Second Grade Curriculum Resources
Standard of Learning
2.2 The student will explain that personal health decisions and health habits influence health and wellness throughout life. Key concepts/skills include:
- how food choices contribute to a healthy lifestyle;
- the harmful effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco;
- the need for regular health check-ups and screenings;
- the importance of learning and using refusal skills to make good decisions;
- the use of nonviolent strategies to resolve conflicts.
Understanding the Standard
The student will understand that alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can be addictive.
Essential Knowledge and Skills
The student will:
- define addiction. (body needs a drug to function or the brain relies on a drug for a sense of well-being. Physical dependence, psychological dependence, or withdrawal – often includes both physical and psychological symptoms)
- identify the addictive substances in:
- drugs and alcohol; (narcotics, stimulants, THC, etc.) and
- tobacco. (nicotine – very addictive for young people)
- describe the effects that:
- drugs and alcohol have on the brain and body; (effect concentration, balance, vision, memory, and organ function) and
- tobacco has on the brain and body. (shortness of breath, cancer, lung and heart disease.)
Sample Lessons
Al’s Pals: Kids Making Healthy Choices
Grades preK-3
Resiliency-based early childhood curriculum to develop personal, social, & emotional skills. Includes expressing feelings appropriately, using kind words, caring about others, self-control, independent thinking, accepting differences, making friends, solving problems, coping, making safe & healthy choices, substance abuse prevention. 46 interactive lessons plus booster lessons.
Sponsor: Wingspan LLC
Contact: http://www.wingspanworks.com
HeartPower!
Grades: K-2
Teaches student about the heart and how to keep it healthy. Science-based. Lessons, handouts.
--What is Smoking?
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Contact: http://www.americanheart.org(select HeartPower!)
Free
Protecting You/Protecting Me
Grades 1-5
Model 5-year alcohol use prevention curriculum designed to reduce alcohol-related injury and death. Includes student’s intentions not to drive with an impaired driver; focuses on risks of using alcohol; and includes parental involvement.
Sponsor: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Contact: http://www.pypm.org
Cost
Oral Health Education: Saving Smiles Series- “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”
Grade: 2
Lesson Plan (1) Identify the parts of the oral cavity that are involved in the digestive system. (SOL 2.1c)
Lesson Plan (2) Develop an awareness of the long-term effects of choosing nutritious foods and beverages for a healthy life and self image. (SOL 2.2a, 2.3e)
Lesson Plan (3) Describe plaque and its impact on dental diseases and self image.(SOL 2.3c, 2.3e)
Lesson Plan (4) Identify the roles of oral health professionals met during a dental visit. (SOL 2.4a)
Lesson Plan (5) with regular dental check-ups. (SOL 2.2c)
Lesson Plan (6) Describe the effects on the body of using drugs, alcohol and tobacco products. (SOL 2.2b)
Sponsor: Virginia Department of Health, Division of Dental Health
Contact: http://www.vahealth.org/teeth/OralHealthEducation.asp (curriculum resources)
Free
Additional Instructional Resources
- "Be Smart, Don’t Start!" - http://www.healthteacher.com
- Drug and Violence Prevention - http://dave.esc4.net
- "Drugs and Goals Don’t Mix" - Grades 2-3 - http://www.healthteacher.com
- "Hazardous to My Health" - http://www.healthteacher.com
- Safety – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/(health & fitness k-2)
- Tips 4 Youth Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS) -http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/tips4youth.htm
Assessment Ideas
The student will:
- identify the effects of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug addictions.
- develop a safe and drug-free pledge.

