Introduction

Introduction to Norths Devils & who we are.

1.    Making Connections and Respecting Peers

We all experience difficult times at some point. That is why it’s important to be connected to the people around you.

They can support you and help you when you are in need.

You can also help others when they are going through a bad time.

How you can become more connected:

• Talk to someone you don’t usually talk to
• Ask people how they are
• Look after someone when they are sad, lonely, or experiencing something difficult

Why it’s important:

• Being connected to others means you have more support
• Can help you if you’re feeling down
• Be kind to others – you don’t know what they might be going through

Activity – Pair up and ask partner:

• What is their name?
• Favourite Hobby?
• Favourite Food?

In pairs students present to the class to let them know answers.

Connecting with themselves

• Make your bed
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Prepare for your day

Gratitude

Gratitude is about appreciating the good things you have in life. In a difficult time, it’s important to remember the things we sometimes take for granted – like having clean water and food, a place to live, friends, family, access to technology, school and more. Not all people have access to these necessities, so we need to remember how fortunate we are.

Activity:

• In groups discuss what they are grateful for?
• Discuss with the class and have student write up on the board.

Handprint activity

All students from the class put their handprint on a big poster which we leave at the classroom to remind students of the things they learned, and that they all belong.

2.    Keeping Active

Why should we keep active? It has many benefits for your physical health and your mental health.

Benefits of physical activity

• Maintain a healthy weight,
• Helps to relieve stress and makes you happier,
• Improved skills and balance,
• Better self-esteem,
• Playing sports can help you make new friends,
• Being active during the day can help you sleep better at night.

You should be doing at least 1 hour of exercise per day.

Exercise is any activity that makes you breath faster and your heart beat faster.

Who can think of some examples of exercise?

e.g. Ride a bike, go on the trampoline, do some dancing, play with a sibling or friend, do something active that you enjoy.

How you can be active

• At home keep a balance between screen time and physical activity,
• Any exercise is better than none. You can even do something like walk the dog,
• The more you do the better.

Activity – Kick Baseball

3.    Hydration and Nutrition

Benefits of healthy eating

• Getting sick less,
• Feeling happier more often,
• Having more energy,
• Gives your body the nutrients it needs to grow healthily.

What does healthy eating look like?

Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that give you the nutrients your body needs to maintain your health, feel good, and have energy.

Having a balanced diet along with being aware of what you’re eating will have massive effects on your life because it makes you feel better throughout the day.

Enjoy your ‘everyday food’:

• Vegetables,
• Fruit,
• Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles etc,
• Milk, yoghurt and cheese,
• Meat such as fish, chicken, eggs, lean beef,
• Beans and nuts.

Unhealthy foods are high in fat, sugar, and salt and are not needed in your diet. They can lead to illness and feeling less happy.

Limit your ‘sometimes food’:

• Chocolate, lollies, biscuits and chips,
• Pastries, pies and sausage rolls,
• Fried foods like chicken nuggets and hot chips,
• Takeaway and junk food,
• Cakes and ice cream,
• Juice, soft drinks, cordial and other sweet drinks.

Activity – Each child gets a laminated picture of a piece of food. They have to put it under the right heading: everyday food or sometimes food.

Hydration

Water is essential for your body to function. In fact, 60% of your body weight is water!

How much water do you think you should drink per day?

Answer is 1.5L for kids 9-12 = 7 glasses, 2 water bottles.

Benefits of hydration:

• Less headaches,
• Flushes out toxins,
• Helps your muscles heal faster and stronger,
• Helps concentration.

Drinking water is the best way to quench your thirst. It is the purest way without putting extra sugar into your body. Drinking water is better than soft drink or juice.

It will also help keep your teeth healthy. Remember to drink extra if you exercise or in summer.

Example of healthy snack – make up for each student in the class:

• Food activity – Oates, Yoghurt, Honey, Strawberries, Blueberries.

4.    Lifestyle – Sleep & Hygiene

The importance of sleep

Sleep is a very important part of your routine and helps your body rest and recover. This will help your physical and mental wellbeing.

Do you know how many hours or sleep you should get per night?

Answer is 9-11 hours.

Benefits of sleep:

• Helps our bodies repair and rest,
• Helps to grow strong,
• Help you concentrate at school and home.

How to improve your sleep:

• Exercise during the day can help us sleep,
• Create a night time routine e.g. brush teeth at a certain time, no screens one hour before sleep, read a book or listen to some music.

The importance of hygiene

Having good hygiene is a form of self-care and self respect. It helps you to look after your body so to prevents illness such as viruses.

• Brush your teeth twice a day,
• Use shampoo,
• Wash your body with soap,
• Shower or bath at least once a day,
• Wash your hands before eating, after using the toilet, after handling animals, if you are sick, and when you get home from a public place.

Activity

Students are put into groups to discuss and present back to the class one of the topics learnt over the 4 weeks.

Water Bottles

Distribute Belong water bottles to each member of the class.