Health Education Curriculum Documents and Resources
Health education provides students with opportunities to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for making health-promoting decisions, achieving health literacy, adopting health-enhancing behaviors and promoting the health of others. Comprehensive school health education includes courses of study (curricula) for students in pre-K through grade 12 that address a variety of topics such as alcohol and other drug use and abuse, healthy eating/nutrition, mental and emotional health, personal health and wellness, physical activity, safety and injury prevention, sexual health, tobacco use, and violence prevention.
In Kentucky schools, the
Kentucky Academic Standards for Health Education direct schools and districts to address the physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions of health; while developing health knowledge, attitudes and skills for students at an age appropriate level. The vision of health education is to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease and reduce health-related risk behaviors.
Resources for Schools and Districts to Consider When Developing Curriculum
The Drug Use Prevention Curriculum Resource Guide provides many recommendations of evidence-based curriculum, and enhancing projects and activities, for use by schools and districts in developing health education curriculum. The guide, focused on the instruction of drug abuse prevention, was developed by the Office of Drug Control Policy as a result of the passage of
House Bill (HB) 3 (2018).
The Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) can help schools and districts conduct a clear, complete and consistent analysis of health education curricula.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) set of characteristics of an effective health education curriculum according to reviews of effective programs, curricula and experts in the field of health education.
Physical Education Curriculum Documents and Resources
Physical education is a school-based instructional opportunity for students to gain the necessary skills and knowledge for lifelong participation in physical activity. Physical education is characterized by a planned, sequential K-12 curriculum (course of study) that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas In Kentucky schools, the
Kentucky Academic Standards for Physical Education direct schools and districts to develop quality physical education programs for students at an age appropriate level. The vision of a quality physical education program is a physically-educated person who has the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity. Qualified, trained teachers teach physical education.
Physical activity is bodily movement of any type and may include recreational, fitness and sport activities such as jumping rope, playing soccer, lifting weights, as well as daily activities such as walking to the store, taking the stairs or raking the leaves.
Opportunities to accumulate physical activity during the school day include time spent in physical education class, classroom-based movement, recess, walking or biking to school, and recreational sport and play that occurs before, during, and after school.
Benefits of regular physical activity:
- Helps build and maintain healthy bones and muscles.
- Helps reduce the risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer.
- Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and promotes psychological well-being.
- May help improve students’ academic performance, including:
- Academic achievement and grades;
- Academic behavior, such as time on task; and
- Factors that influence academic achievement, such as concentration and attentiveness in the classroom.
Physical
Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
A self-analysis tool and planning guide for schools to
assess physical education curricula. PECAT is designed to help school districts
and schools to conduct clear, complete and consistent analyses of physical
education curricula based upon the national physical education standards.
CDC’s
Recess Resources
Provides a description of what recess is, the benefits of
recess and shares recess data and policies. There are also tools to provide
strategies and resources for recess.
SHAPE
America’s Teacher Toolbox
This webpage explains what physical education is and the
components that make up physical education. It provides the physical education
national standards and guidelines and offers professional development
opportunities. Tools and resources for current and potential physical education
professionals are included.
Springboard
to Active Schools Classroom Physical Activity Overview
Springboard to Active Schools supports CDC-funded state
agencies to promote active school environments in school districts and schools
across the country. Their website includes resources for schools to provide
opportunities for students to be physically active, including classroom
physical activity.
Standards for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in
Out-of-School Time
Out-of-school time
(OST) programs are key partners in efforts to helping children grow up healthy.
Programs can provide access to nutritious foods, promote healthy habits and
keep students physically active. The healthy eating and physical activity
(HEPA) standards for OST programs guide OST providers with best practices to be
a high-quality program that promotes healthy behaviors.
Physical
Education and Physical Activity Resources from CDC
It is recommended that students participate in 60 minutes or
more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily. By utilizing a
Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP), schools can help
students attain this recommendation. The CDC provides information, data and
resources on the five CSPAP components.
Integrating
Physical Education and Physical Activity Across the WSCC Framework
This one-pager shares the importance of implementing
physical daily into school settings. Provides some evidence-based strategies
and promising practices for using the WSCC approach to promote physical
education and physical activity across the school setting.
Classroom Physical Activity Resources
Classroom
Physical Activity Breaks - Action for Healthy Kids
Additional Helath Education Curriculum Documents and Resources