As a high school sports medicine instructor, it’s not easy to find curriculum resources that meet your course requirements and will prepare your students for their future careers.
Because of this, health science teachers often ask how our health science curriculum HealthCenter21 can be used in a sports medicine class.
While HealthCenter21 can’t be a stand-alone curriculum for sports medicine, many teachers like you use it as a supplement to their other sports medicine materials.
In this article, you'll find an overview of the modules recommended for sports medicine teachers and what topics they will help you teach.
Before we get into the details, it’s important to understand how the curriculum is structured to help you implement the materials in your classes.
How Is the HealthCenter21 Curriculum Structured?
HealthCenter21 contains nearly 1,000 curriculum hours of content organized into learning modules.
Each module focuses on a healthcare topic and is structured according to our four-phase curriculum framework.
The four phases of the HealthCenter21 curriculum are:
- Explore
- Learn & Practice
- Reflect
- Reinforce
The Explore Phase includes teacher-led activities designed to hook your students’ interest.
These activities help get your students thinking and prime them for learning new concepts and skills in the later phases of the module.
The Learn & Practice Phase has teacher resources and student-directed eLearning lessons to help students learn new concepts and skills.
This phase is where the bulk of student learning takes place and where you’ll find most of the curriculum coverage.
The Reflect Phase includes teacher-led activities designed to review and discuss key ideas from the eLearning lessons.
This helps students connect concepts they just learned to their existing knowledge and experience. The Reflect Phase activities are designed to help your students form long-lasting information retention.
The Reinforce Phase is made of student-directed projects to enhance the understanding of concepts and skills further.
During this phase, students work independently or in groups to complete projects that require the application of the concepts learned from the module.
Overall, this four-phase learning plan maximizes your students’ understanding of the concepts and skills within each module.
Now that you understand the four-phase curriculum, let’s dive into which HealthCenter21 modules you should use in your sports medicine classes.
Which Learning Modules Should You Use In a Sports Medicine Class?
The HealthCenter21 modules recommended for teaching a sports medicine course are:
- A&P - Intro
- A&P - Integumentary System
- A&P - Skeletal System
- A&P - Muscular System
- A&P - Nervous System
- A&P - Sensory System
- A&P - Cardiovascular System
- A&P - Lymphatic System
- A&P - Respiratory System
- A&P - Digestive System
- A&P - Urinary System
- A&P - Endocrine System
- A&P - Reproductive System
- Behavioral Health
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Career Development
- Client Status
- Communications
- CPR and Basic Life Support
- Cultural, Social, and Ethnic Diversity
- Domestic Violence
- Emergency Care
- Human Growth and Development
- Infection Control
- Job Seeking Skills
- Medical Terminology
- Personal Qualities
- Professionalism
- Rehabilitation and Restorative Care
- Safety Precautions
- Wellness and Nutrition
This list is based on the modules that will help your students learn foundational knowledge and skills to support learning more detailed sports medicine topics. You’ll also find modules that will help your students develop soft skills necessary for success in the workplace.
The order of the modules is not designed to be a teaching sequence, but rather as a starting point for you to develop your teaching plan.
In some cases, your students may have already worked through some of these modules in a prior course. If that’s the case, you may decide to not include it in your current class.
Additionally, you may opt to add other modules to your classes to meet your specific needs.
With that, let’s dive into what each module consists of and how they relate to teaching sports medicine classes.
1. A&P - Introduction
The A&P Introduction module provides a brief overview of anatomy and physiology. Students learn why anatomy and physiology are essential concepts to understand for healthcare professionals. Students are introduced to the six levels of structural organization, cells, and the chemical processes that support life, including the importance of homeostasis.
Anatomical terminology used throughout other modules in the Anatomy and Physiology curriculum is introduced. Finally, students receive an overview of how organs and body systems work together to support a healthy human body.
2. A&P - Integumentary System
The A&P - Integumentary System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the integumentary system. Students learn about layers of the skin, glands, skin pigmentation, and integumentary accessories, including hair and nails. Students are also introduced to diseases and disorders related to the integumentary system.
3. A&P - Skeletal System
The A&P - Skeletal System module presents an in-depth look at the human skeletal system. This module includes core and extended units.
