What does middle school health cover?

Students learn how the body works, how food and sleep affect mood, and how to handle stress, friendships, and risky situations. They also practice making decisions, setting goals, and finding trustworthy health information instead of guessing or copying friends.

How can I support healthy habits at home?

Talk about real choices as they come up, like bedtime, screen time, snacks, or how to respond when a friend is upset. Short conversations during dinner or in the car work better than long lectures, and they give students a safe place to think out loud.

How do I know if my child is on track by the end of the year?

Students should be able to explain a few specific health habits, name an adult or website they trust for health questions, and walk through how they would handle a tough situation. Look for thinking, not memorized answers.

How should I sequence these eight skills across the year?

Most teachers anchor each unit in one content area, such as nutrition, mental health, or substance use, and rotate the skills through it. Start with health concepts and influences early, then build into communication, decision-making, and advocacy once students have shared vocabulary.

What if my child asks a question I am not ready to answer?

It is fine to say you need a minute and come back to it. Looking up the answer together on a trusted site, such as a children's hospital or the CDC, also teaches students how to find reliable information instead of relying on social media.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Decision-making and accessing reliable information tend to need repeated practice. Students can often list steps but struggle to apply them under social pressure, so short role-plays and quick scenario warm-ups across units help more than a single dedicated lesson.

How do I handle sensitive topics like vaping, mental health, or relationships?

Set clear ground rules on day one, give students a way to ask questions anonymously, and stick to facts and skills rather than personal opinions. Loop in counselors and families early so nothing about a unit feels like a surprise.

What does advocacy look like at this age?

Advocacy can be small and concrete, such as speaking up for a friend, writing a short letter to the principal, or making a poster for the school community. The goal is for students to practice using their voice on a real health issue they care about.

What does a student learn in ?

These are the years students start making real health decisions on their own, with friends watching and phones in hand. Students learn how stress, sleep, food, and social pressure shape their bodies and moods, and how to spot which sources of advice they can trust. They practice saying no, asking for help, and setting a goal they can actually stick to. By spring, students can walk through a tough choice out loud and explain why they picked it.

Healthy habits
Peer pressure
Mental health
Decision making
Goal setting
Trusted sources

Source: Delaware Delaware Content Standards

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
Health basics and daily habits
Students start the year learning how the body and mind work day to day. They look at sleep, food, exercise, and stress, and what each one does for how they feel at school.
2
Influences and trusted sources
Students notice what shapes their choices, from friends and family to ads and social media. They practice telling a reliable health source from a sketchy one before acting on it.
3
Talking through tough moments
Students work on what to actually say in real situations: saying no, asking for help, listening to a friend, or speaking up when something feels off. The focus is calm, clear words.
4
Decisions and personal goals
Students walk through how to make a health decision step by step instead of in the moment. They also set a small personal goal, track it for a few weeks, and adjust when it stalls.
5
Healthy practices in real life
Students put the year into practice with habits around safety, hygiene, food, screens, and feelings. They try the routines in their own day and notice what works for them.
6
Speaking up for others
Students finish the year by standing up for health in their school or community. They might share a clear message about kindness, safety, or wellness with classmates, family, or younger students.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 6.

Health Education

Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of…

DE-HE.1.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like how to handle stress, get enough sleep, or support a friend going through something hard.
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.2.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students look at what shapes health choices, from friends and family to ads and social media, and explain how those pressures push people toward or away from healthy behavior.
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.3.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a doctor's website or a school nurse, rather than relying on whatever comes up first in a search. The skill is knowing what makes a source worth trusting.
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.4.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice the everyday communication skills that protect health, like asking for help, setting a boundary, or checking in on a friend who seems off.
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…

DE-HE.5.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices about health, like deciding how to handle peer pressure or respond to a risky situation. The goal is to make decisions that protect their own health and the people around them.
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.6.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students pick a health goal, such as sleeping more or being more active, then follow a step-by-step plan to reach it. They also think about how their choices affect the people around them.
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.7.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice real habits, like washing hands, managing stress, or looking out for a classmate, that keep themselves and the people around them healthy.
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.8.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice speaking up for healthier choices, at school, at home, or in their community, and learn how to persuade others to make decisions that support their own well-being.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of… Grades 6-8	Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like how to handle stress, get enough sleep, or support a friend going through something hard.	DE-HE.1.6-8
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students look at what shapes health choices, from friends and family to ads and social media, and explain how those pressures push people toward or away from healthy behavior.	DE-HE.2.6-8
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a doctor's website or a school nurse, rather than relying on whatever comes up first in a search. The skill is knowing what makes a source worth trusting.	DE-HE.3.6-8
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students practice the everyday communication skills that protect health, like asking for help, setting a boundary, or checking in on a friend who seems off.	DE-HE.4.6-8
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and… Grades 6-8	Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices about health, like deciding how to handle peer pressure or respond to a risky situation. The goal is to make decisions that protect their own health and the people around them.	DE-HE.5.6-8
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students pick a health goal, such as sleeping more or being more active, then follow a step-by-step plan to reach it. They also think about how their choices affect the people around them.	DE-HE.6.6-8
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students practice real habits, like washing hands, managing stress, or looking out for a classmate, that keep themselves and the people around them healthy.	DE-HE.7.6-8
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students practice speaking up for healthier choices, at school, at home, or in their community, and learn how to persuade others to make decisions that support their own well-being.	DE-HE.8.6-8

