THE FUSED technique, at its most basic level, suggests using two standards, each with its corresponding performance indicator, per lesson.  Always using Standard 1: Functional Health Information, and one of the skill standards 2-8.  There are some additional characteristics that FUSED recommends: 

• Used Planned and Sequential Curriculum

  • districts/schools have developed and shared a vertical alignment or pacing guides based on health standards

• Comprehensively addresses the state statutes

  • Knowing and following the state requirements for teaching health

• Relevant to Students

  • Four factors contribute to making content relevant: 

    • Data Driven (Minnesota Student Survey [MSS] or YRBSS, school data, community data, news stories, etc.)

    • Tied to Unit of Instruction

    • Age-Appropriate Examples

    • Content and topics are representative of ALL students

• Use Participatory Methods

  • Using Gradual-Release of Responsibility

  • Active and Cooperative learning techniques

  • 80/20 (students are actively involved in 80% of the class activities; the teacher facilitates and can use direct teaching styles for smaller segments that can add up to 20%)

• Develops Skill Proficiency

  • Used skill cues through performance-based activities such as scenarios

• Fosters Health-Enhancing Attitudes

  • Asset-based teaching

  • Focus is on harm reduction, low-risk choices, and delaying experimentation

• Builds Functional Knowledge

  • Includes functional information that converts to functional knowledge. 

    • Functional Information means usable, applicable, and relevant.  It is not arbitrary or extensive. It is the context in which the skills will be taught and the base for developing functional knowledge (Benes & Alperin, 2022)

    • Functional knowledge is the outcome of internalizing and applying functional information, enabling students to retrieve and apply the concepts when appropriate (Benes & Alplerin, 2022).