Health Education I (7-8)
	Course Preface Printable Version (pdf)

 

Course Description

 

Core Standards of the Course

Standard 1
Students will demonstrate the ability to use knowledge, skills, and strategies related to mental and emotional health to enhance self-concept and relationships with others.

Objective 1
Develop strategies for a healthy self-concept.

1. Identify ways to build self-esteem including recognizing strengths and weaknesses.
2. Identify goal-setting strategies and use them to create a plan for reaching a health-related goal.
3. Explain the influence of personal values on individual health practices.
4. Analyze how self-esteem affects risk and protective factors.
5. Use decision making skills to solve personal problems.

Objective 2
Identify strategies that enhance mental and emotional health.

1. Identify positive ways to express emotions.
2. Identify ways to build resiliency.
3. Determine how societal norms, cultural differences, personal beliefs, and media impact choices, behavior, and relationships.
4. Demonstrate stress management techniques.
5. Explore strategies for suicide prevention.

Objective 3
Examine mental illness.

1. Identify the prevalence of mental illness and the importance of early intervention and treatment.
2. Distinguish types of mental disorders and explain their effects on individuals and society.
3. Analyze the stigma associated with mental illness.
4. Investigate school and community mental health resources.

Objective 4
Develop and maintain healthy relationships.

1. Examine components of healthy relationships.
2. Determine healthy ways to accept, manage, and adapt to changes in relationships (e.g., loss, grief, coping).
3. Develop strategies to manage inappropriate or harmful comments and advances from others (e.g. bullying, cyber-bullying, sexual harassment).
4. Demonstrate refusal skills for managing peer pressure.
5. Demonstrate effective communication skills.

Standard 2
Students will use nutrition and fitness information, skills, and strategies to enhance health.

Objective 1
Describe the components and benefits of proper nutrition.

1. Identify the primary nutrients and describe their functions.
2. Explain how the United States Department of Agriculture's Seven Dietary Guidelines and the most recent Food Pyramid can enhance proper nutrition.
3. Recognize ways to make healthy food choices (e.g., reading food labels, calculating calorie intake).
4. List school and community nutritional resources.

Objective 2
Analyze how physical activity benefits overall health.

1. List the elements of physical fitness (e.g., muscular strength and endurance, cardio- vascular endurance, flexibility, body composition).
2. Examine the benefits of maintaining life-long fitness and the consequences of inactivity.
3. Identify and investigate available fitness resources.
4. Create individual fitness goals.

Objective 3
Recognize the importance of a healthy body image and develop appropriate weight management behaviors.

1. Explain how weight control is affected by caloric intake and energy expenditure.
2. Explore the short and long term effects of poor nutrition and inactivity (e.g., obesity, chronic diseases).
3. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of various body-weight indicators (e.g., Body Mass Index [B.M.I.], waist circumference, body fat percentage calculators).
4. Examine the causes, symptoms, and the short and long-term consequences of eating disorders.
5. Analyze the influence of media on body image.

Standard 3
Students will demonstrate health-promoting and risk-reducing behaviors to prevent substance abuse.

Objective 1
Examine the consequences of drug use, misuse, and abuse.

1. Define the short and long term effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (e.g., steroids, inhalants, stimulants, depressants, prescription painkillers).
2. List guidelines for the safe use of medicine (e.g., over the counter drugs, prescription drugs, herbal supplements).
3. Recognize the legal consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse.
4. Identify ways to recognize, respect, and communicate personal boundaries.
5. Examine the impact of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse on individuals, families, and communities.

Objective 2
Analyze the risk and protective factors that influence the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

1. List risk and protective factors associated with the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
2. Examine the impact of peer pressure on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use/abuse.
3. Identify practices that help to support a drug-free lifestyle.
4. Analyze media and marketing tactics used to promote alcohol, tobacco, and other drug products.
5. Practice interpersonal and communication skills (e.g., assertiveness, refusal skills, negotiation, conflict management).

Objective 3
Access information for treatment of addictive behaviors.

1. Recognize the signs of addiction.
2. Explain the need for professional intervention for those affected by addictions.
3. Identify community resources available to support individuals impacted by substance abuse.

Standard 4
Students will demonstrate the ability to apply prevention and intervention knowledge, skills, and processes to promote safety in the home, school, and community.

Objective 1
Identify personal behaviors that contribute to a safe or unsafe environment.

1. Recognize unhealthy or potentially dangerous situations and their consequences.
2. Identify ways to avoid dangerous situations.
3. Discuss safety guidelines for a variety of activities at home, school, and in the community. (e.g., indoor and outdoor sports activities, recreational outings in various seasons, technology).
4. Develop strategies to enhance personal safety (e.g., use of helmets, protective gear, seatbelts).

