| (a) Introduction.
(1) The goal of health education is to provide instruction
that allows youth to develop and sustain health-promoting behaviors
throughout their lives. The understanding and application of these
standards will allow students the ability to gather, interpret, and
understand health information; achieve health literacy; and adapt
to the ever-evolving science of health. The health education knowledge
and skills should be presented to students in a positive manner to
support the development of a healthy self-concept and responsible
decision making. The standards will help students reinforce, foster,
and apply positive character traits.
(2) There are essential skills that repeat throughout
the five strands and embody the interconnection of health literacy.
These skills include decision making, problem solving, goal setting,
maintaining healthy relationships with self and others, seeking help
and support, and recognizing various influences on health such as
social, environmental, media, and genetic. These skills, developed
early on and reinforced throughout a student's education, will foster
mastery of health concepts. Health class educators are encouraged
to partner with school counselors where available to schedule time
for them to deliver classroom guidance lessons to help teach these
essential competencies.
(3) In Kindergarten-Grade 3, students gain an understanding
of health information and skills through five strands: physical health
and hygiene; mental health and wellness; healthy eating and physical
activity; injury and violence prevention and safety; and alcohol,
tobacco, and other drugs.
(A) Physical health and hygiene education helps to
prepare students for improved lifelong health outcomes. Learning about
body systems lays the foundation for personal health and hygiene.
Health literacy and preventative behaviors empower students to make
informed choices to support self, family, and community.
(B) The mental health and wellness strand recognizes
that the knowledge and skills necessary to manage emotions, reactions,
and relationships are essential to reaching one's full potential.
Students gain knowledge about social and emotional health, including
developing a healthy self-concept, understanding risk and protective
factors, and identifying and managing mental health and wellness concerns.
In the early grades, students develop fluency around emotions and
self-regulation and understanding the relationship between feelings,
thoughts, and behavior. In subsequent grades, students learn and practice
appropriate ways to solve interpersonal conflicts, work to develop
a positive self-image, and develop healthy self-management skills.
(C) The healthy eating and physical activity strand
addresses the importance of nutrition and physical activity to support
a healthy lifestyle. Students apply critical-thinking and decision-making
skills to make positive health choices. Students learn about essential
nutrients, food groups, portion control, government nutritional recommendations,
and the health benefits of being physically active. Students evaluate
the connection between physical activity and nutrition and the prevention
of chronic diseases.
(D) By focusing on injury and violence prevention and
safety, the standards promote student well-being and awareness of
dangerous situations. Supporting student well-being and providing
instruction in digital citizenship, bullying prevention, first aid,
and identification of safe and unsafe situations creates empowered
and educated students who are able to make decisions that keep themselves
and others safe. Beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through
high school, students gain knowledge and skills to support safety
and wellness at school, at home, online, and in the community.
(E) The standards under the alcohol, tobacco, and other
drugs strand focus on a number of protective factors that develop
empowered students who are able to make better-informed decisions,
including understanding the impact of substance use on physical, mental,
and social health. Through this strand, students learn key concepts
about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, including the use, misuse,
and physiological effects; short- and long-term impacts on health;
treatment; risk and protective factors; and prevention. These concepts
introduce healthy alternatives and ways for students to ask for and
seek out help from parents and other trusted adults.
(4) Statements containing the word "including" reference
content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such
as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(5) Students should first seek guidance in the area
of health from a parent or legal guardian.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Physical health and hygiene--body systems. The
student examines the structure, function, and relationships of body
systems and their relevance to personal health. The student is expected
to describe ways to protect the five senses such as wearing sunglasses
or using a safe volume setting on audio devices.
(2) Physical health and hygiene--personal health and
hygiene. The student understands health literacy, preventative health
behaviors, and how to access and evaluate health care information
to make informed decisions. The student is expected to:
(A) describe the importance of individual health maintenance
activities such as regular medical checkups, dental exams, and vision
and hearing screenings;
(B) explain actions an individual should take when
not feeling well;
(C) discuss the importance of practicing personal hygiene
and health habits;
(D) explain ways in which germs are transmitted, methods
of preventing the spread of germs, and the importance of immunization;
(E) identify common illnesses and diseases, including
asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy, and their symptoms; and
(F) discuss the signs and symptoms of illness that
may occur after contact with biting insects, including ticks and mosquitos.
(3) Mental health and wellness--social and emotional
health. The student identifies and applies strategies to develop socio-emotional
health, self-regulation, and healthy relationships. The student is
expected to:
(A) communicate needs, wants, and emotions in healthy
ways;
(B) describe and practice calming and self-management
strategies;
(C) discuss and explain how thoughts and emotions are
related;
(D) explain the effect of peer influence on an individual's
social and emotional health;
(E) describe the qualities of a good friend;
(F) describe and demonstrate respectful ways to communicate
with family members, peers, teachers, and others;
(G) identify the feelings and perspectives of others
by interpreting their verbal and nonverbal cues; and
(H) identify ways to prevent and repair broken friendships.
(4) Mental health and wellness--developing a healthy
self-concept. The student develops the capacity for self-assessment
and evaluation, goal setting, and decision making in order to develop
a healthy self-concept. The student is expected to:
(A) discuss ways to be kind to self and others;
(B) define personal growth and identify areas for one's
personal growth; and
(C) list the steps and describe the importance of goal
setting and task completion.
(5) Mental health and wellness--identifying and managing
mental health and wellness concerns. The student develops and uses
appropriate skills to identify and manage conditions related to mental
health and wellness. The student is expected to:
(A) identify strategies for managing different learning
needs of self and others; and
(B) identify positive and negative stressors and how
they impact emotions and learning.
(6) Healthy eating and physical activity--food and
beverage daily recommendations. The student identifies and explains
healthy eating strategies for enhancing and maintaining personal health
throughout the lifespan. The student is expected to:
(A) identify types of nutrients;
(B) use familiar objects to identify healthy food portions
from different food groups;
(C) identify healthy and unhealthy choices within the
food groups; and
(D) identify the benefits of making healthy beverage
choices, including water and milk, and limiting sweetened beverages
such as soda and sports drinks.
(7) Healthy eating and physical activity--nutrition
and physical activity literacy. The student obtains, processes, and
understands basic physical activity and nutrition information needed
to make health-promoting decisions. The student is expected to identify
various media that provide health information and how media can influence
an individual's health choices such as television advertisements for
fast foods and breakfast cereals.
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