Standard 1: Comprehend health promotion and disease prevention concepts
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
identify personal practices that promote health and safety (e.g., hand-washing and other forms of personal hygiene and preventive health behaviors);
identify the structure and functions of the major systems of the human body;
identify health problems that should be detected and treated early;
give reasons healthy behaviors prevent disease;
explain how the environment affects health.
Lesson can be integrated with Science.
Grade Focus: K - 2nd
In this lesson, students will learn about some of the health habits that are essential for maintaining good health. Students will engage in both online and hands-on activities related to the topic of germs, learning that germs cause some (but not all) diseases. They will also learn the importance of hand washing for preventing the spread of germs, and thereby, the spread of disease.
Standard 2: Access valid health information, products, and services.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
find health information, products, and services that promote personal hygiene, wellness, disease prevention, and environmental health
cite ways of knowing whether or not health information, products, and services are valid and reliable.
Lesson can be integrated with Science.
Grade Focus: K - 5th
This link does not provide a lesson plan, but the information it supplies is very useful. Teachers can create their own lessons and activities that address the given content. The content describes how shots, known as vaccinations, are given to protect bodies against disease. Students should have received some shots before entering school, so the teacher can incorporate discussion on students’ prior knowledge and experiences and build on it.
Standard 3: Demonstrate the ability to practice behaviors that enhance health and reduce risks.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
demonstrate strategies for accepting responsibility for personal health behaviors
demonstrate strategies to improve or maintain personal health, dental care, hygiene, wellness, fitness, and disease prevention.
Lesson can be integrated with Science.
Grade Focus: 3rd - 5th
This link provides information on cholesterol. Since high cholesterol is a common health risk, this research update can be a helpful aide for teaching. Blood cholesterol is explained and inquiry questions on donating blood and lowering cholesterol are answered. Students will become exposed to health behaviors and develop an educated strategy to improve overall health.
Standard 4: Analyze the influence of personal beliefs, culture, mass media, technology, and other factors on health.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
give examples of how various factors influence health choices (e.g., personal, cultural, mass media, technology, peer, family)
describe how physical, social, and emotional environments influence personal health and well-being.
Lesson can be integrated with Language Arts and Social Studies.
Grade Focus: 5th
The lesson plan provided can easily be adapted to use in a fifth grade classroom. In this lesson, students conduct a class-wide survey collecting, compiling, and analyzing data about fitness, weight loss, and body image issues. There is great opportunity for discussion, group presentations, and reflective journals.
Standard 5: Use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
demonstrate the ability to ask for assistance in improving health and dealing with common health problems.
give reasons healthy behaviors prevent disease;
explain how the environment affects health.
Lesson can be integrated with Science.
Grade Focus: 1st - 5th
This web link is not a lesson plan, but is a great site to investigate with students. The topic implements learning about allergies. If you bring students to this website, they will find out why some kids get allergies, the difference between colds and allergies, how to find out if he/she has allergies, and how to take control and fight on the allergy front. The teacher can adapt his or her own activity to involve the students, such as placing students in groups where they can interview each other about these questions and find an understanding to deal with these common health problems.
Standard 6: Use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
demonstrate the ability to apply a decision-making process to health issues and problems;
determine when health problems require adult assistance;
set a personal health goal, track progress, and assess achievement.
Lesson can be integrated with Language Arts and Social Studies.
Grade Focus: 5th
In this lesson, students explore why Americans failed to meet health goals for the year 2000 and ways in which Americans can shape up to meet the 2010 goals. Students maintain a food and exercise diary for one week, evaluate their nutrition and exercise habits, and propose ways in which they can improve their health.
Standard 7: Demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.
By the end of grade five, students should be able to:
explain ways or strategies to influence and support others in making positive health choices.
Lesson can be integrated with Language Arts.
Grade Focus: 1st - 2nd
This web link does not provide an actual lesson plan, but it does provide information that young children can use to influence and support others in making smart choices with regards to their hearing. Students can learn about temporary and permanent hearing loss, as well as investigate a new vocabulary word “tinnitus.” The teacher can have students explain how they would communicate these healthy choices and advocate them to others.
