Standard of Learning

2.5   The student will demonstrate ways to communicate consideration and respect for the health of individuals in the community. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the impact of verbal and nonverbal aggressive behaviors;
2. the effects of personal health decisions on other individuals.

<< Back to Index

Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the steps for making a good decision, and how personal health decisions impact individuals and others.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define a decision. (deciding to do something)
• describe personal health. (having a healthy body, healthy mind, getting along well with others, etc.)
• define peer pressure. (people of the same age try to influence how you act)
• use a Decision-Making Model:
• identify that you need to make a decision;
• state the problem;
• list some choices you can make;
• think about how each choice could come out;
• decide on one of the choices; and
• evaluate whether you made a good decision.

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

"Coping with Loss"
Grade(s) K-4
To help students think about their feelings of loss one year later. To develop coping skills a year after Sept. 11th, 2001. (Modify from one year to the amount of time that has currently passed)
http://www.csee.net/LessonPlans.asp?id=13
Free

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Grades: K-5
Police officer led program of classroom lessons that teaches youth how to resist peer pressure and live drug and violence-free lives. Includes active learning strategies. Focuses on decision-making skills. Includes 9 lessons.
Contact: http://www.dare.com

Ideas: "Teaching Decision-Making Skills"
Grade(s) K-3
In this lesson students read Bill Cosby's book, "The Meanest Thing to Say."  From this book students then explore and practice methods of decision-making with various activities including role playing.
http://ideas.wisconsin.edu/ideas_resource.cfm
Free

LifeSkills Training
Grades: K-5
Model substance abuse prevention and competency enhancement program focusing on the major social and psychological factors causing substance use and abuse. Teaches drug resistance skills, personal management skills, and general social skills. Focuses on self-esteem, decision-making, influence of media, stress, communication, and assertiveness issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Maintaining Community Health
Students learn to take responsibility for community health by improving school health and sanitation through germ-ridden areas, such as bathrooms and the cafeteria.
Sponsor: Virginia Department of Health
Community_Health.pdf
Free

"People We Trust"
Grade(s) K-3
In this lesson students learn how to  identify the appropriate persons from whom a child can safely take medicine.  It is not enough for children in the early years to know the difference between medicines and harmful drugs. They must also be aware that there are persons from whom they should take a medicine and others from whom they should not.
http://www.sodat.org/Lesson%20Plan%20K-3.htm
Free

Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS)
Grades K-6
Model program to promote emotional & social competencies and reduce aggression and acting out. Includes emotional literacy, self-control, social competence, positive peer relations, and interpersonal problem-solving skills. Sponsor: Pennsylvania State University and Channing Bete Company
Contact: http://www.preventionscience.com
Cost

"You can't judge a book by its cover"
Grade(s) K-3
Children in the K-to-3 age range feel if someone in a position of authority, especially an adult, tells them something or requests them to do something, it is right for them to follow the direction. This lesson helps teach students to understand who they should trust and realize that people don't always act the way the might assume they will.
http://www.acde.org/educate/k3plan1.htm
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• Dealing with Peer Pressure - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/peer_pressure.html
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• Social Skills – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (health & fitness k-2)
• Virginia Department of Health – Antibiotic_Worksheets.pdf
• Virginia Department of Health – Antibiotic_Pretest.pdf

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• identify steps for making a decision.
• discuss the effects personal health decisions may impact on the individual and others.

TOP...