Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits that are important for mental and emotional well-being. Learning how to cope, manage emotions, problem solve, and develop interpersonal skills strengthens resilience, and promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors. Various health coaching techniques can be applied to the…

"Supporting Student Mental Health" is a guide to the basics of identifying and supporting students with mental health challenges. It is no secret that your responsibilities as a teacher go beyond academic achievement. You cover key socioemotional competencies in your classrooms, too. This book is full of accessible and appropriate…

This lesson plan is designed to help participants learn how to partner with their healthcare providers to improve their sexual health. This lesson plan describes how to achieve this goal with cis-gender Black adolescent girls and adult women (ages 16 and older).

There has never been a more pressing need for students to learn how to evaluate scientific information online than during the COVID-19 outbreak. Information, misinformation, and disinformation spread quickly across online news and social media platforms. This misleading or incorrect scientific information about infectious diseases could lead to…

The health habits of high school students affect not only their current health but also their future risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. The "Heart Smart Discussion Activity" was developed to provide information about heart health, good nutrition, physical activity, and stress management. It encourages students to discuss…

Dialogue journaling is a technique that is useful for enhancing the goals of sexual health promotion and HIV/STI prevention programs with 14-to 17-year-old at-risk youth. Included is a detailed lesson plan on how to implement dialogue journaling in this context, a discussion of advantages and concerns about using them, and future implications for…

Focuses on the importance of vocal health for students. Discusses learning about vocal health care and the techniques used to educate music students about it. Includes an annotated bibliography of resources on vocal health, a survey to administer to students, and "Jewels of Wisdom" useful to music teachers. (CMK)

The brain gets fed first! That is an important idea that directly relates to the nutrition/cognition connection in schools. As the education community faces the challenges of childhood obesity, malnutrition of the brain, food allergies, disorders of metal metabolism and biochemical imbalances, educators are eager to learn about how to guide…

This K-6 interdisciplinary nutrition curriculum focuses on vegetables and fruits. The lessons use core subjects to promote consumption of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables and fruits; vegetable and fruit juices; and dried fruits. The lessons also investigate the Food Guide Pyramid. Each lesson plan has a section entitled Extensions. The…

This guide provides information for teachers to use in teaching about liver wellness, hepatitis B, and substance abuse. The guide includes effective motivational techniques to help students understand how valuable their liver is to their health and well being. It also provides basic information to help students avoid liver damaging behaviors, such…

This paper describes activities conducted by an early childhood classroom in its health play center. A major purpose of this play center was to reduce children's fears and anxieties about medical personnel and emergency vehicles, and to raise awareness of the many aspects of health and wellness. The classroom environment contained a variety of…

Focuses on preventing performance-related injuries for music students. Discusses techniques for preventing injury, such as warm-ups, information on stretching and strength training, exercises for the upper arms, torso, and for selected muscle groups. Includes illustrations for some exercises. (CMK)

Presents strategies that physical education teachers can use to encourage their students to lead physically active lives. The strategies include: focus on lifelong physical activity; use goal setting and self-assessment; inspire students by personal example; model skills (either a teacher or skilled student may do the modeling); and combine…

Presents activities to help adolescent and young-adult students become aware of the different types and possible benefits of social support and help them develop skills for obtaining social support. The process involves introducing them to different types of social support, discussing social support, creating social support webs, and having…

A health education curriculum for secondary school and undergraduate college students is described. The prime emphasis in this curriculum is upon behavior modification and personal motivation on the part of the student. Strategies for modifying health behavior are outlined stressing the importance of students understanding and clarifying their…