Welcome to our Wikispace
for your Healthy Children's Book Project!

Tips for Writing a Children's Picture Storybook:

• Most picture books average 30 pages
• Text should be organized into simple sentences and short paragraphs
• Active verbs will keep the story vivid
• Literary tools like repetition, rhyme, alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, personification and imagery are commonly used devices in children's literature
• Main Character should have one or two easily identifiable and dominant traits.
• Present the traits of your character through text and illustrations
• Limit your story to just one main conflict that the main character must overcome
• Your story must teach a lesson in the resolution of the conflict and the lesson MUST be a Healthy Message!

Use the wikispace as a tool for collaboration for your group. IF THE WIKI BECOMES A DISTRACTION AND IS NOT HELPFUL I WILL REMOVE YOUR GROUP'S ACCESS AND YOU WILL WORK WITH PEN AND PAPER THE WHOLE TIME.

Your work product should ultimately be a computer generated book with illustrations, a cover and pages which can be reproduced and shared with elementary level students.


1) Please Read the following content information as it applies to your chosen health issue!!!

If your group chose HIV as your health issue please include the following functional knowledge according to NYS for Elementary level students;

1. HIV/AIDS is a disease that is causing some adults to get very sick, but it does not commonly affect children
2. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
3. Individuals cannot get HIV/AIDS by being near of touching someone who has it
4. Some viruses cause disease and can be transmitted from an infected individual to an uninfected individual through various means.
5. HIV/AIDS is caused by a virus that weakens the ability of infected individuals to fight off disease
6. Scientists are working hard to find a way to stop people from getting HIV/AIDS and to cure those who have it

If your group chose a health issue relating to Family Life and Relationships, please read and include some of the following functional knowledge for elementary students in NYS in your story:

1. The family is the basic unit of society with varying types and styles of function and structure
2. Family members have various roles, responsibilities and individual needs
3. Individuals have a right to privacy and an obligation to respect the privacy of others
4. An individualsculture tradition and environment influence relationships and personal development
5. As individuals grow, their appearance, interests and abilities change
6. Individuals appreciate and accept personal growth and developmental patterns
7. Individuals are unique and special and deserve to be treated with respect
8. The average age of the onset of puberty is between the ages of eight and fourteen in females and nine and fifteen in males with females generally experiencing physical growth characteristics of puberty two years before males.
9. Hormones influence growth and development, feelings and behavior
10. INdividuals pursue their interests regardless of their gender or gender stereotypes
11. Although males and females are alike and different in many ways, each individual has unique physical, psychological, and emotional needs.

If your group chose Physical Activity/Nutrition as the health issue you are addressing please include the following elementary level functional knowledge:

1. Regular physical activity and healthy eating behaviors are essential components of a healthy lifeltyle and reduce the risk of developing many diseases
2. Individuals begin to acquire and establish healthy eating and physical activity behaviors during childhood and adolescence
3. People need healthy food and regular physical activity to feel good and grow
4. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the food guide pyramids assist people with healthy food choices.
5. One's eating patterns, food preferences and food-related habits and attitudes vary by culture
6. Although most young people are physically active, many do not engage in the recommended levels of physical activity
7. Children need to be physically active before, during and after school
8. To prevent dental caries, children should drink fluoridated water, use fluoridated toothpaste, bursh and floss their teeth regularly and consume sugars in moderation.

If your group chose a health issue related to Safety or Prevention of Unintentional Injuries please include relevant functional knowledge from the following list:

1. Children know their name, address, telephone number and the names of their parents/guardians
2. Children check with an adult before putting anything into or on his or her body
3. Children never touch or play with guns and they should tell an adult if they find a gun
4. Children ages 12 years and younger are safest when they ride in the back seat of vehicles and use proper restraints
5. Individuals are safest when they play on and with equipment that is in good working order and when supervised by an adult.
6. Individuals need to know how to appropriately summon assistane in emergency situations from local emergency service professionals and where available, 911
7. Individuals do not taste, sniff, swallow or play with unknown or harmful substances.
8. Individuals are safest when they obey traffic signs, use pedestrian bridges and cross walks, and follow the directions of crossing guards and other supervising adults whenever possible.
9. Individuals are safest when wearing reflective clothing or personal lighting equipment while walking, skating and riding bicycles.
10. Individuals properly wear helmets and other protective gear when participating in recreational and sports activities.
11. Wearing a helmet when biking, skateboarding or in-line skating increases safety and is required by law for children 13 and younger.
12. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices increase safety when riding on a personal water craft and are required by law for children under the age of 11.
13. Personal flotation devices, swimming with adult supervision, receiving water safety instruction and swimming lessons increase safety.
14. Individuals know and practice fire safety rules including evacuation plans and how to "stop, drop and roll".
15. It is unsafe to play with matches, gasoline, lighters or other flammable materials.
16. Individuals behave safely and appropriately around animals including family pets and wild animals.
17. Individuals use proper lifting and carrying techniques for the handling of heavy backpacks and book bags. It is unsafe for individuals to carry backpacks that are more than 10% - 20% of their body weight.