Objective 2
Recognize emergencies and respond appropriately.

1. Explain how immediate response increases a victim's chance for survival.
2. Demonstrate basic first-aid and CPR/AED procedures.
3. Create personal disaster safety plans (e.g., fire, earthquakes, floods, terrorism).

Objective 3
Identify and respond appropriately to harassment and violent behaviors.

1. Identify abusive behaviors (e.g., threats, harassment, bullying, assault, domestic abuse).
2. Recognize sexual harassment and identify methods to stop it.
3. Describe ways to prevent and report violence at home, in school, and in the community.
4. Investigate resources to assist those affected by abusive behaviors.

Objective 4
Examine the dangers of inappropriate use of current technology.

1. Identify the use and misuse of current technology (e.g., Internet, email, websites, instant messaging, cell phones).
2. Discuss the short and long term dangers of sharing private information using current technology devices.
3. Investigate personal and legal consequences for the inappropriate use of technology and discuss school and LEA policies.
4. Analyze violence in the media and how it impacts behavior.

Standard 5
Students will understand and summarize concepts related to health promotion and the prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Objective 1
Explain the transmission and prevention of communicable diseases.

1. Identify pathogens and how they are transmitted.
2. Discuss symptoms of common communicable diseases.
3. Describe methods of prevention and treatment for communicable diseases (e.g., personal hygiene, immunization, balanced diet, exercise, rest, natural body defenses, abstinence from high risk behaviors).

Objective 2
Identify the effects of non-communicable diseases.

1. Recognize common non-communicable diseases (e.g., arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, allergies).
2. Identify risk factors for common non-communicable diseases (e.g., environment, age, gender, family history, diet, body mass, risky behaviors).
3. List signs and symptoms of common non-communicable diseases.
4. Describe risk reduction and prevention methods, including breast and testicular self exams, for common non-communicable diseases.

Objective 3
Analyze the impact of sexually transmitted diseases including human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on self and others.

1. Identify common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (e.g., HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis).
2. Recognize symptoms, modes of transmission, including the absence of symptoms, and associated pathogens for common sexually transmitted diseases. Terms of a sensitive or explicit nature may be used in discussions.
3. Determine risk-reducing behaviors in the prevention of STDs while discussing the advantages of abstinence over other methods of preventing sexually transmitted diseases.
4. Recognize the importance of early detection and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

Objective 4
Examine the impact of disease on self and society.

1. Determine the economic, physical, mental, social, and emotional impact of communicable diseases.
2. Identify the economic, physical, mental, social, and emotional impact of non-communicable diseases.
3. Identify preventive measures for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Standard 6
Students will demonstrate knowledge of human development, social skills, and strategies to encourage healthy relationships and healthy growth and development throughout life.

Objective 1
Describe physical, mental, social, and emotional changes that occur throughout the life cycle.

1. Explain the anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive systems.
2. Recognize the impact of heredity and environment on growth and development.
3. Describe the development and maturation of the brain and its impact on behavior.
4. Identify the mental, social, and emotional developmental changes that occur from infancy through adolescence.

Objective 2
Describe the interrelationship of mental, emotional, social, and physical health during adolescence.

1. Identify qualities and strategies for developing healthy relationships including healthy ways to manage or adapt to changes.
2. Analyze how self-image, social norms (e.g., age, gender, culture, ethnicity), and personal beliefs may influence choices, behaviors, and relationships.
3. Identify ways to recognize, respect, and communicate personal boundaries for self and others.
4. Develop and use effective communication skills including being able to discuss questions on sexuality with parents and/or guardians.
5. Develop strategies to manage inappropriate comments or advances from others.

Objective 3
Explain the processes of conception, prenatal development, birth, and the challenges created by teen and unwanted pregnancies.

1. Identify appropriate ways to show interest and express affection for others.
2. Describe the benefits of sexual abstinence before marriage (e.g., personal and relationship growth, preventing early or unintentional pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted diseases), and strategies that support the practice.
3. Predict the impact of adolescent parenting (e.g., relationships, finances, education).
4. Identify adoption as an option for unintended pregnancy and discuss the Newborn Safe Haven Law.

 

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Office of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Office of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.

 

For more information about this core curriculum, contact the USOE Specialist, FRANK WOJTECH or visit the Health Education Home Page. For general questions about Utah's Core Curriculum, contact the USOE Curriculum Director, LYNNE GREENWOOD . UEN Contact Info: 801-581-2999 | 800-866-5852 | Contact Us