Course Description
This course will focus on a comprehensive overview of current philosophies and developmentally appropriate practices related to health, safety and nutrition for young children ages birth through eight years old. Students will investigate a variety of effective strategies and available resources to promote healthy lifestyles, safety, and nutritional guidelines within the context of an early childhood educational setting. Permeating themes are inclusion, diversity and the importance of being culturally, linguistically, and individually sensitive to our children and families. Students will explore topics including child development; physical and mental health; childhood diseases and illnesses; safe environments and activities; child abuse with an emphasis on the educators’ role as mandated reporters; nutritionally sound menus; as well as the importance of food safety. 10 hours of field experience (observation and practice) required for completion of this course. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Describe the interrelatedness among child development, health, safety, and nutrition, and categorize food nutrients and their benefits to the human body. [Standard 1a, 5a]
- Design safe, effective, and high-quality indoor and outdoor environments that are conducive to learning, and plan, implement, and reflect upon developmentally appropriate health, safety, and nutrition activities for young children. [Standard 1a, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c, 6e]
- Identify and implement strategies to promote healthy eating habits and nutrition in young children, taking into account cultural and individual differences. [Standard 1b, 1c, 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c]
- Examine communicable and acute illnesses, infections, diseases, and injuries, and research one in-depth, describing potential treatments, supporting community agencies, and classroom implications. [Standard 1a, 2c, 5a, 6c]
- Recognize signs of abuse and neglect in children and detail the process of securing help for the child(ren) involved, adhering to ethical guidelines and professional responsibilities. [Standard 1b, 6a, 6b, 6c]
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Blogs (Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Journals (Weeks 1-7) | 20% |
Final Reflection (Week 8) | 5% |
Final Project / Key Assessment (Week 8) | 25% |
| Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle
Haupt, A. L., Massare, B., Nizer, J., Paul, M., & Valenti, L. A. (Eds.). (2024). Healthy young children (6th ed.). National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Course Schedule
| Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1,4 | Topic: Foundations of Health, Safety, and Nutrition in Early Childhood Learning Objectives:
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2 | 1,2,4,5 | Topics: Health Records, Assessments, and Family Partnerships Learning Objectives:
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3 | 1,2,3 | Topics: Promoting Nutrition and Oral Health Learning Objectives:
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4 | 1,2,3,5 | Topics: Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health Learning Objectives:
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5 | 1,2,4 | Topics: First Aid and Injury Prevention Learning Objectives:
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6 | 2,3,4 | Topics: Infectious Disease Management and Inclusive Practices Learning Objectives:
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7 | 2,4,5 | Topic: Child Protection and Emergency Preparedness Learning Objectives:
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8 | 2,3 | Topics: Designing Safe and Healthy Learning Environments Learning Objectives:
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COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.