If your group chose Alcohol Tobacco or Other Drugs as the health issue you are addressing please include the relevant functional knowledge from the list below:

1. Most individuals do not use alcohol and other drugs.
2. Alcohol and other drugs are chemicals that change how the body works
3. Individuals who choose to use alcohol and other drugs are not bad people
4. Using alcohol and other drugs may interfere with natural growth and development
5. Individuals may experience external pressures (advertising, role-models, peers) to use alcohol and other drugs.
6. Use of alcohol and other drugs has short and long-term consequences.
7. Alcoholism is a disease that is treatable
8. It is dangerous to taste, swallow, sniff or play with unknown substances.
9. Individuals follow the medical recommendations for prescriptions and non-prescription drugs.

If your group chose bullying or violence prevention or a topic related to getting along and resolving social conflicts please include the relevant functional knowledge from the list below:

1. Individuals resolve conflicts early
2. Most individuals do not engage in violent behavior
3. Some feelings of conflict, anger, frustration and fear are normal and all right.
4. Courtesy, compassion and respect toward others reduce conflict and promotes nonviolent behavior
5. Conflict can involve disagreement over ideas, interest or events
6. There are peaceful alternatives to violence
7. Conflict can be resolved through cooperation, negotiation and mediation
8. Individuals may feel differently about the same situation at different times
9. Individual perceptions are based on experiences, needs, beliefs and feelings
10. Empathy requires the identification of others' feelings through verbal physical and situational clues and an understanding of the effect people have on one another.
11. All cultures have similarities and differences
12. External events and internal thoughts may trigger angry feelings
13. Physical signs alert us to feelings of anger
14. Stress management can reduce feelings of anger
15. Individual promises should not break safety rules
16. Victims are never to blame for the abuse
17. Individuals have a right to decide who touches their body and how
18. There are appropriate and inappropriate kinds of touch
19. Individuals deserve to feel safe
20. Individuals follow rules to increase safety, such as checking with a parent, caretaker, or trusted adult before going somewhere, or changing plans;saying no to inappropriate touch; telling trusted adults until helped and traveling in pairs or groups rather than alone
21. Individuals follow safety rules while on the internet

2) Additionally, your group is REQUIRED to incorporate ONE of the following functional knowledge ideas into the story. Incorporation of more than one will result in extra credit. The idea must be woven into the story and make sense!!!! Here are the Other Required Health Areas:

1. Individuals have a responsibility to protect and preserve the environment
2. An individual's self-image is an important component of mental health
3. Individuals have routine medical and dental check-ups to assess physical development and sensory perception
4. The best way to remove tooth decay-causing plaque is by brushing twice a day and flossing between the teeth everyday
5. The sensory organs work together to provide individuals with information about the world around them
6. Specific health practices such as proper hand washing can prevent and control the spread of germs and disease.
7. Individuals protect their skin from the sun's UV rays with clothing and sunscreen containing a sun protection factor of 15 or higher

3) Finally, your group is REQUIRED to demonstrate ONE of the following skills which are required for elementary health education:

Self-Management:

• individual conducts a personal assessment of health and safety knowledge and skills
• individual identifies the attributes (knowledge, skills) of a safe and healthy person
• individual compares the personal assessment results to the healthy attributes to identify personal health and safety strengths and needs (may need adult supervision)
• Explores the benefits and harmful consequences of behaviors based on the personal health and safety assessment
• Selects and applies a health skill to improve personal health and safety
• Identifes and requests support from person(s) who could be helpful to them
• Identifies health and safety resources that could be helpful.
• Celebrates and rewards self for personal health and safety accomplishment

Stress-Management:

• Explains what stress is and discovers personal stressors
• Identifies physical and emotional reactions to personal stress
• describes personal stressful situations an current ways of dealing with them
• Selects and applies a strategy to manage stress in health enhancing ways

Relationship-Management:

• Identifies the attributes (knowledge, skills, competencies) of a nurturing, empathetic, respectful, responsible person.
• Demonstrates positive interpersonal and intra-personal behaviors when working with others (including diverse populations)

Communication:

• Uses qualities of active listening, following directions, and responding to others in health-enhancing ways
• Identifies and applies effective verbal (assertiveness) and non-verbal communication skills to enhance health
• Demonstrates healthy ways to express needs, wants and feelings
• Describes characteristics of a responsible family member and friend
• Demonstrates ways to communicate care, consideration and respect for self and others
• Demonstrates effective refusal skills in health related situations
• Demonstrates the ability to work cooperatively with others to enhance health

Decision Making:

• Identifies personal health decisions and influences
• Recognizes personal capabilities and limitations as they relate to possible healthy solutions
• Locates and uses information sources to enhance health
• Assumes responsibility for health decisions

Planning and Goal Setting:

• Makes a personal commitment to achieve a personal health goal
• Develops a plan to achieve that goal
• Implements plan to achieve goal and overcome barriers
• Identifies personal support systems and explains their importance in achieving the personal health goal.

Advocacy:

• Selects one health or safety issue to take a stand on
• Identifies community agencies that advocate for the health-enhancing stand
• Selects an audience and prepares a message for the group
• Shows how to persuade others toward the health-enhancing stand

When working on the revision process consider the following:

-replace weak verbs with stronger verbs

-use descriptive adjectives

-make your first opening sentence interesting

-notice voice, add "quotations" from characters

-many authors use repetition of sounds, alliteration or rhyme

-reread the text for spelling, grammar and punctuation carefully

-reread the text with target audience in mind

-revise the text to remove repetitive, redundant language

-think about writing techniques that your favorite authors use, revise your piece with that in mind

-REREAD my requirements for the project, making sure you have included the required elements