Grade 8 Health Unit

District 11 Educational Support Services
Health & Physical Education

Grade 8, Health Unit
Duration @ 10 days

Overview
This unit continues to encourage and model life skills that include goal setting, decision-making, and conflict resolution activities. These skills will be used as a way of developing and maintaining healthy relationships. Eighth graders will learn about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Sexual harassment will be covered as it relates to appropriate and inappropriate behavior in all middle school grades. Abstinence continues to be stressed as the best and most appropriate way of dealing with the issue of sexual relationships. Student participation in this unit requires a signed Parental Consent Form.

For Teachers

Next Grade

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

Risky behaviors have physical and emotional effects.
Abstinence is the best and most appropriate way of dealing with the issue of sexual relationships for teenagers.

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

What are my choices and resulting consequences?
How can goal setting impact my life?
How can I avoid unhealthy relationships?
How can I set boundaries that will benefit my own health?
How can I stand up for my beliefs and values under pressure?

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:

Lesson1: Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS
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.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding:
Essential Questions:
Assessment:

Activities

Prentice Hall Chapter 23.1: The Silent Epidemic
Explain how the spread of sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 2: Kinds of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
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.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding:
Essential Questions:
Assessment:

Activities

Prentice Hall Chapter 23.2: Kinds of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Describe the symptoms and treatment of common sexually transmitted diseases.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 3: HIV and AIDS
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.
Benchmark D: Students know the strategies for coping with concerns and stress related to changes that occur during adolescence.
Enduring Understanding:
Essential Questions:
Assessment:

Activities

Prentice Hall Chapter 23.3: HIV and AIDS
Describe the symptoms, mode of transmission, and testing and treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 4: Preventing HIV Infection
Duration: @ 2 class periods

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

Prentice Hall Chapter 23.4: Preventing HIV Infection
Identify behaviors that put a person at risk for contracting HIV and behaviors that can help prevent the spread of HIV.

Resources

Differentiation
Extension:
Support:

Lesson 5: Preventing HIV Infection
Duration: @ 2 class periods

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

How Would My Life Change? worksheet
Gender Roles: A Life Survey worksheet
Choosing Abstinence: Seven Steps to Success

Resources

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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