| (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 understand 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 the 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 name, locate, and describe the primary functions and major components
of body systems, including the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, and
respiratory systems.
(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) explain the importance of seeking assistance in
making decisions about health;
(B) describe methods of accessing information about
health;
(C) identify the benefits of decision making about
personal health;
(D) identify the importance of taking personal responsibility
for developing and maintaining personal hygiene and health habits;
(E) explain ways in which germs are transmitted, methods
of preventing the spread of germs, and the importance of immunization;
(F) identify that there are diseases such as allergies,
asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy that are not caused by germs; and
(G) identify common vectors, including ticks and mosquitos,
and explain how and when to perform a self-check for vectors.
(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 strategies for assessing thoughts and
applying calming and self-management practices;
(C) discuss and explain how the brain develops through
maturation;
(D) distinguish between healthy and harmful influences
of friends and others;
(E) describe the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy
friendships;
(F) describe the value of respectful communication;
(G) discuss how others may experience situations differently
than oneself; and
(H) demonstrate strategies for resolving conflicts.
(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) define self-esteem and ways it is formed, including
identifying areas for one's personal growth; and
(B) describe the importance of seeking guidance from
a parent or another trusted adult in setting goals.
(5) Mental health and wellness--identifying and managing
mental health and wellness concerns. The student will develop and
use appropriate skills to identify and manage conditions related to
mental health and wellness. The student is expected to:
(A) describe methods for managing challenges related
to long-term health conditions;
(B) describe strategies to support others in managing
different learning needs;
(C) describe positive outcomes of stress, including
creativity, focus, energy, drive, and purpose;
(D) describe and practice healthy behaviors that reduce
stress; and
(E) describe the importance of acceptance of oneself
and others.
(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) classify foods by the nutrients they provide;
(B) plan a balanced meal that follows government nutrition
guidelines;
(C) examine nutrition labels to identify the difference
between foods containing natural sugars and foods with added sugars
or sweeteners; and
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