Sixth Grade Curriculum Resources

Standard of Learning

6.2 The student will use knowledge of the body's structure and function to make sound decisions related to personal health. Key concepts/skills include

relationships of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans to personal eating habits;
the interconnection of the body systems;
the effects of disease on the functions of the body;
the relationship of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, and other harmful substances to body functioning;
the positive and negative effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications on body functioning.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the relationship between, and the importance of, maintaining healthy body systems.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

differentiate between the different body cells.
define the function of body tissue.
list and describe body organs.
define and explain the function of each body system.
explain how the following body systems work together:
- skeletal and muscular systems;
- the circulatory and respiratory systems;
- digestive and excretory systems;
- nervous and all other body systems; and
- endocrine and all other body systems.
identify behaviors that maintain healthy body systems:
- stay active;
- avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs;
- get plenty of rest; and
- drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods.

Sample Lessons

Aging 1: The Science of Aging
To introduce students to the concept of aging and how scientists study human aging.
Sponsor: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Marcopolo and Science Net Links
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com
Free

Asthma Awareness
Grades: 4-6
Lessons provide a basic understanding of asthma and discuss appropriate actions to take to help people with asthma. Worksheets included.
Sponsor: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
Contact:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/school
Cost: Free

BAM! Body and Mind> Teachers’ Corner> Active or Not Here it Comes!
The goal of this section is to expand students understanding of physical activity beyond organized sports. By extending their view of physical activity, students will recognize that organized sports (e.g., playing on the football or soccer team), less competitive or personal fitness activities (e.g., swimming with friends or weight training), lifetime sports (e.g., golfing or walking), and some everyday activities (e.g., walking their dog, dancing to their favorite song, or mowing the lawn) are all forms of physical activity. As student’s understanding grows, they will determine that they already participate in physical activities to some extent and gain confidence to expand upon their activities.
Sponsor: Center for Disease Control
http://www.bam.gov/teachers/activities/active_or_not.htm
Free

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
Grades: 6-8
Substance abuse prevention program for youth. Teaches youth how to resist peer pressure and live drug and violence-free lives.
Contact: http://www.dare.com

The Educator’s Reference Desk: Lesson Plans> Health>Body Systems and Senses Lesson Plans>Cardiovascular Fitness
This lesson shows students how to design a cardiovascular fitness program and encourages them to implement it in their daily lives.
Sponsor: The site is part of the Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM). GEM is a Consortium effort to provide educators with quick and easy access to thousands of educational resources found on various federal, state, university, non-profit, and commercial Internet sites. GEM is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.
Contact: http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Health
Free

HeartPower!
Grades: 6-8
Teaches student about the heart and how to keep it healthy. Science-based. Lessons, handouts.
--How Does the Heart Work?
--What Increases the Risk of CVD?
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Contact: http://www.americanheart.org(select HeartPower!)
Free

How Your Brain Understands What Your Ear Hears
Grades 7-8
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health, Curriculum Supplement Series
http://science.education.nih.gov

LifeSkills Training
Grades: 6-8
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. Includes self-image, self-improvement, decision-making, anger management, assertiveness, communication, media, and conflict resolution issues.
Contact: http://www.lifeskillstraining.com
Cost

Lions-Quest Skills for Adolescence
Grades 6-8
Positive youth development program focusing on social and emotional competencies; good citizenship skills; strong, positive character; drug-free lifestyle; and service to others.
Sponsor: Lions Quest
Contact: http://www.lions-quest.org
Cost

New York Times Daily Lesson Plan>Sense-itive Issues: Exploring the Relationships Among the Five Senses
In this lesson, students consider the difficulties of adapting to the loss of different senses. They then work in small groups, each developing a fictional superhero who experiences a loss of one of sense and must learn to compensate for it with his or her other senses.
Sponsor: The New York Times in partnership with the Bank Street College of Education in NYC
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers
Free

New York Times Daily Lesson Plan> Variety Is the Spice of Cellular Life
Exploring the Vast Array and Functions of Cells Throughout the Human Body, Including Stem Cells
In this lesson, students review animal cell structure and investigate the ways in which different types of cells interact in a common human reflex. Students then enhance their knowledge of cells by exploring the functions of stem cells, investigating the causes of various illnesses on a cellular level and assessing ways in which stem cells might aid in treatments and cures.
Sponsor: The New York Times in partnership with the Bank Street College of Education in NYC
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers
Free

New York Times Daily Lesson Plan> Know Bones About It! Learning How the Body's Skeletal Muscle Groups Work
In this lesson, students make a model of a major skeletal muscle group. They then consider how their life might change if they didn't have, or lack use of, this particular muscle group. Includes discussion of the interdependence between bones, muscles, nerves, tendons, arteries, and veins.
Sponsor: The New York Times in partnership with the Bank Street College of Education in NYC
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers
Free

Project Towards No Tobacco Use (TNT)
Grades 5-10
Model program to prevent or reduce tobacco use in youth. Ten core and 2 booster lessons. Includes effective refusal and coping skills; effects of media and advertisers; methods to build self-esteem; and strategies for advocating no tobacco use.
Sponsor: Department of Preventive Medicine, USC
Contact: http://www.etr.org
Cost

Systems of the Human Body
Aimed at grades 3-5, this lesson plan focuses on the systems in the body how they work together and independently. Teachers are supplied with a materials list, how to motivate students, in addition to a development section and assessment. A link to a Web site provides student with the chance to classify organs and place them in the body. The body systems that are covered include the nervous system, reproductive system and skeletal system.
Sponsor: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Marcopolo and Science Net Links
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

Al-Anon/Alateen – http://www.al-anon.org
Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids – http://www.alcoholcostcalculator.org/kids
American Council for Drug Education – http://www.acde.org
TheAnti-Drug.Com – http://www.theantidrug.com
BrainPOP – http://www.brainpop.com/health
Center for Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws – http://www.udetc.org
The Cool Spot – http://www.thecoolspot.gov
DEA State Fact Sheets – http://www.dea.gov/pubs/state_factsheets.html
Diabetes Fact Sheet - Diabetes_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Diabetes Resource Directory - Diabetes_Resources.pdf
DiscoverySchool.com – http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/6-8.html
A Family Guide to Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy and Drug Free, SAMSA – http://family.samhsa.gov
Federal Drug Data Sources – http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/sources.html
Global Youth Network - http://www.unodc.org/youthnet
Human Anatomy – http://www.innerbody.com
The Human Body – http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/teachercenter
Human Body Systems – http://www.si.edu/nsrc/stcms/access/humanbod.htm
Inhalant Abuse – http://www.inhalant.org
Innerbody – http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html
MedlinePlus – http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anatomy.html
Medtropolis - http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp
Monitoring the Future – http://www.monitoringthefuture.org
Mothers Against Drunk Driving – http://www.maddva.org or http://www.madd.org
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information – http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
National Diabetes Education Program - http://www.ndep.nih.gov
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition – http://www.inhalants.org
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse – http://www.nida.nih.gov or http://www.drugabuse.gov
National Library of Medicine - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anatomy.html
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign – http://www.mediacampaign.org
NOT (Not on Tobacco) - http://www.lungusa.org/virginia
Parenting is Prevention – http://www.parentingisprevention.org
Partners for Substance Abuse Prevention – http://www.samhsa.gov/preventionpartners
Partnership for a Drug-Free America – http://www.drugfreeamerica.org
SAMSA Model [Drug Prevention] Programs – http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov
Science News - http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/pages/search.asp?catid=10
Straight Scoop News Bureau – http://www.straightscoop.org
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) – http://www.saddonline.com
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov
TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) - http://www.lungusa.org/virginia
U.S. Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program – http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Criminal Justice Reference Service – http://www.ncjrs.org
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention – http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org
Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Education Section – http://www.abc.state.va.us
Virginia Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program – http://www.safeanddrugfreeva.org
Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (Office of Substance Abuse) – http://www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of State Police – http://www.vsp.state.va.us
Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation – http://www.vtsf.org
Your Body Systems – http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774536.html

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

describe how body systems work together.
classify behaviors that enable body systems to function efficiently.
develop a plan to modify diet and/or behavior to improve the health of body systems.

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