GACE Health and Physical Education (737) cheat sheet

Levels of prevention: primary (before disease - immunization, health education), secondary (early detection - screening, mammography), tertiary (after disease - rehabilitation, chronic disease management).

Leading actual causes of U.S. death are behavioral: tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, alcohol consumption; these drive most chronic disease burden.

Epidemiologic triad: host, agent, environment; disease occurs when these interact to disrupt equilibrium. Chain of infection: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host - break any link to prevent spread.

Modes of transmission: direct contact, droplet (>5 microns, short range), airborne (<5 microns, e.g., TB, measles - requires N95 and negative-pressure ventilation), vector-borne, vehicle-borne.

Standard precautions apply to all body fluids regardless of diagnosis; hand hygiene is the single most effective infection-control measure.

Healthy People objectives are the national prevention framework; social determinants of health (income, education, housing, access) predict outcomes more strongly than individual choice alone.

Health belief model constructs: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cue to action, self-efficacy.

Herd immunity threshold depends on R0: threshold = 1 − 1/R0 (measles R0 ≈ 12–18 requires ~92–95% coverage).

Screening test properties: sensitivity = true positives / all with disease; specificity = true negatives / all without disease; positive predictive value depends on prevalence.

Energy balance: weight change = calories consumed − calories expended; 1 lb of fat ≈ 3,500 kcal; a 500 kcal/day deficit yields roughly 1 lb/week loss.

Macronutrient energy values: carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, protein 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g, alcohol 7 kcal/g.

Acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges: carbohydrate 45–65%, fat 20–35%, protein 10–35% of total calories.

FITT principle for cardiorespiratory fitness: frequency 3–5 days/week, intensity 60–85% of maximum heart rate, time 20–60 minutes, type aerobic. Estimated max HR = 220 − age.

Children and adolescents need 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily; muscle- and bone-strengthening activity at least 3 days/week.

Adults need 150–300 minutes/week of moderate or 75–150 minutes/week of vigorous aerobic activity plus 2 or more days of muscle strengthening.

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)^2; adult categories: underweight <18.5, normal 18.5–24.9, overweight 25–29.9, obese ≥30. BMI is a screening tool, not a diagnosis, and is not valid for children without age- and sex-specific percentiles.

MyPlate proportions: half the plate fruits and vegetables, one quarter grains (at least half whole grains), one quarter protein; switch to low-fat or fat-free dairy.

Dietary reference intakes: RDA (covers 97–98% of population), EAR (covers 50%), AI (used when RDA cannot be set), UL (upper limit to avoid toxicity).

Maslow's hierarchy from base upward: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization; lower needs generally must be met before higher ones motivate behavior.

Erikson's psychosocial stages relevant to school-age students: industry vs. inferiority (roughly 6–12) and identity vs. role confusion (adolescence).

Grief stages described by Kübler-Ross: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance - not necessarily linear or universal.

Depression warning signs in students: persistent sad or irritable mood, loss of interest, sleep and appetite change, fatigue, worthlessness, concentration problems, suicidal ideation lasting two weeks or more.

Suicide risk factors include prior attempt, access to lethal means, substance use, social isolation, family history, and recent loss; asking directly about suicidal thoughts does not increase risk.

Stress response: alarm, resistance, exhaustion (general adaptation syndrome); chronic activation of the HPA axis elevates cortisol and impairs immune and cognitive function.

Defense mechanisms: denial, repression, projection, displacement, rationalization, sublimation - unconscious, whereas coping strategies are deliberate.

Resilience protective factors: at least one caring adult, competence and self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, connectedness to school, and perceived meaning or purpose.

Communication skills sequence: active listening, I-statements ("I feel ___ when ___ because ___"), paraphrasing, clarifying questions, and assertive refusal.

Refusal skills: state a clear no, maintain eye contact, give a reason or exit strategy, suggest an alternative, and repeat if pressured.

