District 11 Educational Support Services
Health & Physical Education

Grade 6, Health Unit: Choosing the Best Way
Duration @ 10 days

Overview
The abstinence curriculum plan for middle school is designed to meet the age appropriate content topics in the area of human sexuality. The physical, mental and social aspects of sexuality will be targeted. The curriculum provides a comprehensive flow from existing elementary school health education and prepares students for the high school health curriculum. Lessons in this unit were developed by Education for a Lifetime using nationally acclaimed curriculum from Choosing the Best Way. The program is called "education you can use forever" because skills such as decision-making, refusal skills, character education and abstinence from all high-risk behaviors are skills for life. Parents can opt out their child from this curriculum by signing and returning the opt out form in the Parent Letter.
For Teachers
PriorGrade
Next Grade

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Making Healthy Choices
  • Stressing that abstinence is the best way to avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections
  • Taking Responsibility for your Health
  • Practice life skills that will address responsible decision making and saying no to peer pressure
  • Learn about the functions of the reproductive system, the process of conception, prenatal development and birth
  • What is appropriate and inappropriate behavior as it pertains to sexual harassment and other high risk behaviors 

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • How do I know if I am making a healthy choice?
  • Why is it important that the decisions we make today could affect our future health and wellness?
  • Why are life skills so important?
  • Is it really necessary that we learn about the reproductive system, prenatal development and birth, I'm still a kid?
  • Why is everybody talking about appropriate behavior, don't they know that we already learned this in elementary school?
  • Why do my friends think that alcohol is not a dangerous drug?

Standards
Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards, Other Standards & E-skills

Standards
Highest Frequency Standards High Frequency Standards, Other Standards & E-skills


 National Health Standard 10: Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.

Sample Lessons
District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

 Unit Introduction: Introduction to Choosing the Best
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Your instructor will help you become familiar with the purpose of this unit and you will participate in setting class guidelines for discussion.
  2. Complete the Pre-Survey.
  3. Your instructor will review with you the topics that will be discussed from your workbook that  will be kept in the classroom.
  4. Complete the homework assignment.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 1: Deciding on Your Future
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: How can goal setting impact my life? 
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework assignment.
  2. View the Decisions, Decisions, Decisions video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you understand the importance of making smart decisions. Discover how these decisions can help you reach your own personal goals.
  4. Tear the Parent Interview sheet out of the back of your workbook and complete it with your parents or guardians.
    What goals did you have when you were my age?
    What steps helped you reach your goals?
    What problems did you experience when trying to reach your goals? How did you overcome these conflicts?
    Share the goals you identified for yourself in class. Ask your parents or guardian to share how they feel about your goals and how they can help.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 2: Figuring Out Friendships and Relationships
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What makes a good friend, and how can I avoid unhealthy relationships?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework assignment.
  2. View the Friends video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you explore the qualities of a good friend and learn to understand the differences between crushes, infatuations, and true love.
  4. Tear the Parent Interview sheet out of the back of your workbook and complete it with your parents or guardians. It includes the following interview questions:
    What do you remember about the good friends you had when you were my age?
    What do you remember about your first crush?
    How did you know that a  relationship was just a crush or infatuation, and not real love?
    What did you learn about picking friends or getting into close relationships that you can share with me?

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 3: Avoiding Unhealthy Relationships
Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework assignment.
  2. View the Three Teens Tell Their Stories video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you discover how emotional needs may leave you vulnerable to unhealthy relationships.
  4. Tear the Parent Interview sheet out of the back of your workbook and complete it with your parents or guardians. It includes the following interview questions:
    When  you were my age, how did you feel about yourself?
    What happened at a time when you did not fell good about yourself? How did you get over those times?
    What positive traits do you see in me that I can build on?

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 4: Identifying the Risks
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences? How can I set boundaries that will benefit my own health?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework assignment.
  2. View the Identifying the Risks video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you understand the whole person concept of health. Learn how your decision affect you mentally, emotionally, socially, physically, and ethically.
  4. Learn about the consequences of teen pregnancy.
  5. Tear the Parent Interview sheet out of the back of your workbook and complete it with your parents or guardians. It includes the following interview questions:
    Did you know anyone who was pregnant when you were in school? How did you feel about that person?
    Why don't people talk about the emotional damage that sexual activity can cause?
    What do you know about sexually transmitted diseases?

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 5: Choosing the Best Way
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences? How can I set boundaries that will benefit my own health?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework sheet.
  2. View the Choosing Abstinence Until Marriage video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you understand the reasons why students should avoid sexual activity and learn the positive benefits of waiting until marriage.
  4. Take home the form created by Education for a Lifetime and complete it with your parents or guardians. It includes the following interview questions:
    What do you think are the benefits of being abstinent until marriage?
    How do you fell about my signing a pledge to be abstinent until marriage?

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 6: Learning How to Say NO
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences? How can I stand up for my beliefs and values under pressure?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework sheet.
  2. View the Taking a Stand video.
  3. Participate in an activity that will help you learn how to stand up and stick with your decisions.
  4. Tear the Parent Interview sheet out of the back of your workbook and complete it with your parents or guardians. It includes the following interview questions:
    When you were my age, what pressure did you face? How did you handle them?
    What helped you stand up for your beliefs and values under pressure?
    What advice would you give me to help me stand up for what I believe in?

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 7: Conclusion to Choosing the Best
 Duration: @ 1 class period

National Health Standard 10:  Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences? How can I stand up for my beliefs and values under pressure?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Turn in your homework sheet.
  2. Review the important points from lessons 2-7.
  3. Participate in a Question and Answer session.
  4. Complete the post survey for evaluation.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 8:  
 Duration: @ 2 class periods

National Health Standard 10: Students understand the fundamental concepts of growth and development.
Benchmark A: Students understand how the human body changes as people age.
Benchmark B: Students know the similarities and differences between female and male sexuality.
Colorado Standard 3:  Life Science: Students know and understand the characteristics of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
Enduring Understanding: Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects. 
Essential Questions: What are my choices and resulting consequences?
Assessment:

Activities

  1. Sexual Harassment: Causes and Prevention - students should be able to:
    Explain the basic principles that define sexual harassment
    Understand the District 11 policy on sexual harassment
    Identify the causes and kinds of behavior that constitutes sexual harassment
    Describe interpersonal behavior that is acceptable, marginal, and prohibited
    Demonstrate appropriate responses to unwelcome or inappropriate sexual advances
    Understand the proper procedure to follow if sexual harassment occurs
    Understand the impact that sexual harassment has on the victim, the harasser, and the school

  2. Chapter 8: Reproduction and Heredity
    List the names and functions of the major endocrine glands and describe how they relate to bodily functions.

  3. The Male Reproductive System - explain how the male reproductive system functions.

  4. The Female Reproductive System - explain how the female reproductive system functions.

  5. Chapter 9: Pregnancy and Birth
    Explain the events that lead to the conception and birth of a child.

Resources  Aids and Kids: The Whitney Project

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Parents

When parents ask their teenagers what happened at school, they often get very vague responses. You can demonstrate your support of your child's learning by asking specific questions like, "What topic are you studying this week in health? Share the topics you are interested in and why. While driving together, there are games you can play to foster good communication.  Ask your teen to pick a science topic and quiz you by posing questions for you to answer.  Teaching information to someone else is the best way to remember information.  You will be giving your teen an opportunity to demonstrate his or her understanding of science information, and boost his or her confidence in learning.

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