Healthy habits at home and school
Students start the year learning what keeps a body and mind healthy. They cover food, sleep, exercise, handwashing, and feelings, and they practice naming habits that help them feel their best each day.
What does a student learn in
These are the years health class shifts from following rules to making choices. Students learn how friends, ads, and family shape what they eat, watch, and do, and they practice spotting which sources of health information they can trust. They start using a real decision-making process for everyday situations like handling a disagreement or trying something new. By spring, students can set a small health goal, name one influence on it, and explain the steps they will take to reach it.
- Healthy habits
- Decision making
- Trusted information
- Goal setting
- Peer and media influence
- Communication skills
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
- 2
Where health information comes from
Students look at what shapes their choices, from family and friends to ads and screens. They also practice finding trustworthy answers by asking a parent, a nurse, or a doctor instead of guessing.
- 3
Talking, listening, and getting along
Students practice talking through everyday situations with classmates, family, and adults. They learn how to say no, ask for help, listen well, and work out small problems before they grow.
- 4
Making good choices
Students walk through how to make a thoughtful choice when something feels tricky, like what to eat, how to handle a dare, or what to do when a friend is upset. They weigh options before acting.
- 5
Setting and reaching goals
Students pick a small health goal, such as drinking more water or getting to bed earlier, and break it into steps. They track how it goes and adjust when something gets in the way.
- 6
Speaking up for health
Students put it all together by sharing what they have learned with others. They might encourage a friend to wear a helmet, remind the family to wash hands, or speak up for a kinder classroom.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 5.
Health Education
Health Education
- Grades 3-5
Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of…
Students take what they've learned about health and use it in real situations, like washing hands to stop germs from spreading or knowing when to tell an adult someone is hurt.
- Grades 3-5
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others
Students look at why people make the health choices they do, like how friends, ads, and family shape what someone eats, does, or believes about staying healthy.
- Grades 3-5
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…
Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a nurse, a doctor's website, or a school counselor. They practice using those sources to answer real health questions for themselves or someone they know.
- Grades 3-5
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice how to speak up about a health concern, listen to a friend who needs support, and respond in ways that help rather than hurt.
- Grades 3-5
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…
Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices, like deciding what to eat or how to handle peer pressure, with their own health and their friends' well-being in mind.
- Grades 3-5
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others
Students pick a health goal, like drinking more water or getting more sleep, then map out the steps to reach it. They also think about how their goal can help the people around them.
- Grades 3-5
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice specific habits, like washing hands, staying active, or speaking up when something feels unsafe, that protect their own health and look out for the people around them.
- Grades 3-5
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others
Students speak up for healthy choices, for themselves and the people around them. That might mean encouraging a friend to drink water instead of soda, or asking an adult for help when something feels unsafe.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of… Grades 3-5 | Students take what they've learned about health and use it in real situations, like washing hands to stop germs from spreading or knowing when to tell an adult someone is hurt. | DC-HE.1.3-5 |
| Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others Grades 3-5 | Students look at why people make the health choices they do, like how friends, ads, and family shape what someone eats, does, or believes about staying healthy. | DC-HE.2.3-5 |
| Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… Grades 3-5 | Students learn to find trustworthy sources of health information, like a nurse, a doctor's website, or a school counselor. They practice using those sources to answer real health questions for themselves or someone they know. | DC-HE.3.3-5 |
| Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… Grades 3-5 | Students practice how to speak up about a health concern, listen to a friend who needs support, and respond in ways that help rather than hurt. | DC-HE.4.3-5 |
| Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and… Grades 3-5 | Students practice a step-by-step process for making choices, like deciding what to eat or how to handle peer pressure, with their own health and their friends' well-being in mind. | DC-HE.5.3-5 |
| Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others Grades 3-5 | Students pick a health goal, like drinking more water or getting more sleep, then map out the steps to reach it. They also think about how their goal can help the people around them. | DC-HE.6.3-5 |
| Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… Grades 3-5 | Students practice specific habits, like washing hands, staying active, or speaking up when something feels unsafe, that protect their own health and look out for the people around them. | DC-HE.7.3-5 |
| Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others Grades 3-5 | Students speak up for healthy choices, for themselves and the people around them. That might mean encouraging a friend to drink water instead of soda, or asking an adult for help when something feels unsafe. | DC-HE.8.3-5 |
Common Questions
What does health class look like across these grades?
Students learn how to take care of their bodies and minds, get along with others, and make smart choices. Topics include food and sleep, feelings, safety, friendships, and how to ask trusted adults for help. The same big ideas come back each year with more depth.
How can I support what students are learning at home?
Talk about everyday choices out loud: why a helmet matters, why sleep helps a bad mood, why washing hands matters before dinner. Five minutes at the table or in the car is plenty. Students learn a lot when they hear adults reason through a decision.
My child is shy about feelings. How do I help?
Try naming feelings during normal moments, not just hard ones. Saying things like "I felt frustrated in traffic, so I took a breath" gives students words to borrow. Books and shows are also a low-pressure way to talk about what a character is feeling.
How do I help students spot reliable health information online?
Show students how to check who wrote something and whether other trusted places say the same thing. A quick habit works well: pause, check the source, ask a trusted adult. Pediatricians, school nurses, and sites that end in .gov or .edu are good anchors.
How should the year be sequenced across these eight areas?
Start with functional knowledge and personal practices so students have shared vocabulary, then layer in influences, decision-making, and goal-setting once they can name healthy behaviors. Save advocacy for later in the year, after students have something concrete to advocate for. Communication skills can run through every unit.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Decision-making and analyzing influences tend to need the most practice. Students can list steps but freeze when a real situation comes up, especially around friendships, media, or pressure from peers. Short role-plays with realistic scenarios tend to move the needle faster than worksheets.
What does goal-setting look like at this age?
Students pick a small, specific goal, name one or two steps, and check progress over a week or two. Good examples include drinking more water, going to bed at the same time, or asking one new person to play at recess. Keep the goals short so students get a real win.
How do I know students are ready for middle school health?
By the end of fifth grade, students should be able to explain healthy habits in their own words, walk through a simple decision, set a small goal, and tell an adult when something feels wrong. They should also know how to find a trusted source instead of guessing. If those pieces are solid, sixth grade will build on them well.
How is advocacy taught at this age?
Advocacy at this level is small and concrete: a poster about handwashing, a letter asking for more recess equipment, a short talk to a younger class about bike safety. The point is for students to practice speaking up for something healthy, not to run a campaign.