Health basics and personal habits
Students start the year learning how daily choices about sleep, food, exercise, and stress affect their bodies and minds. They build a working vocabulary for talking about health at home and at school.
What does a student learn in
This is the year health class shifts from following rules to making real choices that affect a young adult's life. Students learn how friends, family, social media, and advertising shape decisions about food, sleep, stress, relationships, and substance use. They practice spotting trustworthy health information online and talking through tough situations before they happen. By spring, students can set a personal health goal, lay out the steps to reach it, and explain who they would turn to for help.
- Healthy decisions
- Mental health
- Outside influences
- Trusted information
- Goal setting
- Standing up for others
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
Influences on health choices
Students look at what shapes their decisions, including family, friends, social media, advertising, and culture. They learn to spot pressure and notice when an outside influence is pushing them toward a choice that does not fit their values.
- 3
Finding trustworthy information
Students practice telling the difference between a reliable health source and a misleading one. They learn where to go for accurate answers about medicine, mental health, and safety, online and in person.
- 4
Communication and relationships
Students work on talking through hard topics with family, friends, and partners. They practice setting limits, saying no, asking for help, and listening when someone else is struggling.
- 5
Decisions and goals
Students walk through a clear process for making health decisions and setting goals they can actually reach. They plan small steps, track progress, and adjust when life gets in the way.
- 6
Advocacy and healthy behaviors
Students put it all together by practicing healthy routines and speaking up for the well-being of people around them. They learn how one student can shift a group, a team, or a family toward better habits.
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 whether to eat, rest, or get help, and to support the people around them.
- High School
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others
Students look at what shapes health choices, including ads, friends, family, and social media, then explain how those pressures affect real decisions about food, sleep, stress, or risky behavior.
- High School
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice finding trustworthy sources on health topics, like government websites or licensed professionals, and use what they find to make informed decisions for themselves and the people around them.
- High School
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice how to have honest, respectful conversations about health, whether talking to a friend in a hard moment or asking a doctor a question. Good communication is itself a health skill.
- High School
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…
Students practice a step-by-step method for making choices about their health, like whether to seek help, set a boundary, or change a habit. The goal is decisions that hold up for themselves and the people around them.
- High School
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others
Students pick a personal health goal, map out steps to reach it, and track their progress over time. The same process applies when helping a friend or family member work toward a healthier habit.
- High School
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice real health habits, like washing hands, getting enough sleep, or checking in on a friend, that protect their own well-being and the people around them.
- High School
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others
Students learn to speak up for healthier choices, whether that means asking a doctor the right questions, pushing back on peer pressure, or encouraging a friend to get help.
| 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 whether to eat, rest, or get help, and to support the people around them. | TX-HE.1.9-12 |
| Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others High School | Students look at what shapes health choices, including ads, friends, family, and social media, then explain how those pressures affect real decisions about food, sleep, stress, or risky behavior. | TX-HE.2.9-12 |
| Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice finding trustworthy sources on health topics, like government websites or licensed professionals, and use what they find to make informed decisions for themselves and the people around them. | TX-HE.3.9-12 |
| Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice how to have honest, respectful conversations about health, whether talking to a friend in a hard moment or asking a doctor a question. Good communication is itself a health skill. | TX-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 method for making choices about their health, like whether to seek help, set a boundary, or change a habit. The goal is decisions that hold up for themselves and the people around them. | TX-HE.5.9-12 |
| Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others High School | Students pick a personal health goal, map out steps to reach it, and track their progress over time. The same process applies when helping a friend or family member work toward a healthier habit. | TX-HE.6.9-12 |
| Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice real health habits, like washing hands, getting enough sleep, or checking in on a friend, that protect their own well-being and the people around them. | TX-HE.7.9-12 |
| Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others High School | Students learn to speak up for healthier choices, whether that means asking a doctor the right questions, pushing back on peer pressure, or encouraging a friend to get help. | TX-HE.8.9-12 |
Common Questions
What does health class actually cover this year?
Students learn how to take care of their body and mind, weigh choices, and find trustworthy information. They practice talking through tough situations with friends, family, and doctors. The year covers nutrition, sleep, stress, relationships, safety, and how to spot bad advice online.
How can families support healthy habits at home?
Eat a meal together a few nights a week and talk about the day. Keep phones out of bedrooms at night so sleep can happen. When a tough topic comes up, ask what students already know before jumping in with advice.
How should the year be sequenced across the eight skills?
Start with functional knowledge and resource access so students have a base before harder skills. Layer in analyzing influences and decision-making mid-year, then push communication, goal-setting, and advocacy in the second half. Practices and behaviors run all year as the throughline.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can read a health claim online and tell if the source is solid. They can walk through a real decision, name the influences pulling on it, and pick an action that fits their values. They can also set a small goal and stick with it for a few weeks.
My teen says health class is common sense. Is it?
Some of it is, but most students struggle when a real choice shows up under pressure. The class gives practice saying hard things out loud, like turning down a ride or asking a doctor a follow-up question. That practice is what makes the knowledge stick.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Analyzing influences and accessing reliable resources take the longest to land. Students can name peer pressure but miss the quieter pulls from ads, algorithms, and family habits. Source evaluation also needs repeated practice with real websites and social posts, not just a checklist.
How can parents help with the advocacy work?
Ask what issue students care about: vaping at school, mental health, food in the cafeteria. Then ask who decides about that issue and how a student could reach them. A short email to a principal or council member counts as real advocacy practice.
How do I assess skills like communication and decision-making?
Use short role-plays and written scenarios where students show the steps, not just the answer. A quick rubric covering options considered, influences named, and follow-through planned works better than a multiple-choice quiz. Repeat the same scenario types so growth is visible over the semester.
How do I know a student is ready for life after high school?
Students can book their own appointment, refill a prescription, and ask a clear question at a clinic. They can build a basic budget for food and sleep into a busy week. They also know two or three trusted places to turn when something feels off.