Educational Media Reviews Online

This DVD, The Five Essential Habits of Healthy Teens, will give students the tools and habits needed to develop a healthy lifestyle. Some scenes in the video are casual, one taking place at a farmer's market in New York City, the other at a shopping mall. In these depictions young people are asked to reconsider their eating and drinking choices and decide on fresh produce while limiting their soft-drink consumption. Real life practical scenarios place students in situations where they are asked think about their everyday actions. Other sections in the video involve sensible strategies and advice, as well as concrete suggestions on how to change behaviors by creating new patterns of thinking. Healthy living tips are found throughout the video and these include: how to read a nutrition label, and the benefits of getting a good night's sleep.

This DVD has a teacher's guide with through provoking activities that further the viewers understanding about this topic. A pre and post test worksheet and a bevy of websites help to make the short video more comprehensive. The teachers guide and worksheets can be printed directly from the DVD for use when desired.

The audio and video quality is excellent and the script moves along at a timed pace making the five concepts easy to understand and follow. This resource is highly recommended with great potential for use in many collections including those found in classrooms and public and school libraries. These materials and resources would be of use for those who have the responsibility of developing a health and nutrition curriculum.