Health Education Lesson Plans

Health education is a subject matter that needs to be taught at all ages. Although this is the case, there are certain topics that are discusses at different ages so that the students are able to understand the concept behind them. For middle school students, some of the more common health education lesson plans that are discussed include food, nutrition, physical education, mental and emotional health, drug and alcohol abuse, disease and growth and development. This article briefly discusses these topics and gives some lesson plans that are available online to incorporate in a classroom setting.

Food, Nutrition and Physical Education

When middles school students are learning about health, most of the time the health lesson plans begin with food, nutrition and physical education. Students learn about the importance of eating a well-balance diet, how to read labels in the grocery stores, and from the cabinets. Students also learn what foods should be staple foods in our everyday diet. The importance of physical fitness is also taught within the health education lesson plans, so that students know how important it is in the overall health of an individual.

• Reading the Label: Lesson plan that teaches students how to read food label for nutrition information.
• Fit for Life: Lesson plan that discusses the importance of fitness and how to make your own fitness plan.
• Milk - The Complete Food: Lesson plan that teaches students the importance of milk.
• Exploring Food-Based Communities: Lesson plan that focuses on organic food.
• Anatomy and Physiology: Lesson plans on the body and how it needs nutrition and physical activity.

Mental and Emotional Health

Mental and emotional health is an extremely important part of the health education curriculum. In this part of the curriculum, students are learning about the various states of mental and emotional health. They also learn how their emotions affect their body and the way they view certain things. Lesson plans in this area teach students about body image and self-esteem as well as how to make the right decisions.

• Body Image: Lesson on body image and how it affects an individual.
• Self-Esteem: Lesson plans on self-esteem and taking an inward look into themselves.
• Empowered Decision Making: Teaching students how to make responsible decisions.
• Befriending Bullies: Lesson plans on the effects of bullying.
• Mental Circus: Students learn the effect of music on behavior.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

Health education lesson plans that deal with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs teach students about these substances and how they affect the body. Students learn and begin to understand how dangerous these substances are and how peer-pressure can make them want to try certain drugs. Students come out of these lesson plans with the information they need to make the right decisions on abstaining from smoking and other substance abuse.

• Second Hand Smoke: Lesson plan that discusses second hand smoke and why it is dangerous.
• A Drug Free Me: Students learn all information and how to make the right decisions when it comes to drugs and drug abuse.
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Lesson plan for drug and alcohol abuse including the health effects and consequences.
• Alcohol and Other Drugs: Students learn about alcohol and other drugs and how they affect the body.
• The Dangers of Drug Abuse: Lesson plan that teaches students about drugs and the dangers of drug use and abuse.
• Columbus DUI Lawyer: DUI consultation by Drunk Driving Specialists in Columbus OH.

Growth and Development

In the growth and development health lesson plans, students learn about various aspects of the body. They learn about how the body changes over time in both visible physical aspects as well as internal ways that we cannot always see. Students learn about genetics and heredity and the affect they have on certain traits and diseases. In these health education lesson plans, students learn about the effect that emotions have on the body.

• Genes and Heredity: Students learn the acquired traits of genes and heredity.
• Growth and Development: Lesson plan that teaches students the effect that emotions have on the physical body.
• Introduction to Puberty: Lesson plan that teaches students about puberty.
• The Ultimate Guide to the Human Body: Lesson plan that discusses the human body.
• What's Happening to Your Body: Lesson plan that teaches students what goes on in the human body.
• Health-Body System Lesson Plans: Lesson plans on the body systems and growth and development.

Disease

Health education lesson plans cannot be complete without the discussion of disease. These health lesson plans combine a number of other topics and discuss how heredity, nutrition, lack of physical activity and emotions can have on the development of certain diseases. Students also learn about individual diseases separately and how to help prevent the development of these diseases. They will also participate in experiments that give visual examples of how diseases work on the body.

• Africa's Struggle with AIDS: Lesson plan that teaches students about AIDS and about Africa’s struggle with the disease.
• Skeletal and Muscular Disease: Web quest lesson plan on skeletal and muscular disease.
• Skin Cancer Prevention: Lesson plan that discusses skin cancer and how to prevent it.
• Digestion Experiment: Experiment lesson that tests digestion.
• Examining Ideas About Body Image: Lesson plan that teaches students about body image and eating disorders.