugs, they can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs like marijuana and heroin.

Food Guide Pyramid
Definition:A visual representation of the number of recommended daily servings in each of the six food groups
Context:According to the Food Guide Pyramid, people should eat two to three servings of dairy foods, like milk or cheese, every day.

nutrients
Definition:Substances, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, found in foods that people need to stay healthy
Context:Eat a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need to stay healthy.

nicotine
Definition:A poisonous substance derived from tobacco; the substance that causes addiction to cigarettes
Context:When people smoke cigarettes, nicotine enters their bloodstream.

tobacco
Definition:The dried leaves of the plant Nicotiana tabacum or related species
Context:Tobacco, used in cigarettes and chew, contains the poisonous substance nicotine.

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• Science as Inquiry: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Life Science: Structure and function in living systems; Regulation and behavior
• Science in Personal and Social Perspectives: Personal health; Risks and benefits

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