After identifying qualities that make a group of kindergarteners different from each other, students describe how they exhibit some of these qualities. They consider how differences make the world an interesting place and the importance of knowing and liking oneself as part of being healthy. Then they draw a picture to show others what is different and special about themselves.
Students identify facial expressions related to feeling happy, sad, angry, bored, curious and afraid, consider reasons people might feel in these ways and demonstrate body language to communicate each emotion, with a focus on appropriate and healthy ways to express anger.
Students identify people in the lives of kindergarteners who care about them and want them to be healthy. They talk about why it is important to have family, friends and people at school who care about them, and draw a picture to illustrate some of these people in their lives. They take home a family sheet to help them talk with parents or other adult family members about people who care.
Students work in pairs to complete a puzzle to help them identify parts of the body. They name key body parts and identify these parts of their own bodies. Then they describe some of the things their bodies can do.
Students review the important things their teeth do, and discuss how to keep their teeth healthy. They watch a demonstration and practice the steps for proper tooth brushing, then make a pledge to properly brush their teeth twice a day.
Students discuss all the ways hands can get dirty and pick up germs during the day. They discuss when and why it is important to wash their hands. They watch a demonstration and practice the steps for proper handwashing, then make a pledge to remember to wash their hands often.
Students think about what happens when they feel sick and identify body signals that let them know they aren’t feeling well. They learn the important rule about only using medicines with the help of an adult, and identify trusted adults whom they can ask for help when feeling ill.
Students identify body signals that let them know they’ve been injured. They describe some common childhood injuries, including cuts and scratches, sprains, insect bites and burns, including sunburn. They discuss the importance of telling the teacher if they or classmates are injured at school, and take home a family sheet to help them talk with parents or other adult family members about being sick or hurt.
Students learn that they can use their words and bodies to get help when they are hurt or feeling ill. They watch a demonstration of how to ask for help from a trusted adult. Then they listen to stories about kids who need help and practice what they could say to ask for help in each situation.
This lesson explores the idea of feeling safe. Students name people and places that make them feel safe and discuss how feeling safe is part of being healthy. They draw a person with whom they feel safe and learn a poem to help them decide if they need help to feel safe. They make badges to wear to encourage conversations with trusted adults about how they can help students be safe.
Students discuss what helps them feel safe at school and identify things they do to help each other belong. They think about the difference between friendly and hurtful teasing, and discuss what bullying is and why it is wrong. They complete an activity sheet to illustrate what they can do to help everyone feel safe at school and create a paper chain to encourage each other to avoid and report hurtful teasing and bullying.
This lesson teaches about how safety rules can help people stay safe in traffic. Students play a game to illustrate traffic problems that can occur when there are no rules. They discuss how they travel to school each day and how traffic rules can help keep them safe.
In this lesson, students learn about staying safe when they walk. They think about when and where they walk each day and learn and practice following safety rules for walking safely, such as looking ahead and being seen.
This lesson focuses on crossing the street safely. Students use a poem to learn and practice rules to help them cross the street safely, and discuss some of the people and things that can help them stay safe when crossing the street.
This lesson teaches about being safe when riding in a car. Students learn safety rules to follow as a passenger, including wearing a safety belt, using an appropriate car or booster seat and keeping hands and head inside the vehicle. They draw pictures of themselves riding safely in a car and learn a poem to remind them of the car smart safety rules.
In this lesson, students discuss how household products can be dangerous poisons if they are smelled, tasted, swallowed, touched or used in the wrong way. They learn rules for staying safe from poisons and practice applying the rules in a variety of sample situations.
In this lesson, students learn rules for staying safe around guns, including to never touch a gun or bullets, move away and tell an adult. They practice applying the rules in a variety of sample situations.
This lesson helps students identify and seek appropriate help in emergencies. After discussing the difference between “little” help and “BIG help,” students categorize example situations, and identify whom they could ask or where they could go for help with each one.
This lesson teaches how to call for emergency help. Students learn and practice procedures for dialing 9-1-1 for help in an emergency, including what to say and the importance of staying on the line for instructions on what
to do.
This lesson helps students apply a simple decision-making process to situations that involve safety.
In this lesson, students examine the role of eating in health. They think about why they eat and discuss the importance of eating. They identify body signals for hunger and fullness.
This lesson helps students identify healthy food choices. After identifying healthy foods they like to eat, students practice making healthy food choices by making a personal collage/drawing of healthy foods. They also identify people who can help them make healthy food choices.
This lesson explains the importance of drinking plenty of water for health. Students discuss how water is used and the role it plays in keeping the body healthy. They set a goal to drink plenty of water each day. They plan where and when they can drink water during the day, and identify people who can help them reach their goal. They take home a mini-poster and family sheet to promote drinking plenty of water.
Students identify activities they can do with their hands, arms, legs and feet and discuss what they can do to move their bodies every day to be healthy. They make a booklet that illustrates all the things their special bodies can do and the ways they stay active.
This lesson helps students explore being physically active as a key to good health. After discussing different things they do to be healthy, students identify things they can do to move their bodies, and then set a goal to move every day.
This lesson builds a foundation for avoiding tobacco use by helping students appreciate how tobacco smoke can hurt their lungs. After discussing how kids feel when they are healthy, students practice taking deep breaths. They discuss what could happen if they couldn’t breathe well, and then learn how tobacco smoke can hurt their bodies and make it hard to breathe.
This lesson identifies the ways tobacco use hurts the body. Students begin by exploring the sense of smell and how the nose can warn them if they’re breathing something that isn’t good for them. They explore all the ways tobacco can hurt the body using “Body Bob” as an example.
This lesson helps students explore how smoking by family members and other loved ones can be difficult. They learn that being tobacco free is a personal choice, and practice what they can say to share information about the dangers of tobacco with others. The lesson affirms that children can’t always change what others do, but that they can make the personal choice to be tobacco free.
This lesson helps students avoid secondhand smoke. They hear stories about some different children’s experiences with avoiding tobacco smoke at home. They explore some actions they can take to minimize their exposure to tobacco smoke, then make a sign to share that asks others to help them be smoke free. They take home a family sheet to help them discuss avoiding secondhand smoke with their parents or guardians.
In this lesson, students celebrate the healthy choice to be tobacco free. They think about all the things they can do because their bodies are healthy, and make a drawing of themselves doing one of these things. Then they make Tobacco-Free Medallions to wear to remind them of their healthy choice.
