Health Education
The elementary health curriculum is designed to provide a safe, healthy and caring environment that maximizes the social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth of young adolescents. The curriculum is designed to motivate children and youth to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, reduce health-related risk behaviors and develop and demonstrate health-related knowledge, attitudes, skills and practices. The curriculum meets national and state health education standards addressing the following:
Standard 1: Core Concepts
Standard 2: Accessing Health Information
Standard 3: Self-Management of Healthy Behaviors
Standard 4: Analyzing Internal and External Influences
Standard 5: Communication Skills
Standard 5: Communication Skills
Standard 7: Goal-Setting Skills
Standard 8: Advocacy
In order to promote social, emotional and physical wellness, South Windsor Public Schools uses “The Great Body Shop,” a comprehensive curriculum that covers all aspects of physical, mental, social emotional health and safety. This K-5 program promotes wellness through the integration of ten health content strands, with social and emotional learning, as well as substance abuse and violence prevention skills and messages integrated into every unit. The mission statement of The Great Body Shop is, “to equip children and their families with the knowledge and skills needed to make healthy choices throughout their lives.”
Each of the units/topics covered in Grade 1 are listed below.
Great Body Shop Units
Unit 101:
Injury Prevention and Personal Safety
Injury Prevention and Personal Safety
Careless and careful behavior
Predicting consequences of actions
Being responsible
Rules of safe play
Safe and unsafe fire prevention routines
Keeping your body safe
Routines for body care
Private body parts
Types of touches
How to yell and tell
Refusal skills
Unit 102:
Nutrition
Nutrition
Role of food
Effects of healthful and unhealthful foods
Setting dietary goals
Decision-making steps for healthy meals
How food turns into energy
Learning about digestion
Food handling methods
Food groups
Influence of culture and family
Unit 103:
Functions of the Body
Functions of the Body
Identifying body parts and functions: heart, lungs, liver, teeth, five senses, brain, skin, ears, mouth, blood, stomach and intestines
Safety routines to protect body
Heeding body signals
Talking and listening
Speaking and hearing problems
Impact of drugs on the body
Unit 104:
Growth and Development/
Cycle of Family Life
Growth and Development/
Cycle of Family Life
Muscles and bones
Growth and development throughout the life cycle
Exercising at all ages
How to have family fun
Being responsible
Setting goals
How to cooperate
Social awareness of differences
Self awareness of traits
Unit 105:
Disease and
Illness Prevention
Disease and
Illness Prevention
Defining germs and how they spread
Contrasting sick and well
Setting illness prevention goals
Respecting body signals
Antibodies
Do’s and don’ts when sick
Community health helpers
Medicine safety rules
Immunizations
Unit 106:
Substance Abuse Prevention
Substance Abuse Prevention
Identifying drugs (tobacco, alcohol, medicines)
Knowing the effects of drugs
Locating trusted adults for help
Respecting community helpers
Rules, laws for preventing drug abuse
Routines for healthy living
Refusal skills
Predicting consequences of not following medicine rules
Unit 107:
Community Health
and Safety
(Violence Prevention)
Community Health
and Safety
(Violence Prevention)
Rules to keep safe
Thanking community helpers
Role-playing different at-risk situations
Practicing asking for help
How to read, write, and speak name, address, and phone number
Knowing what help is needed when
Refusal skills
Avoiding violence
Bully prevention, teasing
Unit 108:
Self Worth, Mental and Emotional Health
Self Worth, Mental and Emotional Health
Seeing unique qualities in self and others
Respecting self and others
Practicing self care/healthy habits
How to identify feelings and ways to help others
Family support
Boundaries and expectations
Communication skills
Friendship
Empathy
Character development
Self management of emotions
Unit 109:
Environmental and Consumer Health
Environmental and Consumer Health
Basic needs of humans
Clean and polluted air
How to avoid smoke and smog
Effects of air pollution on lungs
Identifying community health/safety professionals and services
Rules for health care products
Proper storage of health care products
Practicing advocacy
How to access health services and products
Unit 110:
Physical Fitness
Physical Fitness
Relationship between exercise and nutrition
Respiratory health
Strong muscles and bones
Defining physical fitness
Benefits of exercise throughout life
Safety routines
Good sportsmanship and anger management
Goals for self and others
Types of physical activities
Fitness pyramid
Additional Resources
Where to go for additional information and support