In the core units, students learn about the function and structure of the skeletal system, its relationship with other body systems, and how factors impact skeletal system health. Students discover the role of calcium homeostasis, identify classification of bones and articulations, and review directional terms from the Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology module. Students also learn about diseases and disorders of the skeletal system.
The extended units include a deeper exploration of bone anatomy and specific regions of the skeleton. Extended units have comprehensive information on articulations, bone markings, and bone growth and remodeling.
4. A&P - Muscular System
The A&P - Muscular System module presents an in-depth look at the human muscular system. This module includes core and extended units.
The core units introduce students to the structure and function of the muscular system, focusing on the three types of muscle: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Students explore anatomical movements and terminology as well as diseases and disorders of the muscular system.
The extended units include lessons on ATP and the energy required for muscle contractions and muscle movement at a cellular level. Lessons also include naming skeletal muscles and a comprehensive look at specific muscle groups, including the major muscles in the face, trunk, arms, and legs. The final extended unit introduces students to resistance training and exercise.
5. A&P - Nervous System
The A&P - Nervous System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the nervous system. Specifically, students will learn about neurons, the central nervous system, and the peripheral nervous system. Students also learn about diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
6. A&P - Sensory System
The A&P - Sensory System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the sensory system and diseases and disorders related to the system. Specifically, students will learn about several general senses, such as touch and pain, and the special senses of vision, hearing, smell, and taste.
7. A&P - Cardiovascular System
The A&P - Cardiovascular System module presents an in-depth look at the human cardiovascular system. This module includes core and extended units.
The core units introduce students to the functions and roles of the cardiovascular system and its relationships with other body systems. Students learn about maintaining heart health, blood and its components, and diseases and disorders of the cardiovascular system.
The extended units include comprehensive lessons on blood vessels, the cardiac cycle, blood cells, and blood types. There is also an extended unit on the development of the heart from the fetal stage through adulthood.
8. A&P - Lymphatic System
The A&P - Lymphatic System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the lymphatic system, including how the system supports fluid homeostasis and the immune system. Additionally, students learn about diseases and disorders of the lymphatic system.
9. A&P - Respiratory System
The A&P - Respiratory System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the respiratory system, including the differences among ventilation, respiration, and oxygenation. The students also learn about diseases and disorders of the respiratory system.
10. A&P - Digestive System
The A&P - Digestive System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the digestive system, including how the system supports the body in processing food and converting it to energy. Additionally, students learn about diseases and disorders of the digestive system.
11. A&P - Urinary System
The A&P - Urinary System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the urinary system, including how the system supports the body in cleaning waste from the blood and eliminating it from the body. Additionally, students learn about diseases and disorders of the urinary system.
12. A&P - Endocrine System
The A&P - Endocrine System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the endocrine system, including how the system regulates the body using hormones secreted by endocrine glands. Additionally, students learn about diseases and disorders of the endocrine system, including symptoms, causes, and treatments.
13. A&P - Reproductive System
The A&P - Reproductive System module provides an overview of the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems, including the similarities and differences between systems. The students also learn about diseases and disorders of the reproductive system, including symptoms, causes, and treatments.
14. Behavioral Health
The Behavioral Health module exists to help students gain knowledge of various behavioral health issues, develop a better understanding of what sufferers might be experiencing, and prepare to handle subsequent problems with patients in the workforce.
15. Bloodborne Pathogens
The Bloodborne Pathogens module provides an explanation of bloodborne pathogens and the effect the risk of infection has on healthcare practices.
16. Career Development
The Career Development module provides an overview of the career planning process and the resources available to help students develop a career plan.
17. Client Status
The Client Status module provides an overview of the importance of body measurements and vital signs.
Students learn about body measurements for adults and infants and methods and equipment for taking and recording temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. A learning game is provided to gain practice in reading analog devices.
18. Communications
The Communications module provides an overview of speaking and writing as part of a healthcare team. Students explore types of communication, barriers, diversity, and how to express sensitivity.
They also review and evaluate examples of written communication, learn to document patient observations, and discuss the role of communication technology.
