Building a foundation of health knowledge
Students start the year learning how the body and mind work, what habits support a healthy life, and how choices around food, sleep, exercise, and stress show up in daily life.
What does a student learn in
This is the year health class shifts from following rules to making real decisions students will carry into adulthood. Students learn how friends, family, social media, and advertising shape choices about food, sleep, stress, relationships, and substances. They practice finding trustworthy information, talking through tough conversations, and setting goals they can actually stick with. By spring, students can walk through a real decision step by step and explain how they would speak up for their own health or a friend's.
- Decision making
- Healthy relationships
- Mental health
- Media influence
- Goal setting
- Substance use
- Speaking up for health
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Spotting what shapes our choices
Students look at the forces that influence how they live, including family, friends, social media, advertising, and culture. They start to notice why people make the choices they do.
- 3
Finding trustworthy information and help
Students learn how to tell a reliable health source from a sketchy one, and how to find real help when they or a friend need it. This includes doctors, hotlines, and school resources.
- 4
Talking through tough situations
Students practice the conversations that matter most, like saying no, asking for help, setting limits with friends, and handling conflict without making things worse.
- 5
Making decisions and setting goals
Students work through a step-by-step way to make hard choices and set goals they can actually reach, whether the goal is better sleep, more activity, or quitting a habit.
- 6
Living it out and speaking up
Students put healthy habits into practice and learn to speak up for themselves and others on issues that affect their community, from mental health to safety.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 9.
Health Education
Health Education
- High School
Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of…
Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like choosing how to handle stress, support a friend, or respond to a risky situation.
- High School
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others
Students examine where health decisions actually come from: friends, advertising, family habits, social media, and cultural norms. They practice spotting which influences push toward healthy choices and which ones pull away from them.
- High School
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice finding trustworthy sources, like a clinic website or a licensed counselor, to get accurate health information for themselves or someone they care about.
- High School
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice the conversations that actually affect health: telling a doctor what's wrong, pushing back on pressure from friends, or checking in on someone who seems off.
- High School
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…
Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices that protect their health and the health of people around them. This applies to real decisions, like managing stress, handling peer pressure, or knowing when to ask for help.
- High School
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others
Students practice setting real health goals using a step-by-step process, like planning how to get more sleep or reduce stress. The same approach applies when supporting a friend or family member working toward a healthier habit.
- High School
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…
Students show what healthy habits look like in real life, from how they handle stress to how they support a friend going through a hard time.
- High School
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others
Students make a case for a health choice, whether writing a letter, giving a speech, or pushing back on a bad habit, with the goal of improving their own health or someone else's.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of… High School | Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like choosing how to handle stress, support a friend, or respond to a risky situation. | RI-HE.1.9-12 |
| Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others High School | Students examine where health decisions actually come from: friends, advertising, family habits, social media, and cultural norms. They practice spotting which influences push toward healthy choices and which ones pull away from them. | RI-HE.2.9-12 |
| Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice finding trustworthy sources, like a clinic website or a licensed counselor, to get accurate health information for themselves or someone they care about. | RI-HE.3.9-12 |
| Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice the conversations that actually affect health: telling a doctor what's wrong, pushing back on pressure from friends, or checking in on someone who seems off. | RI-HE.4.9-12 |
| Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and… High School | Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices that protect their health and the health of people around them. This applies to real decisions, like managing stress, handling peer pressure, or knowing when to ask for help. | RI-HE.5.9-12 |
| Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others High School | Students practice setting real health goals using a step-by-step process, like planning how to get more sleep or reduce stress. The same approach applies when supporting a friend or family member working toward a healthier habit. | RI-HE.6.9-12 |
| Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students show what healthy habits look like in real life, from how they handle stress to how they support a friend going through a hard time. | RI-HE.7.9-12 |
| Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others High School | Students make a case for a health choice, whether writing a letter, giving a speech, or pushing back on a bad habit, with the goal of improving their own health or someone else's. | RI-HE.8.9-12 |
Common Questions
What does health class actually cover in high school?
Students learn how daily choices affect their bodies and minds, including food, sleep, exercise, stress, relationships, and substances. They also practice skills like saying no, asking for help, and finding trustworthy information when something feels off.
How can I help my teen at home?
Talk about real situations as they come up, like a stressful week, a friend group issue, or a question about vaping or drinking. Asking what they would do, and why, gives them a chance to practice the thinking the class is building.
How should I sequence the eight skills across the year?
Most teachers anchor each unit in one or two skills rather than teaching all eight at once. A common pattern is content and influences early, then decision-making and goal-setting mid-year, then communication and advocacy as students apply what they know.
My teen says health class is common sense. Is it?
Some of it sounds obvious until a real moment hits, like a friend in crisis or pressure at a party. The class gives students words and steps to use when the moment is stressful, which is different from knowing the right answer on a quiz.
What does mastery look like by graduation?
Students should be able to spot what is influencing a choice, find a reliable source, weigh options, and act on a plan. The goal is a young adult who can handle a doctor's visit, a hard conversation, or a setback without freezing.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Accessing valid resources and analyzing influences tend to lag. Students often grab the first search result or underestimate how much social media and peers shape their thinking, so it helps to revisit both skills in every unit with fresh examples.
How do I bring up sensitive topics like substances or mental health?
Pick a low-pressure moment, like a car ride, and ask what students at school are saying about it. Listen more than lecture. Teens shut down fast when a conversation feels like a test, and open up when it feels like a real question.
How much should advocacy show up in the course?
Plan for at least one project where students speak up for a health issue that matters to them, whether to peers, family, or the wider community. It pulls the other seven skills together and gives students something concrete to point to.