Conflict resolution steps: identify the problem, generate options, evaluate consequences, choose and implement, review outcome; focus on the problem, not the person.

Parenting styles (Baumrind): authoritative (high warmth, high expectations - best outcomes), authoritarian (low warmth, high control), permissive (high warmth, low control), uninvolved.

Family life cycle stages: independence, coupling, parenting young children, parenting adolescents, launching children, later life - each stage requires renegotiation of roles.

Child abuse and neglect categories: physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect (most common); educators are mandated reporters in every U.S. state.

Consent requires being informed, voluntary, and given by someone legally able to consent; age of consent and reporting duties vary by state.

Peer pressure dynamics: normative influence (fitting in) vs. informational influence (believing others know better); social norms marketing corrects misperceived peer behavior.

Legal drinking age in the United States is 21; NIAAA defines binge drinking for men as 5 or more drinks in about 2 hours and for women as 4 or more.

Standard drink equivalents: 12 oz regular beer at 5% alcohol, 5 oz wine at 12%, 1.5 oz distilled spirits at 40%.

Blood alcohol concentration rises with number of drinks, speed of drinking, lower body weight, female sex, and empty stomach; only time lowers BAC - coffee, cold showers, and food do not.

Nicotine is highly addictive; adolescents' developing brains show addiction at lower exposure. E-cigarette aerosol contains nicotine, ultrafine particles, flavorings, and heavy metals.

Substance use risk and protective factors: family history and early initiation raise risk; parental monitoring, school connectedness, and academic engagement protect.

Gateway pattern is correlational, not strictly causal; prevention programs with strongest evidence teach refusal skills and correct normative beliefs (e.g., life-skills approaches).

Withdrawal and overdose: opioid overdose shows pinpoint pupils and slowed breathing - naloxone reverses it; alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening and requires medical management.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability; no safe amount of alcohol is established during pregnancy.

Emergency action sequence: ensure scene safety, check responsiveness, activate EMS (call 911), send for AED, then begin CPR - compressions first.

Adult CPR: compressions at 100–120 per minute, depth at least 2 inches (5 cm), full recoil, 30 compressions to 2 breaths; child depth about one-third of chest, two hands or one hand as size requires.

AED use: attach pads to bare chest, follow voice prompts, deliver shock if advised, resume compressions immediately; do not delay for wet chests - dry the skin first.

Choking: conscious adult or child - abdominal thrusts; infant under 1 year - 5 back slaps alternating with 5 chest thrusts; unconscious - start CPR.

RICE for musculoskeletal injury: rest, ice (20 minutes at a time), compression, elevation; avoid heat and massage for the first 48–72 hours.

Concussion: remove from play immediately, no same-day return; return-to-learn precedes return-to-sport, progressing stepwise with medical clearance.

Heat illness continuum: heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, weakness, cool clammy skin), heat stroke (core temp above 104°F, confusion, hot dry or wet skin - emergency).

FITT safety: hydrate before, during, and after activity; use the WBGT or heat index to modify intensity; lightning - suspend activity when thunder is heard and wait 30 minutes after last strike.

Motor development sequence is cephalocaudal (head to toe) and proximodistal (center outward); gross motor precedes fine motor refinement.

Fundamental motor skills phases: initial, elementary, mature; fundamental manipulative, locomotor, and stability skills should be developed in childhood before sport-specific specialization.

Fitts and Posner stages of learning: cognitive (many errors, needs instruction), associative (refining, fewer errors), autonomous (automatic, low attention demand).

Gentile's two-dimensional taxonomy: environmental context (open vs. closed, stationary vs. in-motion) and action requirements (body orientation, object manipulation).

Motor learning variables: practice distribution (massed vs. distributed), practice variability (blocked vs. random), whole vs. part practice, and transfer (positive, negative, zero).

Feedback types: intrinsic vs. extrinsic; knowledge of results (outcome) vs. knowledge of performance (movement form); frequency and timing of augmented feedback affect retention.

