Health & Wellness Education

Overview

The middle school Health and Wellness curriculum is a skills-based curriculum geared to meet the developmental needs of all students. Aligned with the National Health Standards, the curriculum aims to empower students to make informed and responsible choices regarding their health and well-being for a lifetime.

Goal Setting: My future

Learning Targets

Apply goal-setting skills to enhance our health now and in the future
Create SMART goals to improve and maintain health
Brainstorm strategies and skills needed to work towards goals

Advocacy: Substance Misuse Prevention

Learning Targets:

Define and apply the skill cues of advocacy
List general classifications of drugs and describe their effects on the body
Describe the physical effects/dangers of different substances and diseases that can result from using them, including nicotine, alcohol and opioids
Describe the social, emotional and physical effects of substance misuse on individuals and families
Create and share targeted PSAs addressing decisions to use or not use various substances

Accessing Information: Mental Health Resources

Learning Targets

Access and analyze resources for mental health and stress management techniques
Identify situations that require mental health professionals, including depression
Identify a caring adult support system that can ensure reliable health services
Access mental health resources in both the local community and online

Interpersonal Communication: Courageous Conversations

Learning Targets

Use interpersonal communication skills to engage in conversations about race, prejudice and stereotypes
Explain the detrimental effects of prejudice on individual relationships and society as a whole
Demonstrate ways to build a supportive, inclusive environment in the school and community

Self-Enhancing Behaviors: Disease Prevention

Learning Targets

Practice health-enhancing behaviors to avoid or reduce certain health risks
Define anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder
Identify causes, warning signs and effects of eating disorders
Describe steps to reduce the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma

Healthy Relationships and Human Sexuality

Learning Targets

Review the relationship between reproductive body parts and their functions
Identify accurate and credible sources of information and support for sexual health
Describe qualities of healthy and unhealthy relationships and develop a plan for having healthy dating relationships
Identify and describe protection methods against pregnancy and STIs
Identify high-risk behaviors for transmitting STIs including HIV and ways to reduce the risk of transmission
Describe the health risks of STIs and how they are and are not transmitted
Demonstrate the use of effective refusal skills to support one’s decision around sexual behaviors
Describe how sexual decision-making can affect future goals

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