Building health knowledge
Students learn how the body works and what keeps it healthy across areas like nutrition, sleep, mental health, and substance use. They use this knowledge to make sense of choices they face every day.
What does a student learn in
This is the year health class shifts from learning the rules to running the playbook on their own. Students take what they know about food, sleep, stress, relationships, and safety and start making real decisions with it. They learn to spot what shapes their choices, from friends to social media to family habits, and how to find facts they can trust. By spring, students can talk through a tough situation, set a personal health goal, and stick up for themselves or a friend.
- Decision making
- Healthy relationships
- Mental health
- Reliable sources
- Goal setting
- Standing up for others
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
Spotting influences on choices
Students look at how friends, family, social media, and advertising shape the way teens think about their health. They learn to notice when something is pushing them toward a choice that may not be good for them.
- 3
Finding trustworthy information
Students practice telling the difference between a reliable health source and a sketchy one. They learn where to go for real answers about medical care, mental health, and safety.
- 4
Talking through hard moments
Students practice the actual words to use when refusing pressure, asking for help, setting limits with a partner, or supporting a friend in crisis. The focus is on listening and being clear under stress.
- 5
Making decisions and setting goals
Students work through a step-by-step way to make decisions about health and a step-by-step way to set goals they can stick with. They apply both to real situations like fitness, stress, and relationships.
- 6
Speaking up for health
Students put it all together by practicing healthy habits and standing up for issues that matter in their school and community. They learn how one clear voice can shift what others around them do.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 11.
Health Education
Health Education
- High School
Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of…
Students take what they know about nutrition, stress, relationships, and similar health topics and use that knowledge to make real decisions for themselves and the people around them.
- High School
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others
Students examine where health choices come from, whether ads, friends, family, or personal beliefs, and explain how those pressures shape decisions for themselves and the people around them.
- High School
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice finding trustworthy sources, like health websites, clinics, or hotlines, and learn how to use those resources to get help for themselves or someone else.
- High School
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self…
Students practice real conversation skills, like asking for help, setting limits with peers, or checking in on a friend, to protect their own health and support the people around them.
- High School
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and…
Students work through a step-by-step process to make health decisions, thinking through options and consequences before acting. The goal is choices that protect their own wellbeing and the people around them.
- High School
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others
Students practice setting a personal health goal step by step, tracking progress, and adjusting the plan when things aren't working. The focus is on real habits, not just good intentions.
- High School
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self…
Students show they can make real choices that protect their own health and support the people around them, like managing stress, getting enough sleep, or speaking up when a friend needs help.
- High School
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others
Students speak up, write, or take action to improve health for themselves or others. This could mean making a poster, giving a speech, or pushing for a change in their school or community.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Use functional knowledge of health concepts to support health and well-being of… High School | Students take what they know about nutrition, stress, relationships, and similar health topics and use that knowledge to make real decisions for themselves and the people around them. | IL-HE.1.9-12 |
| Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others High School | Students examine where health choices come from, whether ads, friends, family, or personal beliefs, and explain how those pressures shape decisions for themselves and the people around them. | IL-HE.2.9-12 |
| Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice finding trustworthy sources, like health websites, clinics, or hotlines, and learn how to use those resources to get help for themselves or someone else. | IL-HE.3.9-12 |
| Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students practice real conversation skills, like asking for help, setting limits with peers, or checking in on a friend, to protect their own health and support the people around them. | IL-HE.4.9-12 |
| Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and… High School | Students work through a step-by-step process to make health decisions, thinking through options and consequences before acting. The goal is choices that protect their own wellbeing and the people around them. | IL-HE.5.9-12 |
| Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others High School | Students practice setting a personal health goal step by step, tracking progress, and adjusting the plan when things aren't working. The focus is on real habits, not just good intentions. | IL-HE.6.9-12 |
| Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self… High School | Students show they can make real choices that protect their own health and support the people around them, like managing stress, getting enough sleep, or speaking up when a friend needs help. | IL-HE.7.9-12 |
| Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others High School | Students speak up, write, or take action to improve health for themselves or others. This could mean making a poster, giving a speech, or pushing for a change in their school or community. | IL-HE.8.9-12 |
Common Questions
What does health class actually cover in high school?
Students learn how to take care of their bodies and minds, and how to make decisions about food, sleep, stress, relationships, substances, and safety. The focus is on real life. By the end of high school, students should be able to handle common health questions on their own and know where to turn for help.
How can I help at home if my teen does not want to talk about health topics?
Pick short, low-pressure moments like car rides or making dinner. Ask open questions about what came up in class instead of quizzing them. Sharing a story from your own life often works better than a lecture, and it tells students this is a normal thing to talk about.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should be able to spot reliable health information, set a realistic goal and track progress, talk through a decision with pros and cons, and ask for help when something feels off. They should also be able to speak up for a friend or for themselves in a respectful way.
Does my teen need to memorize a lot of facts for health class?
Some facts matter, such as how to read a nutrition label or what a safe dose of a medicine looks like. Most of the work is using information to make a choice, not memorizing it. Ask students to explain why a habit matters, not just what the rule is.
How should I sequence the eight skills across the year?
Start with health concepts and influences so students have shared language and see why habits matter. Build into accessing reliable sources, communication, and decision-making in the middle of the year. End with goal-setting, practicing behaviors, and advocacy, since those pull the earlier skills together.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Accessing reliable sources and interpersonal communication tend to need the most practice. Students can name a healthy choice but struggle to evaluate a website, refuse a request from a friend, or ask a clinician a direct question. Build in short role-plays and source checks across units, not just once.
How can I help my teen make better decisions about social media, sleep, or food?
Notice patterns out loud without judgment, such as how late phones stay on or how breakfast goes on busy mornings. Ask what a small change might look like for a week. Let students try it, then talk about what worked. Small experiments stick better than rules.
What does advocacy look like at this age?
Advocacy can be a short presentation, a letter to a school leader, a social media post with sourced information, or organizing a peer group around an issue students care about. The point is that students take a clear position, back it with evidence, and aim it at a real audience.
How do I know my teen is ready for life after high school?
Students are ready when they can book their own appointment, read a label or a pay stub for health benefits, talk to a partner about boundaries, and notice when stress is getting heavy. Practice these now by handing off small tasks instead of doing them for students.