Information-processing model: input → perception → decision → effector output → feedback; reaction time = premotor time + motor time.

Critical and sensitive periods: early childhood is a sensitive window for fundamental skill and language development; deprivation produces delays that are harder to close later.

Developmental milestones: independent walking around 12 months, hopping around 4–5 years, mature throwing pattern typically by 6–7 years.

Health-related fitness components: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition. Skill-related components: agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, speed.

Newton's laws: first (inertia - object stays at rest or in motion unless acted on), second (F = ma), third (action–reaction).

Levers: first class (fulcrum between force and load, e.g., triceps extension at elbow), second class (load between fulcrum and force, e.g., calf raise), third class (force between fulcrum and load - most common in the body, e.g., biceps curl).

Mechanical principles for efficient movement: force applied in the direction of the desired motion, longer force arm and range of motion, sequential summation of forces, and stability increases with lower center of gravity and wider base of support.

Projectile motion: horizontal velocity is constant (ignoring air resistance); vertical velocity changes at 9.8 m/s^2; optimal projection angle in a vacuum is 45 degrees, lower when release height exceeds landing height.

Muscle actions: isotonic (concentric shortening, eccentric lengthening), isometric (no length change), isokinetic (constant speed).

FITT-VP for flexibility: stretch major muscle-tendon groups 2–3 days/week, hold static stretches 15–60 seconds, to the point of tightness, not pain.

Exercise prescription uses the overload principle and progression; specificity means training adaptations are specific to the demand placed on the body.

Target heart rate: Karvonen method = ((max HR − resting HR) × intensity) + resting HR; talk test and RPE (Borg 6–20) are practical field alternatives.

SHAPE America national standards center on motor skills and movement patterns, concepts, physical fitness, responsible personal and social behavior, and value of physical activity.

Backward design: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, then plan learning experiences and instruction.

Psychomotor domain (Dave): imitation, manipulation, precision, articulation, naturalization. Cognitive domain (Bloom): remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create.

Class management for maximum engagement: instant activities, small-sided games, adequate equipment ratios, and minimizing transition and waiting time.

Assessment types: formative (during learning, feedback-oriented) vs. summative (end of unit); norm-referenced (compare to others) vs. criterion-referenced (compare to a standard).

Authentic physical education assessment tools: skills rubrics, peer observation checklists, portfolios, fitness logs, and game-play performance assessments (e.g., GPAI).

Differentiation strategies: modify space, time, equipment, rules, groupings, and task complexity (the STEP model) to include all learners.

Inclusive practice: adapt for students with disabilities per IDEA and Section 504; physical education is a direct service, and least restrictive environment applies.

Feedback should be specific, timely, and limited to one or two cues at a time; descriptive feedback outperforms praise alone for skill learning.

Coordinated school health / whole school, whole community, whole child model components: health education, physical education and activity, nutrition services, health services, counseling and psychological services, healthy and safe school environment, family and community involvement, and staff wellness.

Needs assessment sequence: gather data (surveys, YRBS, fitness data, attendance), prioritize, set measurable objectives, plan, implement, evaluate.

SMART objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound; a program goal is broader than an objective.

Logic model components: inputs (resources), activities, outputs, short- and long-term outcomes, and impact.

Evaluation types: process (was it delivered as planned?), impact (short-term behavior or knowledge change), and outcome (long-term health status).

Professional standards: maintain certification and continuing education, follow a code of ethics, and adhere to mandated-reporting and confidentiality obligations (FERPA for student records, HIPAA for health information).

Advocacy approaches: build coalitions, present data to decision-makers, engage families and community partners, and align with school improvement plans.

Grant and budget basics: identify funding sources, write measurable objectives, include evaluation costs, and sustain programs through diversified funding rather than single grants.

Cultural competence: examine personal bias, learn about students' communities, adapt materials and examples, and involve families in program design.