19. CPR and Basic Life Support
The CPR and Basic Life Support module covers all aspects of adult and pediatric BLS rescue, including concepts behind why certain procedures are used.
This module is intended to give students a strong foundation in CPR and BLS to help prepare them for BLS certification.
20. Cultural, Social, and Ethnic Diversity
The Cultural, Social, and Ethnic Diversity module prepares students for the workforce by providing an overview of different types of diversity and the importance of respectful and empathetic treatment for all patients.
21. Domestic Violence
The Domestic Violence module will prepare learners to handle encounters with victims of domestic violence with accuracy and professionalism in the healthcare workforce.
This module is designed to meet the requirements of a 2-hour course for domestic violence education.
22. Emergency Care
The Emergency Care module provides an overview of emergency care as students learn to assess emergency situations and react appropriately to bone and joint injuries, shock, open wounds, severe burns, foreign bodies, poisoning, heart attacks, strokes, diabetic reactions, seizures, convulsions, and heat and cold related illnesses.
23. Human Growth and Development
The Human Growth and Development module provides an overview of how people grow, develop, and age throughout the lifespan in the four areas of development--physical, intellectual, social, and emotional.
They also learn about the hierarchy of human needs, genetics, genetic diseases, aging, terminal illness, grief, and mortuary science.
24. Infection Control
The Infection Control module provides an overview of the importance of protecting oneself and others from disease-causing microorganisms.
Within this module, students learn about microorganisms, asepsis, hand washing, basic equipment cleaning, autoclaving, personal protective equipment, sterile technique, and transmission-based precautions.
25. Job Seeking Skills
The Job Seeking Skills module provides an overview of tasks involved in finding, getting, and resigning from a job.
26. Medical Terminology
The Medical Terminology module provides an introduction to the language of health care workers including root words, suffixes, prefixes, abbreviations, and body planes, directions, and cavities.
Students learn to add prefixes and suffixes, form phrases with abbreviations, and interpret medical terms.
27. Personal Qualities
The Personal Qualities module provides an overview of the expected appearance and personal characteristics of the successful health care worker as they understand the importance of communication, practice dealing with workplace situations, and evaluate workplace teams.
28. Professionalism
The Professionalism module provides an overview of professionalism, including appearances, personal characteristics, and traits belonging to successful employees as students practice dealing with workplace situations and evaluate the effectiveness of employees.
29. Rehabilitation and Restorative Care
The Rehabilitation and Restorative Care module provides an overview of how to promote patient independence.
Students learn how to teach activities of daily living, assist patients in using ambulation devices, perform range of motion exercises, apply heat and cold applications and binders, and more.
30. Safety Precautions
The Safety Precautions module provides an overview of safety techniques and the steps for greeting and identifying patients in a healthcare facility.
Students use the Internet to research safety regulations from OSHA, the FDA, and the EPA. They also demonstrate how to report safety violations by filing an event report.
31. Wellness and Nutrition
The Wellness and Nutrition module provides an overview of the importance of wellness and nutrition as students learn about choosing health care providers, medications, physical examinations, and creating a practical wellness plan.
Teach Sports Medicine (and More) with HealthCenter21
Overall, these modules are our best recommendations for using HealthCenter21 as a supplemental resource to teach sports medicine classes.
If you strictly teach sports medicine courses, consider looking at other resources that you can pair with HealthCenter21.
By incorporating HealthCenter21 with other sports medicine lessons and activities, you’ll provide your students with a great blended learning experience.
However, if you’re like most sports medicine teachers you probably teach other health science courses during the year. If that’s the case for you, HealthCenter21 could be a great fit for your program.
HealthCenter21 is used by thousands of health science teachers as a core curriculum for classes such as Introduction to Health Science, Medical Assisting, CNA, and Patient Care Technician.
By using one curriculum resource across multiple classes, you can save time with planning and grading so you can spend your time focused on teaching your students and even getting home to your family.
“HealthCenter21 has saved me close to 10 hours a week. I’m not having to spend hours and hours before or after school creating lesson plans. HealthCenter21 has given me back my family time.”
Tyler Page
Brantley County Schools, GA
Wondering what other classes and topics you can teach with HealthCenter21?
Dive into the full catalog of modules to find out:
