Health Education

The goal of Health Education is to help students adopt and maintain healthy behaviors. Health Education contributes directly to a student's ability to successfully practice behaviors that protect and promote health while avoiding or reducing health risks.

Educator roles in contributing to the Health Education goal include:

Teaching functional health information (essential concepts)

Helping students determine personal values that support healthy behaviors

Helping students develop group norms that value a healthy lifestyle

Helping students develop the essential skills necessary to adopt, practice, and maintain health-enhancing behaviors

                                                                            (Idaho State Department of Education)

Students can access Google Classroom for eighth grade by using the red button above. Most communication to students will be available there.

Friday, August 22nd - Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

1. Exit Ticket: Assigned on August 18th, due at the beginning of class on August 22nd.

2. Health Triangle Review Worksheet: Assigned on August 18th, due on Monday, August 25th.

In-Class Activities:

On August 22nd, we will learn more about analyzing health influences and complete a Health Influence worksheet, which is due at the end of class that day.

Students will select one health influence to analyze and create a poster that represents how this influence changes the way they feel, think, and act. We will continue working on these posters in class on Monday, August 25th, and they are due on Wednesday, August 27th. A video resource for this assignment has been posted in Google Classroom.

Upcoming Topic:

We will begin learning about goal setting, specifically focusing on SMART goals. A task related to this topic will be assigned in Google Classroom and is due at the beginning of class on September 3rd.

Friday, September 5th - Friday, September 12th, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

1. Values Survey (In-Class) Due: September 5, 2025

2. Parent-Teen Communicator (Homework): For this assignment, students, with their parents, will determine reinforced family values. Handout will be passed out in class on Friday, September 5, 2025.  Due: September 12, 2025

3. Mental Health Doodle Notes (Google Classroom Assignment) Due: September 12, 2025  

4. My Life Story Graphic Organizer and Collage: For this project, you will reflect on essential memories and events from your life. You will use a graphic organizer to brainstorm and record these significant moments. In your organizer, create chapter titles that represent different stages or themes in your life, and include the corresponding memories and events for each chapter. Once you complete your graphic organizer, you will design a visual collage to bring your chapters to life. Use materials such as markers, crayons, colored pencils, magazines, or printed images to represent your memories and chapters creatively. Both your graphic organizer and your collage will be graded as assessments. Be thoughtful, creative, and reflective as you share your life story. Examples on Google Classroom. Due: September 19, 2025

This week, we will explore topics related to mental health and ways to promote healthier habits. On Friday, September 12, we will begin our unit on empathy, overcoming hardships, and celebrating life.

Friday, September 12th - Friday, September 19th, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

1. Empathy Survey in class- Friday, September 12, 2025

2. My Life Story Graphic Organizer and Collage: For this project, you will reflect on essential memories and events from your life. You will use a graphic organizer to brainstorm and record these significant moments. In your organizer, create chapter titles that represent different stages or themes in your life, and include the corresponding memories and events for each chapter. Once you complete your graphic organizer, you will design a visual collage to bring your chapters to life. Use materials such as markers, crayons, colored pencils, magazines, or printed images to represent your memories and chapters creatively. Both your graphic organizer and your collage will be graded as assessments. Be thoughtful, creative, and reflective as you share your life story. Examples on Google Classroom. Due: September 19, 2025

3. On Monday, September 15, there will be a Bullying Escape Room activity, and students can earn in-class participation points.

4. On Friday, September 19, students will create a mini-book on ways to turn anger into calm moments. The mini-book will count as a quiz grade and is due September 19, 2025.

This week, we will explore empathy, bullying, and an introduction to violence. Students will learn to identify anger in themselves and discover alternative ways to manage it.

Week of September 19th - September 26th, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

Friday, September 19: Students will create a mini-book detailing ways to transform anger into calm moments. This mini-book will count as a quiz grade and is due on September 19, 2025.

Monday, September 22: Students will learn about the "So Quic" Conflict Resolution Model and the importance of using "I can" statements in conversations. They will be assigned a task titled "The Skill of Asking Questions," which will be completed in class and is due on Friday, September 26.

Friday, September 26: We will wrap up our conflict resolution unit with a graded in-class quiz on resolving conflict using the "So Quic" method.

Friday, September 26th - Friday, October 3rd, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

On Friday, September 26, we will study the "So Quic" conflict resolution model. We will also discuss tips for being more assertive, staying calm, and establishing conversation rules. In-class graded assignment

On Monday, September 26, Students will learn more about reducing stress, identifying stressors, and identifying ways to reduce stress. Students will take notes in class for a quiz scheduled for October 6, 2025.

Students are assigned a project-grade assignment where they will write a short animal story describing a stressor and then find a solution to reduce that stress. Animal Story due Monday, October 6, 2025. Examples posted on Google Classroom.

On Friday, October 3, Students will continue working on their Animal Stories and identify ways we can reduce stress through the arts.

Next week, we will learn more about personal hygiene. 

Friday, October 3, 2025 - Friday, October 17, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:Dates: 

Resilience Skills Assignment- In class

Due Date: Friday, October 3, 2025  

Animal Stories Assignment (assigned Monday, September 29th)

Due Date: Monday, October 6, 2025 (Examples can be found on Google Classroom)

Stress Quiz

Due Date: Monday, October 6, 2025

Personal Hygiene In-Class Assignments

Date: Monday, October 6, 2025  

Inside Out 2 Movie

Date: Friday, October 10, 2025 - We will conclude our unit on conflict resolution, emotions, and stress.  

Continued: Monday, October 13, 2025  

Community Service Project

Date: Friday, October 17, 2025 - All middle school students, off campus.  

Next week, we will focus on Body Systems leading up to Thanksgiving Break.

Monday, October 20, 2025 - Friday, October 24, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

On Monday, we will begin a five-week unit on body systems. We will start with hereditary traits and have an in-class participation grade. No other assignments or homework this week. There is no school on Friday, the 24th.

Monday, October 27, 2025 - Friday, October 31, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

During this week, we will complete an overview of the body systems. Students will form groups to conduct a research project in class.

Please note that there is no school on Thursday and Friday of this week.

Monday, November 3, 2025 - Friday, November, 7, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

Students will continue researching body systems in class using the health textbook (Cornell Notes): 

• Muscular/Skeletal System

• Nervous System

• Circulatory/Respiratory System

• Digestive/Excretory System

Monday,, November 3, 2025- BSU Basketball game

Monday, November 10, 2025 - Friday, November 14, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

Students will continue researching body systems in class using the health textbook (Cornell Notes): 

• Muscular/Skeletal System

• Nervous System

• Circulatory/Respiratory System

• Digestive/Excretory System

• Endocrine System

• Immune System

All system notes are due by the end of class on Monday, November 10, 2025.

Friday, November 14, 2025: Human Body Web quest- Google Classroom (graded assignment)

Monday, November 17, 2025 - Friday, November 21, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines:

Human Body Web quest- Google Classroom (graded assignment)- Due Friday, November 21st.

Additionally, students have two worksheets due by Friday, November 21st: "Bones in Action" and "The Cardiovascular System."

Monday, December 1, 2025 - Monday, December 15, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines: Body Systems Project

Body Systems Project: Students have been assigned a project with two components: an essay and either a PowerPoint presentation or a poster. The guidelines are available in Google Classroom.

Students have three class periods to work on the assignment before it is due on December 15th (In-class working periods include December 1st, 8th, and 12th). You will need to work on this assignment at home periodically, leading up to the due date. After December 15th, the assignment will be considered late. Since the grading period ends on December 19th, please make every effort to submit the assignment on time to avoid receiving a late penalty or a zero on the report card.

Monday, December 8th, 2025 - Friday, December 19th, 2025

Assignments and Deadlines: Body Systems Project

Body Systems Project: Students have been assigned a project with two components: an essay and either a PowerPoint presentation or a poster. The guidelines are available in Google Classroom.

Students have three class periods to work on the assignment before it is due on December 15th (In-class working periods include December 1st, 10th, and 12th). You will need to work on this assignment at home periodically, leading up to the due date. After December 15th, the assignment will be considered late. Since the grading period ends on December 19th, please make every effort to submit the assignment on time to avoid receiving a late penalty or a zero on the report card.

Last Day to turn in missing work is Wednesday, December 17th.

Friday, December 19th- Fly HIgh Field Trip

Tuesday, January 9th, 2026 - Friday, January 12th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Students will participate in an introductory lesson on healthy eating, including completing a MyPlate food guide tailored to their age and gender. Additionally, students will take a "How Healthy Are You Eating?" quiz to help them establish a nutrition goal for the New Year. For both assignments, students will receive grade book credit.

On Friday, students will receive a Nutrition Choice Board project that is due on Monday, February 9th. They will have the option to select from various nutrition-related activities on the choice board, which together total 100 points. Students must submit the required documentation for each activity. I will provide students with a hard copy of the project to complete, and a reference copy will be available on Google Classroom starting on Friday, January 9th.

Monday, January 12th, 2026 - Friday, January 16th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Students completed their introduction to nutrition guidelines in class on Monday. If you were absent on the 9th, please use the PowerPoint in Google Classroom to complete the front side and turn in the completed worksheet.

On Monday, the students will participate in an introductory lesson on healthy eating, including completing a MyPlate food guide tailored to their age and gender. Students will use formulas to calculate the required amounts of fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and water. Additionally, students will take a "How Healthy Are You Eating?" quiz to help them establish a nutrition goal for the New Year. Students will receive grade book credit.

On Friday, the 16th, students will learn more about the definition of nutrition and its connection to overall human health. They will also read a brief overview of food labels. Additionally, students will read two articles and complete two question-and-answer pages.

Please continue working on your Nutrition Choice Board project, due on Monday, February 9th. You may select from various nutrition-related activities on the choice board, which together total 100 points. Please submit the required documentation for each activity. For reference, a copy is available on Google Classroom.

Friday, January 23rd, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

In pairs, students will complete a full-body nutrition project. Each student will be assigned either poor or good nutrition and its effects on the body. We will continue working on the project on Monday, January 26, 2026.

If you did not finish your assignment from Friday, the 16th, please submit it this Friday, the 23rd.

Please continue working on your Nutrition Choice Board project, due on Monday, February 9th. You may select from various nutrition-related activities on the choice board, which together total 100 points. Please submit the required documentation for each activity. For reference, a copy is available on Google Classroom.

Monday, January 26th, 2026- Friday, January 30th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Monday, the 26th: In pairs, students will complete a full-body nutrition project. Each student will be assigned either poor or good nutrition and its effects on the body. Due at the end of class on Monday, the 26th.

Friday, the 30th: Food Label Videos

If you are absent on any of these days, please see me on Monday to obtain copies of the work.

Please continue working on your Nutrition Choice Board project, due on Monday, February 9th. You may select from various nutrition-related activities on the choice board, which together total 100 points. Please submit the required documentation for each activity. For reference, a copy is available on Google Classroom. Points are taken off if not turned in on time.

Monday, February 2nd, 2026- Friday, February 6th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Students will participate in an interactive food label activity to develop an understanding of the different categories on a food label. The interactive food label will count as a participation grade. After completing the activity, students will take a brief quiz on the components of the food label and how to read it (quiz grade).

Please note that there will be a teacher workday on Friday, the 6th.

Please continue working on your Nutrition Choice Board project, due on Monday, February 9th. You may select from various nutrition-related activities on the choice board, which together total 100 points. Please submit the required documentation for each activity. For reference, a copy is available on Google Classroom. Points are taken off if not turned in on time.

Monday, February 9th, 2026- Friday, February 13th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Monday, February 9th: Google Classroom Assignment

Friday, February 13th: Idaho Ballet Field Trip

Monday, February 16th, 2026- Friday, February 20th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Monday, February 16th: No School

Friday, February 20th: This week, we are starting our unit on alcohol, drug, and tobacco awareness. The students will start by learning how alcohol affects the body through a classroom scavenger hunt that involves finding clues (participation). Then, they will partner up to make a decision-making model to make good choices (quiz grade). 

Monday, February 23rd, 2026- Friday, February 27th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Monday, February 23rd: Decision Making Model Assignment

Friday, February 27th: Hallisey Assembly

Monday, March 2nd, 2026- Friday, March 6th, 2026

Assignments and Deadlines:

Monday, March 2nd: St. Alphonsius Educator presents- "Anti-vaping Campaign."

Friday, March 6th: CPR class

Homework: Growth Mindset worksheet due March 9th