Health Education

Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of…

DE-HE.1.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like how to handle stress, get enough sleep, or support a friend going through something hard.
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.2.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students look at what shapes health choices, from friends and family to ads and social media, and explain how those pressures push people toward or away from healthy behavior.
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.3.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a doctor's website or a school nurse, rather than relying on whatever comes up first in a search. The skill is knowing what makes a source worth trusting.
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.4.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice the everyday communication skills that protect health, like asking for help, setting a boundary, or checking in on a friend who seems off.
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…

DE-HE.5.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices about health, like deciding how to handle peer pressure or respond to a risky situation. The goal is to make decisions that protect their own health and the people around them.
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.6.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students pick a health goal, such as sleeping more or being more active, then follow a step-by-step plan to reach it. They also think about how their choices affect the people around them.
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…

DE-HE.7.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice real habits, like washing hands, managing stress, or looking out for a classmate, that keep themselves and the people around them healthy.
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others

DE-HE.8.6-8

Grades 6-8

Students practice speaking up for healthier choices, at school, at home, or in their community, and learn how to persuade others to make decisions that support their own well-being.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of… Grades 6-8	Students apply what they know about health to make real decisions, like how to handle stress, get enough sleep, or support a friend going through something hard.	DE-HE.1.6-8
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students look at what shapes health choices, from friends and family to ads and social media, and explain how those pressures push people toward or away from healthy behavior.	DE-HE.2.6-8
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a doctor's website or a school nurse, rather than relying on whatever comes up first in a search. The skill is knowing what makes a source worth trusting.	DE-HE.3.6-8
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students practice the everyday communication skills that protect health, like asking for help, setting a boundary, or checking in on a friend who seems off.	DE-HE.4.6-8
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and… Grades 6-8	Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices about health, like deciding how to handle peer pressure or respond to a risky situation. The goal is to make decisions that protect their own health and the people around them.	DE-HE.5.6-8
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students pick a health goal, such as sleeping more or being more active, then follow a step-by-step plan to reach it. They also think about how their choices affect the people around them.	DE-HE.6.6-8
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… Grades 6-8	Students practice real habits, like washing hands, managing stress, or looking out for a classmate, that keep themselves and the people around them healthy.	DE-HE.7.6-8
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others Grades 6-8	Students practice speaking up for healthier choices, at school, at home, or in their community, and learn how to persuade others to make decisions that support their own well-being.	DE-HE.8.6-8

Common Questions

What does middle school health cover?
Students learn how the body works, how food and sleep affect mood, and how to handle stress, friendships, and risky situations. They also practice making decisions, setting goals, and finding trustworthy health information instead of guessing or copying friends.
How can I support healthy habits at home?
Talk about real choices as they come up, like bedtime, screen time, snacks, or how to respond when a friend is upset. Short conversations during dinner or in the car work better than long lectures, and they give students a safe place to think out loud.
How do I know if my child is on track by the end of the year?
Students should be able to explain a few specific health habits, name an adult or website they trust for health questions, and walk through how they would handle a tough situation. Look for thinking, not memorized answers.
How should I sequence these eight skills across the year?
Most teachers anchor each unit in one content area, such as nutrition, mental health, or substance use, and rotate the skills through it. Start with health concepts and influences early, then build into communication, decision-making, and advocacy once students have shared vocabulary.
What if my child asks a question I am not ready to answer?
It is fine to say you need a minute and come back to it. Looking up the answer together on a trusted site, such as a children's hospital or the CDC, also teaches students how to find reliable information instead of relying on social media.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Decision-making and accessing reliable information tend to need repeated practice. Students can often list steps but struggle to apply them under social pressure, so short role-plays and quick scenario warm-ups across units help more than a single dedicated lesson.
How do I handle sensitive topics like vaping, mental health, or relationships?
Set clear ground rules on day one, give students a way to ask questions anonymously, and stick to facts and skills rather than personal opinions. Loop in counselors and families early so nothing about a unit feels like a surprise.
What does advocacy look like at this age?
Advocacy can be small and concrete, such as speaking up for a friend, writing a short letter to the principal, or making a poster for the school community. The goal is for students to practice using their voice on a real health issue they care about.