Health Education Standards

Health Standard #1
The student knows how to maintain mental, social and emotional health and how these relate to family health.
1.1 Knows age appropriate communication techniques and coping strategies to resolve conflict and maintain or improve family, peer and other adult relationships (e.g., compromise, understanding various points of view, family roles, defense mechanisms, reading body language).
1.2 Knows stress management strategies (e.g. relaxation techniques, exercise, nutrition).
1.3 Knows strategies to manage feelings caused by disappointment, separation, or loss (e.g. talking over problems with other, and appropriate response strategies).
1.4 Knows characteristics and conditions associated with positive self-esteem.

Health Standard #2
The student knows essential concepts and practices concerning injury prevention and personal safety.
2.1 Knows risks to personal safety and appropriate strategies for handling situations (e.g., weather emergencies, running away, internet safety).
2.2 Knows various types, signs and laws to enhance self-protection from harassment, bullying, abuse and violence (e.g., physical, verbal, sexual, neglect).
2.3 Knows strategies for managing a range of situations involving injury (e.g., first-aid procedures and CPR).

Health Standard #3
The student understands essential concepts about nutrition and diet.
3.1 Knows the way to meet nutritional requirements of adolescence.
3.2 Understands the implications of dependence on food fads and fallacies in selecting a diet. (e.g. responsible consumer).
3.3 Knows appropriate methods to maintain, lose or gain weight according to individual needs and scientific research (e.g., understands the relationship between calorie intake and level of activity to body weight).
3.4 Knows eating disorders that affect health adversely (e.g., anorexia, bulimia, overeating).

Health Standard #4
The student knows how to maintain and promote personal health in order to prevent and control disease.
4.1 Knows acute, communicable, chronic and degenerative disease processes and the differences among them (e.g., anemia, osteoarthritis, cancer, arthritis, influenza, bronchitis).
4.2 Understands how lifestyle, pathogens, family history, environmental and other risk factors may relate to the cause of disease (e.g. poor nutrition, substance use and abuse).
4.3 Knows how to maintain and promote personal health to prevent disease (e.g. personal health habits health assessments, communication with providers, misconceptions about treatment and prevention options).

Health Standard #5
The student understands aspects of substance use and abuse.
5.1 Understands the differences between use, misuse and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
5.2 Knows factors involved in the development of drug dependency and the early observable signs and symptoms (e.g., family history, tolerance level, drug seeking behavior, loss of control, denial).
5.3 Understands the short-and long-term physical, psychological, social consequences of the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.
5.4 Understands age appropriate refusal skills and techniques for social situations (e.g., substance use and abuse).

Health Standard #6
The student understands concepts of growth and development.
6.1 Knows the similarities and differences between male and female sexuality (e.g., physical, emotional and social changes in puberty).
6.2 Knows the basics of conception, prenatal development and birth.
6.3 Knows choices and consequences of sexual activity (e.g., abstinence, HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy).