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# The Health Teacher

Valid Resources for the Next Generation

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## Posts

- [Blog](https://thehealthteacher.com/blog/)
- [Project- Family Values and Mission Statement](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/09/family-values-and-mission-statement/) - Mission Statement (noun): 1. An official statement of the aims and objectives of a business or other organization. Values are huge part of the decision making process, so we spend quite a bit of time working with them in our 8th grade health class. High school is coming up soon, and that means more freedom, which definitely means more decisions.
- [Health Activities for the Last Few Days of School](https://thehealthteacher.com/2023/06/health-activities-for-the-last-few-days-of-school/) - We’re in the final stretch! Grades are in, comments are done, and we’ve only got a few days left with the kids. In many core classes, this means students will be watching movies, so I hate to make them sit through another one with me as well. Here are some filler activities for health class
- [Alcohol & Drug Research Lab- 2022](https://thehealthteacher.com/2022/03/alcohol-drug-research-lab-2022/) - Rather than give students all of the information about alcohol and drugs myself, in this activity, they are split into groups and tasked with researching and presenting on one of the topics. As the presentations happen, I am able to ask clarifying questions and fill in any holes. After each presentation, students chat with an
- [Resources for home learning during Coronavirus](https://thehealthteacher.com/2020/03/resources-for-home-learning-during-coronavirus/) - So we’re on week 8 of home learning over here in Hong Kong (WEEK 8!), and though this situation has been challenging to say the least, we’ve settled in a bit and have learned a few things along the way. I’ve received several emails from teachers around the world trying to adjust to this new
- [Vaping advocacy activity](https://thehealthteacher.com/2019/09/vaping-advocacy-activity/) - *Stickers designed by Jennifer, Grade 8 Hey 8th graders! You're going to try and combat all of the tricks used by JUULs on social media by creating a campaign of your own. After reading this article from the (upcoming!) November issue of Choices Magazine, What JUUL's Hiding, you're going to get to work creating a clever message- either with a social media post, laptop sticker, infographic, any other method- to let your friends know about the real risk involved with choosing to vape.
- [The latest on vaping and e-cigarettes....](https://thehealthteacher.com/2019/09/the-latest-on-vaping-and-e-cigarettes/) - Vaping is a huge issue, in school communities, and in the news. The November issue of Choices Magazine features a story on how the makers of JUUL's- the most popular brand of e-cigarettes- and all of the tricks they used to introduce nicotine addiction to a whole new generation of teens. Read the article online
- [7 Reasons to Use Journaling in Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/10/7-reasons-to-use-journaling-in-health-class/) - Journaling has been a big part of my health classes since the day I became a teacher, and the benefits it has had on my teaching practice keep piling up every year. Even with all of the technological advances over the last 15 years, I start every semester by giving each of my students
- [Evaluating Websites!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2019/05/evaluating-websites/) - Here's the doc!
- [EARCOS ETC 2019](https://thehealthteacher.com/2019/03/earcos-etc-2019/) - Health and Wellness for Today's International Teen
- [Sleep Advocacy Instagram Posts!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/04/sleep-advocacy-posters/) - Did you know that 1/3 of all teenagers are sleep deprived? According to the National Sleep Foundation, you need at least 9 hours, and most of you aren't even clocking in at 7. Why is that? Fear of Missing Out is one reason, but so is the desire to study hard and do better in
- [6 Ways to Bring Authentic Learning to Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/10/6-ways-to-bring-authentic-learning-to-your-health-class/) - 6 Ways to Bring Authentic Learning to Your Health Class When I was in 8th grade, I was assigned a project on career exploration. At the time, I was obsessed with music, and wanted nothing more than to be a radio DJ. My friend and I researched everything we could get our hands on (not
- [Analyzing the Scientific Evidence Behind Health News](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/08/chocolate-found-to-stave-off-death-analyzing-the-scientific-evidence-behind-health-headlines-the-new-york-times/) - Another awesome lesson plan from the folks at New York Times. This one takes an in-depth look at health news and hits NHES3 (Accessing Information), NHES2 (Analyzing Influences) and NHES 8 (Advocacy). Would love to team up with the librarian and a science teacher for this! Source: ‘Chocolate Found to Stave Off Death!’ Analyzing the Scientific Evidence Behind Health Headlines - The New York Times
- [Health Sites Web Quest](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/08/health-sites-web-quest/) - Hey 6th graders! Did you know that online health searches are now the third most popular activity on the web? While googling information about our health can be helpful, sometimes it can give us misinformation as well. Read the following article from Choices: Will You Fall for Fake News? After reading all of the ways
- [Great video to show teens about JUULs](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/09/great-video-to-show-about-juuls/)
- [8th grade tech balance](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/09/8th-grade-tech-balance/) - Hi guys! This unit, we're going to be looking at the influence of technology and media on our personal and family health. After reflecting in your journal, here are the resources you'll need! Brainstorm in your group on the chart paper. What is the impact of technology and media on our health and wellness? Make two
- [NPR podcast- the reading brain in the digital world](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/08/npr-podcast-the-reading-brain-in-the-digital-world/)
- [Upcoming Workshop!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/08/upcoming-workshop-2/) - As educators, we might not agree with every initiative that comes down the pipe, but we all want our students to be healthy and happy. In an ideal world, this would mean that every school would have a stand-alone health and wellness program. However, in most international schools, this still isn't the case. Wellness is being
- [Your Teacher Homework for the Summer...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/07/your-teacher-homework-for-the-summer/)
- [Using your privilege as a platform for advocacy...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/03/using-your-privilege-as-a-platform-for-advocacy/) - If you're working with kids who come from a place of financial privilege and are teaching them about advocacy, it's important they understand what that privilege really means. In this great clip, NBA star Dwayne Wade talks about how his popularity gives him a voice, and why he feels an obligation to use it for those who might not be able to.
- [Responding to Tragedy: What My 7th Graders in China Are Learning from the Survivors of Stoneman Douglas | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/03/responding-to-tragedy-what-my-7th-graders-in-china-are-learning-from-the-survivors-of-stoneman-douglas-choices-ideabook/) - Amy Lauren Smith, a Choices teacher-adviser, led her class through a lesson on advocacy after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy. Source: Responding to Tragedy: What My 7th Graders in China Are Learning from the Survivors of Stoneman Douglas | Choices Ideabook
- [4 Starter Ideas to Kick Off a New Semester](https://thehealthteacher.com/2018/01/4-starter-ideas-to-kick-off-a-new-semester/) - Unlike many other subjects, health is rarely a yearlong course. Most students are required to take health for either a semester or a quarter, which means that this time of year can require a quick “getting to know you” process, or a conscious shift in class dynamics as the students move from the field into
- [Stress Management for Teens- Unit Plan](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/05/stress-management-for-teens-unit-plan/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com It’s crunch time! Stress management for teens. May is a stressful time to be at school. Younger kids are finishing up projects, older ones are gearing up for finals, and most of us teachers are left wondering how it will all get graded in time. As adults, we know
- [Lesson Plan- Stress Management for Senior Year](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/12/lesson-plan-stress-management-for-senior-year/) - This past weekend, our seniors came to school on Saturday for a full day retreat, where they attended workshops designed to help them navigate the growing list of requirements for their college applications. Knowing the stress that often appears this time of year, their counselors asked us to offer some workshops on stress management and healthy
- [The Alcohol Research Lab](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/the-alcohol-research-lab/) - It’s the end of the school year. This means our seniors are getting ready for college, the eighth graders are gearing up for high school, and many of our students will be faced with situations where they might be tempted to drink. Rather than lecture them on the dangers of underage drinking, I like to
- [Family Values Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/10/family-values-project/) - The Family Values & Mission Statement Project Values are formed through a variety of sources – family, culture, religion, media, peers – but in early adolescence, the majority of values are still shaped by parents. Openly communicating what those values are can help students avoid risky behaviors and make healthy decisions as they begin to navigate
- [Using Social Media to Teach Advocacy](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/11/using-social-media-to-teach-advocacy/) - The Power of Social Media to Teach Kids Advocacy The Internet is an amazing thing. When we look at the impact of it on the social and emotional health of our kids, it’s easy to go negative- especially with some of the headlines out there - but if we take time to focus on the
- [2 Keys to Keeping Content Relevant in Health Ed](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/2-keys-to-keeping-content-relevant-in-health-ed/) - When I began teaching health, it was fifteen years ago at a public high school in Southern California. I was keenly aware of the student population and their health concerns, as I was only 24 years old and had graduated from that same school just 6 years before. Now I’m at an international school in
- [6 Online Resources for Creating a Health Curriculum](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/10/6-online-resources-for-creating-a-health-curriculum/) - Online Resources for Planning a Health Curriculum Two years ago, I finally did it. I threw away (or recycled, actually) the stacks of textbooks that have been collecting dust on my shelves for years. I’m not sure why I didn’t do it sooner. Textbooks are often outdated and health is a subject with a constantly
- [4 Cross-Curricular Projects with a Focus on Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/10/4-cross-curricular-projects-with-a-focus-on-health/) - Short on instructional time? Health is a universal, so team up with another teacher on campus and see where you can layer in health literacy skills with other content areas. The field of education is currently undergoing a big shift from traditional methods of instruction to project-based learning (PBL). Most teachers are excited to implement PBL
- [4 Ways to Implement Cross-Curricular Learning in Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/4-ways-to-implement-cross-curricular-learning-in-health/) - The field of education is currently undergoing a big shift from traditional methods of instruction to project-based learning (PBL). Most teachers are excited to implement PBL in their classrooms, but in subjects like health, where instruction time is limited, teachers struggle to find ways to fit it all in. Luckily, PBL offers ample opportunity for
- [The Blue Zones Project: Teaching Kids About Wellness Goals](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/09/the-blue-zones-project-teaching-kids-about-wellness-goals/) - Blue Zones, made popular by the book series from author and National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner, are five areas around the world in which people are reported to live happier, longer lives. In honor of summer vacation, I decided to check out one of the healthy hot-spots — The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. The country’s slogan is “Pura Vida,”
- [5 Tips for Teaching Kids How to Set Goals](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/5-tips-for-teaching-kids-how-to-set-goals/) - National Health Education Standard 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health. One of the best ways to kick off the school year is with a unit on goal setting, since everyone returns fresh from summer vacation and ready for a strong new start. I particularly enjoy this unit because it’s
- [Talking to Kids About Emotions Using Pixar's Inside Out](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/talking-to-kids-about-emotions-using-pixars-inside-out/) - Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Summer Institute for Educators at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, where we attended presentations from a variety of experts in the field of mindfulness and Social/Emotional Learning—often referred to as SEL. On the last night, we had the privilege of going to the Pixar campus for a
- [6 Online Resources for Planning a Health Curriculum](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/6-online-resources-for-planning-a-health-curriculum/) - Two years ago, I finally did it. I threw away (or recycled, actually) the stacks of textbooks that had been collecting dust on my shelves for years. I’m not sure why I didn’t do it sooner. Textbooks are often outdated, and health is a subject with a constantly changing curriculum. It’s best to first find
- [The Summer School Survival Kit for Health Teachers](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/06/the-summer-school-survival-kit-for-health-teachers/) - Teaching summer school health class? Here are some idea to keep students interested. Shutterstock My first experience as a health teacher was during summer school. I was only 24 years old, at the beginning of my career, and intimidated beyond belief. When I started, I was given a stack of worksheets, the teacher’s guide to
- [Health Ed Activities for the Last Few Days of School](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/06/health-ed-activities-for-the-last-few-days-of-school/) - We’re in the final stretch! Grades are in, comments are done, and we’ve only got a few days left with the kids. In many core classes, this means students will be watching movies, so I hate to make them sit through another one with me as well. Here are some filler activities for health class
- [Lessons Learned About Teens and Their Phones](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/lessons-learned-about-teens-and-their-phones/) - This month’s Choices cover story, "Help! I Can’t Put Down My Phone," is a must-read for any health class in grades 6-12. I say this as a teacher who has spent the last few years researching and presenting on teens and their technology use. But more importantly, as a teacher who just returned from a five-day trip
- [More Lessons Learned About Teens and Their Phones](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/more-lessons-learned-about-teens-and-their-phones/) - This is a follow-up to some lessons my students and I learned about technology while on a school trip. For Part 1, click here. Lessons learned, continued: Don’t always assume they know what’s best. It’s easy to get frustrated with teenagers for their phone use. They seem to break their phones out constantly, and often at
- [Inspiring PSAs to Show in Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/inspiring-psas-to-show-in-health-class/) - A huge part of what we teach in health class is advocacy, and one of the most effective ways to advocate is through PSAs, or public service announcements. I’ve been having my students make them since back in the days of the handheld VHS cam and, needless to say, the quality has definitely improved over
- [What Influences Teenagers to Drink?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/what-influences-teenagers-to-drink/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com In the old-school method of health education, we were taught that alcohol use was mostly caused by peer pressure, and I grew up envisioning high school as some sort of giant John Hughes party where everyone would be forcing me to drink alcohol if I wanted to be cool.
- [5 TED Talks to Use During Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/5-ted-talks-to-use-during-health-class/) - This week, I’ve been getting ready to make the trek from Shanghai out to Seattle for the SHAPE America National convention, and I’m super excited. Love the chance to connect with other health teachers and see what everyone’s been up to. What I wasn’t so excited about, however, was writing up a week’s worth of sub
- [Teaching Kids to Challenge Gender Stereotypes](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/teaching-kids-to-challenge-gender-stereotypes/) - Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors. ... Over the last year or so, there’s been a large amount of attention in the media on gender stereotypes and how they can be limiting for all of us, especially children. So what exactly are gender
- [PBL to Teach Kids About Vaping & E-Cigarettes](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/pbl-to-teach-kids-about-vaping-e-cigarettes/) - It’s time to overhaul our approach to tobacco prevention. While this generation of teenagers has gotten smarter about smoking, and rates of traditional cigarette use are down, rates of e-cigarettes have tripled over the last three years. There are a few theories as to why this is happening—less fear of getting caught, lack of information,
- [Cultivating Happiness in Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/cultivate-happiness-in-health-class/) - In a prior post I wrote about positive psychology—which is the study of the things that make life worth living—and why it is such a perfect fit when you’re trying to teach kids about health. This week, I’ll share some easy and effective ways that you can incorporate the practices into your class. Know Your Strengths
- [Starting a Classroom Meditation Practice](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/starting-a-classroom-meditation-practice/) - “OK, I get it. The kids need to meditate… but how does that work, exactly?” We live in some hyper-connected times; stress levels are on the way up as attention spans are on the way down. Equipping students with the skills needed to slow down and be mindful can help them as they struggle to find focus
- [What's Happening in Today's Health Class?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/whats-happening-in-todays-health-class-2/) - Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. -World Health Organization I remember my high school health class. Vaguely. I remember the textbooks, the worksheets, the videos — oh, the videos — and the awkward. I remember the awkward. I remember sitting there thinking how
- [Using Positivity to Combat Cyberbullying](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/09/using-positivity-to-combat-cyberbullying/) - October is National Bullying Prevention Month, so your #ChoicesChallenge is to Stop the Hate. So how do we do that? Well, all of those anti-bullying messages — you know, the “No Bully Zone” posters — haven’t really been resonating with kids, because most don’t classify themselves as bullies. In fact, the majority of bullying behaviors are
- [Headspace on Jimmy Fallon...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/08/headspace-on-jimmy-fallon/)
- [4 Surprising Ways Teens Can Practice Mindfulness | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/05/4-surprising-ways-teens-can-practice-mindfulness-choices-ideabook/) - Our brilliant teacher-adviser, Amy Lauren Smith, shares some unexpected ways teens can practice mindfulness outside of the classroom. Try her ideas with your students! Source: 4 Surprising Ways Teens Can Practice Mindfulness | Choices Ideabook
- [What You Need to Know About Teaching Eating Disorders | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/02/what-you-need-to-know-about-teaching-eating-disorders-choices-ideabook/) - Eating disorders are always a tricky subject. That's why Choices teacher-adviser Amy Lauren Smith—a sixth to eighth grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—worked with a specialist to make sure she handled the topic appropriately in class. Follow these tips to ensure your lesson has the right impact. Source: What You Need to Know About Teaching Eating Disorders | Choices Ideabook
- [How to Get Your Students to Stop Procrastinating | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/02/how-to-get-your-students-to-stop-procrastinating-choices-ideabook/) - We're all guilty of procrastinating sometimes, but teens are especially prone to this bad habit. Choices teacher-adviser Amy Lauren Smith--a sixth to eighth grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—has rounded up the resources you need to tackle this topic in
- [How to Teach Teens About the Importance of Failure | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/01/how-to-teach-teens-about-the-importance-of-failure-choices-ideabook/) - Editor’s note: It's hard to accept, but failure might actually be good for you. Choices teacher-advisor Amy Lauren Smith—a sixth to eighth grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—explains how she helped her students understand this important lesson. Source: How to
- [Teaching Puberty Doesn't Have to Be Awkward! | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2017/01/teaching-puberty-doesnt-have-to-be-awkward-choices-ideabook/) - Editor’s note: Ready to tackle this uncomfortable topic? This advice from Choices teacher-advisor Amy Lauren Smith—a 6th to 8th grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—will help you handle these lessons calmly and gracefully. Source: Teaching Puberty Doesn't Have to Be
- [What Teens Can Teach You About Screen Time | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/12/what-teens-can-teach-you-about-screen-time-choices-ideabook/) - Editor’s note: Feeling glued to your smartphone? Choices teacher-advisor Amy Lauren Smith—a 6th to 8th grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—collected some surprisingly poignant advice from her class. Source: What Teens Can Teach You About Screen Time | Choices Ideabook
- [What I Learned From My Childhood Bully | Choices Ideabook](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/12/what-i-learned-from-my-childhood-bully-choices-ideabook/) - Editor’s note: Bullying is a serious issue, and Choices teacher-advisor Amy Lauren Smith—a 6th to 8th grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—understands this from a personal perspective. Her advice will help you understand what students may be going through and
- [What You Need to Know About Tracking Homework](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/12/what-you-need-to-know-about-tracking-homework/) - Editor’s note: How much homework are your students really getting? Choices Teacher-Advisor Amy Lauren Smith—a sixth through eighth grade health teacher at the Shanghai American School in Shanghai, China, and the brilliant mind behind our Teacher’s Guide each month—explains all the different factors you need to consider while tracking your students' homework load. Source: What
- [PBL Health Workshop](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/11/pbl-health-workshop/) - Hey #HealthEd teachers, here's a link for all of the resources I shared in the PhysEdSummit and APPEC 2016 workshops. For free PD, here's a copy of the online presentation to take back to your department. And a copy of the keynote as well: PhysEdSummit 2016: PBL with a Focus on Health and Wellness Tip 1: Set the
- [Upcoming workshop...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/10/upcoming-workshop/) - .@teaching_health empowers you with activities to implement in your #PHE class at #APPEC https://t.co/GVfJg6ATKq pic.twitter.com/zhR6G0XjdD— APPEC (@appecasia) September 18, 2016
- [Doing nice things for awesome people...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/10/doing-nice-things-for-awesome-people/) - Love the tagline for this clothing company, Dude. be nice... "The DUDE. be nice Project is a platform to get young people stoked on doing nice things for awesome people." Great video to share with the kids.
- [4 Ways to Help Teens Develop Financial Literacy](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/10/4-ways-to-help-teens-develop-financial-literacy/) - *this post originally appeared on choices.scholastic.com I wasn’t taught a lot about finance in high school. I took a required economics course my senior year, but it focused mainly on the stock market and other issues that didn’t seem immediately relevant to me. I had a part-time job, but that money came and went quickly
- [Olympic Goal Setters](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/08/olympic-goal-setters/) - Hey 7th graders! You’re going to research a specific athlete from the Olympics or Paralympics who has inspired you through their goal-setting. Go online to find as much information as you can about their path to Rio, and answer the following questions. If you can’t think of an athlete, then focus on one from the
- [Healthy habits research guide](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/08/healthy-habits-research-guide/) - Hey 7th graders! You're going to take what we've been learning about SMART goals and put it into action in your own life. First, read this article from Choices: How Healthy Are You Really? Then with your group, find out more information about the healthy habit I've assigned. Make sure you each fill in your
- [Ideas for the last few days of school...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/06/ideas-for-the-last-few-days/) - 4 ways to fill the last few days of class that DON'T involve watching a movie: https://t.co/FOTurHi5i9 @Choices_Mag @teaching_health— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) June 3, 2016
- [7th graders advocating for a healthier cafeteria...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/06/7th-graders-advocating-for-healthier-cafeteria/) - How @teaching_health’s students’ projects landed in front of health execs: https://t.co/AqZHWPnMCp pic.twitter.com/JkYNmAdZUS— Choices Magazine (@Choices_Mag) June 7, 2016
- [Healthy Choices Letter](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/05/healthy-choices-letter/) - Hey 7th graders, The time has come to pass on your wisdom by writing a letter to incoming 6th graders about how to stay healthy in middle school. Brainstorm a list first of all of the healthy choices we've learned about, pick a few of your favorites and then get to work! Healthy Choices Assessment Letter
- [Resources for the Stressbusters video project!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/05/resources-for-the-stressbusters-video-project/) - Hey 6th graders! Hope you're excited about making your stress buster videos. Project Sheet: Stressbuster Video Instructions Rubric: Stressbuster Video Rubric If you need some inspiration, check out some of the videos by our friend Berna at Choices. Remember, you want people to be inspired to try out your healthy coping skills as an alternative to their
- [Superfoods!!!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/04/superfoods/) - Hey 6th graders! Have you ever heard of something called Superfoods? Well, they're super awesome, and today you're going to use your super powers to explore the Internet and find out all that you can about Superfoods. Then you're going to list as many as you can and then pick one to tell us about. After
- [How to Get Young Teens Excited About Healthy Eating | Choices](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/04/how-to-get-young-teens-excited-about-healthy-eating-choices/) - "My students gained more from this activity than they would from any traditional nutrition lesson I could give them." Source: How to Get Young Teens Excited About Healthy Eating | Choices
- [6 Ways to Bring Authentic Learning to Your Health Class | Choices](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/04/6-ways-to-bring-authentic-learning-to-your-health-class-choices-2/) - Learning should be student-directed, inquiry based, collaborative, and full of “real-life” connections. Source: 6 Ways to Bring Authentic Learning to Your Health Class | Choices
- [Resources for the infographic project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/resources-for-the-infographic-project/) - *Infographic created by Esther, Grade 8 Hey 8th graders! Here's everything you'll need for our next project. Infographics are used quite a bit in reporting health news, as they're a visually appealing way to get facts and statistics out to the community. Here are some samples… Infographic: Meditation in Schools Across America Infographic: 15 Scientifically Proven
- [Teachers get stressed out too!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/11/teachers-get-stressed-out-too/) - 4 ways teachers can model healthy stress management for their students, via @Teaching_Health, @Choices_Mag https://t.co/U1JNbGKsVd— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) November 20, 2015
- [7th Grade- Advocacy through Art Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/7th-grade-advocacy-through-art-project/) - If you're a teacher interested in this project, click here for instructions. Hey 7th graders! Here are the details for step one of your project. PSA Research: Click on the link to watch these three PSA's, or maybe find a few on your own. Then answer the following questions with your partner in your journal. What made this
- [How a Growth Mindset Can Improve Teen Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/04/how-a-growth-mindset-can-improve-teen-health/) - How a growth mindset can help teens cope with stress, injury, and rejection https://t.co/Be0zxF34Ay @Choices_Mag @teaching_health— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) March 25, 2016
- [Grossbusters! Hygiene Help Is On The Way | Choices](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/03/grossbusters-hygiene-help-is-on-the-way-choices/) - Sometimes it can feel like your body is being haunted by a pimply, greasy, stinky spirit. But don’t worry—help is on the way.Source: Grossbusters! Hygiene Help Is On The Way | Choices
- [Video games can benefit your health...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/03/video-games-can-benefit-your-health/) - Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Good news! In this month's online journal of Pediatrics, a study was released about the benefits of moderate video gaming for the mental and emotional health of kids. Turns out, kids who play up to an hour a day are more likely to be happier and more empathetic. there is a tipping point, however, and gaming for more than that can have the opposite effect, making kids unhappier and more likely to act out. Again- like with so many other things that effect our health- the key here is balance. Kids should get the chance to take a break from their every day stressors and play... but with some agreed upon guidelines set in place.
- [Taiwan and Japan put tech restrictions in place for kids](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/02/governments-putting-tech-restrictions-in-place-for-kids/) - Room for debate! Taiwan bans ipads for kids under the age of two and puts restrictions in place for everyone under 18 - calling for nothing more than a reasonable amount - but they don't specify what "a reasonable amount" would be. And in Hokaiddo, Japan, the schools have issued "no video game days" in a
- [4 starter ideas for the new semester...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2016/01/4-starter-ideas-for-the-new-semester/) - 4 starter activities for the first day of a new semester: https://t.co/CPf44BEwSg @Choices_Mag, @teaching_health pic.twitter.com/UtPl3OKAwC— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) January 15, 2016
- [Advocacy in action!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/12/advocacy-in-action/) - A group of students in Chicago, Illinois are taking on food provider giant Aramark (you guys remember them from The Great Cafeteria Takeover HBO documentary we watched?) They said they're tired of being served unappetizing food that isn't fresh and healthy, and are doing something about it. As you know, Aramark is a HUGE company, so their
- [Project! Analyzing Food Packaging](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/11/analyzing-food-packaging/) - Hey 8th graders, Now that you've done your taste test of the different energy and granola bars, you're going to analyze the labels to see if the claims match up to the actual facts. Download the following sheet, look at the packaging for your bar, and answer the questions. DIGGIN’ IN AND ANALYZING ENERGY BARS You'll
- [Food Rules!!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/11/food-rules/) - The nutrition book that every health class needs, via @teaching_health, @michaelpollan https://t.co/HSoKY1PKZy pic.twitter.com/I9O4AAbHp8— Choices Magazine (@Choices_Mag) November 13, 2015
- [The latest in digital citizenship...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/the-latest-in-digital-citizenship/) - What it means to use technology appropriately and responsibly. @Choices_Mag @Teaching_Health https://t.co/yYyVF9wmAn pic.twitter.com/Fph7X7rF3I — Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) October 23, 2015
- [The New YA Novel Every Health Teacher Should Read...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/the-new-ya-novel-every-health-teacher-should-read/) - Teaching students about sexual health in the digital age? This novel is a must-read. @Teaching_Health @Choices_Mag https://t.co/E2gQYGlgUV— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) October 16, 2015
- [The PE Teacher's Guide to Teaching Health...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/the-pe-teachers-guide-to-teaching-health/) - The non-health teacher’s guide to teaching health (@Teaching_Health, @Choices_Mag) https://t.co/egNYWTgThi pic.twitter.com/tPdLk0HcrM— Scholastic Teachers (@ScholasticTeach) October 9, 2015
- [7th graders in Choices Mag!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/7th-graders-in-choices-mag/) - Advocacy through art: Check out @teaching_health's cross-curricular project: https://t.co/n6gSTPn3Mw #healthed pic.twitter.com/PR7GJkYlYY— Choices Magazine (@Choices_Mag) October 29, 2015
- [8th grade- Read this article!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/8th-grade-read-this-article/) - Hey gang, read the following article, and then jot down a couple of thoughts in your journal. Do you agree with the author?
- [Resources for the sleep advocacy project...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/resources-for-the-sleep-advocacy-project/) - Did you know that 1/3 of all teenagers are sleep deprived? According to the National Sleep Foundation, You need at least 9 hours, and most of you aren't even clocking in at 7. Why is that? Fear of Missing Out is one reason, but so is the desire to study hard and do better in
- [Updated screen time recommendations for kids...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/pediatricians-update-screen-time-recommendations-for-kids/) - Good news for parents who struggle with guilt over screen time. The American Pediatrics Association is in the process of updating their guidelines. Read the following article and then discuss your thoughts with your table group. What do you think the new guidelines should be? How can we support parents in coming up with these guidelines?
- [Identifying valid health sites](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/10/identifying-valid-health-sites/) - Hey 6th graders! Did you know that online health searches are now the third most popular activity on the web? While googling symptoms can sometimes be helpful, sometimes it can give us misinformation as well. Read the following article from Choices: Are you Googling Yourself Sick? Now that we've talked about how to identify useful
- [Project Based Learning: Healthy Eating](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/project-based-learning-healthy-eating/) - From Edutopia, ere are some great resources and ideas to help revamp any nutrition unit.... Summer Fun with Food: 10 Resources to Learn about Healthy Eating These could also work in an elementary class or as a weekend activity for the family.
- [Clean Up Your Digital Footprint](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/clean-up-your-digital-footprint/) - Click on the link below to check your online presence. See something you wouldn't want your Grandma or a future employer to see? Delete it! Clean Up Your Digital Footprint.
- [The Blue Zones Project!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/the-blue-zones-project/) - Hey 6th graders! You just learned about the Wellness Wheel and the four main components of our health: Physical, Social, Emotional and Mental. You also learned that you're at your best when these areas are in balance. Of course, knowing how to maintain that balance can be tricky. With this project, we're going to learn about the Blue Zones,
- [Positive Prevention- A New Approach to Health Ed](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/09/positive-prevention-a-new-approach-to-health-ed/) - *This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.Com Students and their health concerns have shifted drastically over the last 20 years, and the previous model of educating via textbooks and scare tactics stopped working long ago. It’s time to shift to a preventative, rather than reactionary approach. Our school’s health program follows a model of positive prevention.
- [4 ideas for cross-curricular learning](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/08/4-ideas-for-cross-curricular-learning/) - *This post originally appeared on choices.scholastic.com The field of education is currently undergoing a big shift from traditional methods of instruction to project-based learning (PBL). Most teachers are excited to implement PBL in their classrooms, but in subjects like health, where instruction time is limited, teachers struggle to find ways to fit it all in.
- [5 Ways to Reboot your Health Class this Year](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/08/5-ways-to-reboot-your-health-class-this-year/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com With a new school year about to start, teachers and students are rested and full of energy, ready to take on whatever exciting challenges the year has to offer. Here are five ways to make this year a memorable one for you and your students. 1. Switch to project-based learning.
- [Choices- The Family Values Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/08/this-weeks-post/) - Openly defining family values can help teens avoid risky behaviors and make healthy decisions in the face of peer... Posted by Scholastic Teachers on Friday, August 7, 2015
- [Is Health Ed Finally Getting the Attention it Deserves?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/05/is-health-ed-finally-getting-the-attention-it-deserves/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com It’s an exciting time to be a health teacher. Governments around the world are calling for curriculum updates, mindfulness is trending, and our country’s growing push for wellness is finally trickling down to the kids. This week, an article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted one such push in
- [The Summer School Health Survival Kit](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/06/the-summer-school-health-survival-kit/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com My first experience as a health teacher was during summer school. I was only 24 years old, at the beginning of my career, and intimidated beyond belief. I was given a stack of worksheets, the teacher’s guide to an outdated textbook, and a box of old VHS tapes. Very
- [The Health Teacher's Guide to Summer Reading](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/06/the-health-teachers-guide-to-summer-reading/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com Yay, summer! Hopefully, you’ve got all sorts of plans laid out to help you achieve balance, like playing with your friends and family, taking long breaks, and doing something completely unheard of… like reading a book just for fun. But, if you’re anything like me, summer is also a
- [Advocacy in Action Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/05/advocacy-in-action-project/) - Hey 8th graders! Here's your chance to take a stand on an issue you want to advocate for. Do a little research, fill out the sheet, and then figure out how you're going to inspire your classmates by presenting your advocate or advocacy group to the class. Advocacy Project Note Sheet- Spring 2015 Here's a
- [Food Guidelines Around the World](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/04/food-guidelines-around-the-world/) - Hey 7th Graders! Here’s your opportunity to learn about food and dietary guidelines all around the world to help our SAS community come up with food guidelines for our own cafeteria. Here is the link to the most recent Food Based Guidelines around the world. You can work together, but you all need to have your own sheet filled out
- [Alcohol & Drug Lab](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/04/alcohol-drug-lab/) - Hey 8th graders, Here's the doc with all of the links you'll need for the alcohol lab. Work at your own pace and in whichever order you choose, just make sure you stay on task, there's tons to learn about making healthy choices. Drug and Alcohol Lab- Spring 2014 Rubric for Alcohol Lab- Spring 2014 The
- [Fun nutrition websites for review!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/04/nutrition-websites/) - Hey 6th graders! If you want more resources for learning about nutrition (including fun games!) click on one of the links below. CDC's BAM!- Body and Mind ChooseMyPlate.gov PBS Kids- It's My Life KidsHealth.org
- [Instructions for the Sleep Video](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/03/instructions-for-the-sleep-video/) - Hey 7th graders, Great job on your sleep advocacy skits. Now it's time to take what you learned and put it into action in your own life. You'll be making a short (around a minute long) video reminding yourself about all of the benefits of and barriers to getting a good night's sleep. Don't forget
- [Resources for the Sleep Advocacy Skits](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/03/resources-for-the-sleep-advocacy-skits/) - Hey 7th graders! Did you know that 1/3 of all teenagers are sleep deprived? According to the National Sleep Foundation, you need at least 9 hours, and most of you aren't even clocking in at 7. Why is that? Screen time and tech distractions are part of the problem, but so is the desire to study
- [Resources for the Goal Setting Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/01/resources-for-the-goal-setting-project/) - Hey 7th Graders! The time has come for you to pick a wellness goal for the semester and get into action. Pick something that you'd like to work on - physically, mentally, emotionally, or socially- and draft a plan. Remember to make it a SMART goal: S- Specific (you've got to see it to reach
- [Breakfast around the world...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2015/01/breakfast-around-the-world/)
- [2012 SportsKids Of The Year: Conner and Cayden](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/2012-sportskids-of-the-year-conner-and-cayden-long-sports-illustrated-kids/) - From Sports Illustrated Kids, here's the inspiring story of brothers Conner and Cayden Long. Conner wanted to participate in triathlons with his brother, Cayden, who has cerebral palsy. Despite the difficulties, he made it happen... and it serves as a great example to us all. Amazing kids... and an awesome addition to a lesson on
- [Mindfulness in the NBA](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/mindfulness-in-the-nba/) - Phil Jackson has taken over the Knicks, and one of the big changes he's bringing with him is a focus on mindfulness. Meditation has been scientifically proven to benefit athletes, but often they have a difficult time getting the practice started. In this article from ESPN, Phil Jackson explains why... "We're about action; we're about this intense
- [Advocating for later start times...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/11/advocating-for-later-start-times/) - "Given that the primary focus of education is to maximize human potential, then a new task before us is to ensure that the conditions in which learning takes place address the very biology of our learners." Mary A. Carskadon, PhD As a health teacher, it's disheartening when the things that you teach aren't supported by
- [The social and emotional roots of obesity](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/11/the-social-and-emotional-roots-of-obesity/) - “It is important to understand that the weight bias that obese youth face is just as serious as the physical consequences of excessive weight on the welfare of the child.” -CDC: Childhood Obesity, Issues of Weight Bias
- [Make healthy choices...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/11/make-healthy-choices/) - Eat, sleep, play, and laugh...
- [INFOGRAPHICS: The benefits of video games](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/infographic-the-benefits-of-video-games/) - Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock-n-roll. -Shigeru Miyamoto We've just completed a new project where the students took health information and created their own infographics. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and a great learning experience for all of us. From Bridget, one of my
- [This is your brain on exercise...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/11/this-is-your-brain-on-exercise/) - Stressed out from your homework? Then take a quick break and go for a walk!
- [Today's Health Class: Meditation Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/todays-health-class-meditation-resources/) - In this week's blog for Choices, I share some tips and resources for getting a classroom meditation practice started. You can check it out here.
- [Today's Health Class:Bullying- Positive Prevention](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/todays-health-class-column-bullying-positive-prevention/) - In this week's column for Teen Being - the blog for Choices, Scholastic's awesome health magazine for teens, I share a lesson on positive prevention for cyberbullying. You can check it out here.
- [What's Happening in Today's Health Class?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/whats-happening-in-todays-health-class/) - In this week's column for Choices, I share some thoughts on what makes an effective health curriculum for 21st century learners. You can check it out here.
- [Answering kids' questions about Ebola...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/answering-kids-questions-about-ebola/) - Kids have been hearing about Ebola everywhere lately, so naturally they've got a ton of questions - and lots of misinformation as well. It's important that we know the correct way address concerns when they pop up so we can help alleviate any anxiety. From the Washington Post comes this useful and well written article- 5 tips for talking
- [STUDY: Teens should regulate their own Internet use](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/study-teens-should-regulate-their-own-internet-use/) - From the Oxford Internet Institute and Parent Zone comes a new study that challenges the way many people have been monitoring their teen's Internet use. Turns out, letting them figure it out on their own - the good and the bad - might actually be more beneficial for their development. From BBC News... Researchers surveyed
- [Street art advocacy...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/street-art-advocacy/) - Banksy is a well known street artist from the UK. His work usually has a social or political message, and in 2010 was named one of Time Magazine's Top 100 most influential people in the world. His latest piece is a great example of how we can advocate through art. He should mass produce this so we can
- [Project- Create your own infographic](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/project-create-your-own-infographic/) - *Full infographic available at DigitalInformationWorld.com Infographics are used quite a bit in reporting health news, as they're a visually appealing way to get facts and statistics out to the community. Here are some samples… Infographic: Meditation in Schools Across America Infographic: 15 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Happier Today you're going to create your own and
- [Living Fully in the Moment](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/living-fully-in-the-moment/) - When was the last time you went to a concert? Did you notice how many people were watching it through their screens? Or were you one of them?In a recent article from Washington D.C. radio station WTOP, artists open up about smart phones at concerts... and as it turns out, many are getting frustrated by playing to
- [What's your Tech Curfew?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/whats-your-tech-curfew/) - You have one, right? What about your kids? There's been a lot of research lately about the impact of screen time on our sleep, but it still doesn't seem to be getting through. It's like... we know that screen time right before bed isn't good for us - and we get it - but there
- [Mental health in the classroom...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/10/mental-health-in-the-classroom/) - Screen shot from TeenMentalHealth.org With the latest research telling us that the number of young people aged 15-16 with depression has nearly doubled over the last twenty years, it’s more important than ever for us to be addressing it in our health classes. But as we do, we need to make sure we're armed with the correct information and
- [Using infographics to practice advocacy](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/using-infographics-to-practice-advocacy/) - Source: Infographic Archive - Click here to see more. From Edudemic comes this useful how-to guide for making infographics... Infographics are used quite a bit in reporting Health news, and this could be a fun option for the kids when they're trying to get facts and statistics out to the community. Have them do surveys on
- [Healthy lungs vs. a smoker's lungs](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/08/healthy-lungs-vs-smokers-lungs/) - What a great use of Vine. I'm not usually one to go with scare tactics in health class, but when it comes to cigarettes, all bets are off. This six second video loop is much more effective than the old plastic models of a smoker's lungs that I have in the cupboard. Will definitely be
- [Just in time for summer...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/just-in-time-for-summer/) - Fitness tools that tap the power of your friends! From CNN, here are 7 awesome apps that can turn fitness into a group activity, even if you're miles away from your friends for the summer. Keep each other motivated while keeping yourself active. Sounds like a win-win situation. Bonus points since they included Zombies, Run!
- [Rates of teen substance abuse are on the way down...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/09/rates-of-teen-substance-abuse-are-on-the-way-down/) - Good news! According to the latest report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services, more teens in the U.S. are making the right choices. The survey included over 70,000 people, and in the 12-17 age bracket, there were some noticeable improvements between the years 2002-2013. Some of the
- [E-cigarettes and the FDA...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/04/e-cigarettes-and-the-fda/) - With the rates of middle and high school students who have used e-cigarettes doubling between 2011-2012, it's important that we add this hot button issue into our curriculum right away. E-cigarettes have been all over the news this week, with the FDA stepping up to put some regulations into place. While these new restrictions will finally put
- [The caffeinated teen...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/08/kids-and-caffeine/) - For full infographic click here How much caffeine are kids consuming, and are we as health teachers doing enough to address it in our curriculum? That's a question I asked myself this summer when a new study that looked at caffeine consumption among kids kept popping up in the news. Researchers found that even in low doses, it could have a
- [Beauty standards around the world...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/07/beauty-standards-around-the-world/) - From Buzzfeed comes this cool new video about beauty standards and photoshop. It was sent to me by one of my former 8th graders (and during her summer vacation too!). Gotta love that advocacy in action.
- [Girls and STEM...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/06/girls-and-stem/) - Great new ad from Verizon looks at the impact of our words on the ambition of our girls...
- [Study materials for the Puberty Quiz...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/06/study-materials-for-the-puberty-quiz/) - Hey 6th graders, Here are the materials you'll need for this week's Growth & Development Quiz. Not to worry... you're ready. As long as you know the basics, you should be good to go! (Hint, in addition to the reproductive stuff, there will be some questions on there about mental/emotional changes and how to combat body teasing.)
- [Great anti-bullying message...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/05/great-anti-bullying-message/) - After getting bullied for most of elementary school, 13 year-old Leondre decided to channel his stress in the most awesome way imaginable... by writing it down and then reaching out to others. He formed a rap duo with a friend he made through social media and together they auditioned for Britain's Got Talent. Their inspiring performance has already gotten 22 million views in the last week. This clip of their appearance on Ellen yesterday is a must see for a middle school health class. It contains messages about bullying, healthy coping skills, and the power of social media to bring about positive change. A truly awesome example of positive prevention.
- [#FRD2014](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/05/frd2014/) - It's Food Revolution Day! Here at SAS we've been celebrating by going into the kitchen to make smoothies and pumpkin energy bites. What are you going to be doing to get kids excited about food? Check out the website for recipes and ideas so you can Join In, Get Cooking, and Spread the Word! Here's a great RSA
- [Take a stand against media messages...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/05/take-a-stand-against-media-messages/) - And pick your role models for the right reasons.
- [Look up...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/05/look-up/) - An important message about balance and engagement... not just for the kids, but for us adults as well.
- [#LoveYourSelfie...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/05/loveyourselfie/) - Great new campaign that teaches girls about body image, media literacy, and advocacy...
- [What's up in your cafeteria?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/12/whats-up-in-your-cafeteria/) - If you're looking for ways to incorporate project-based learning into your Health class, (and let's be honest here, you should be!) then why not start in your own cafeteria? Take the students over with a survey sheet, and have them answer some questions about what's on offer, and whether or not they can get their
- [How labels affect hunger...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/04/how-labels-affect-hunger/) - From NPR Health comes this new study on the power of food labels. The video that accompanies it does a great job explaining how the hunger hormone ghrelin works and how our beliefs may actually have an impact on our metabolism. A great addition to a nutrition unit for older grades.
- [PBL: Consumer Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/02/choosing-values-over-profit/) - CVS Pharmacy made a bold move this month by deciding to put an end to their cigarette sales. This could cost them over $2 billion dollars in profit annually, but when you look at their mission, which is "Helping people on their path to better health", it's surprising they didn't do it sooner. This would
- [Student Activity: Bullying- Positive Prevention](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/03/student-activity-bullying-positive-prevention/) - The best way to deflect cyberbullying? Through positivity. Your mission is to inspire all of the bystanders to become heroes. How are you going to do that? By creating your own positive prevention... Student Rubric: Bullying- Positive Prevention Some examples from the StopBullying.gov Tumblr page Can be a poster, meme, website, video game (like Herotopia), blog, infographic, up to you!
- [Puberty Help for Parents...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/03/puberty-help-for-parents/) - Puberty is all about change. And change can be stressful... for all parties concerned. But there are a few things that almost always make change easier, and that's knowing what to expect, knowing that you're not in it alone, and talking to people who have been there before. We can help the kids - and
- [Talking to the doctor...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/01/talking-to-the-doctor/) - According to this recent study by the American Medical Association, adolescents aren't talking to their doctors nearly enough. In fact, in about one-third of annual check-ups, sexuality issues weren't brought up at all, and when they were, it was only for a second. This isn't surprising, as talking about puberty can be awkward, and often times with annual
- [A new user-friendly food label...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/03/a-new-user-friendly-food-label/) - Source:LiveScience
- [Control-Alt-Delete](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/control-alt-delete-bieber/) - If you're doing any sort of lesson on digital footprint... better throw this in the mix. California has just approved Senate Bill 568, which will essentially work like an erase button for teens. From CNET... "Legislation signed Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown will require Web sites, apps, and online services geared toward minors to offer,
- [Let's Move gets some help from Will Ferrell...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/02/lets-move-gets-some-help-from-will-ferrell/) - Great clip to show the kids during a nutrition or physical activity unit. Or anytime, really.
- [Meditation for the middle school set...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/01/meditation-resources/) - Last year, after learning about the powerful impact meditation was having on middle school students in San Francisco, we decided to give it a try in our Health classes. Since we don't have the time to implement the full Quiet Time program, we started with a modified version, doing five minutes at the beginning of each
- [What about marijuana?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/12/what-about-marijuana/) - Image: Creative Commons With restrictions lifting across the U.S., marijuana use among teens is on the rise. As teachers and parents struggle with how to answer questions in a changing legal landscape, staying on top of the latest news and research is more important than ever. This recent article from The New York Times addresses
- [Inspirational Goal Setters](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/01/inspirational-goal-setters/) - We're working on our goal setting unit in 7th grade Health, which means it's time to find some inspirational goal setters. There are a ton of great examples out there, so we usually start each lesson out with a short video clip to get the discussion going. Then, it's the student's turn, as they find
- [This is your brain on sugar...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/01/this-is-your-brain-on-sugar/)
- [Putting an end to fat talk...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2014/01/fight-fat-talk/) - How we talk about each other - and ourselves - has a big impact on the younger girls in our lives. Here are some facts and tips on how we can avoid setting the wrong example.
- [Getting 7th graders excited about running?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/getting-7th-graders-excited-about-running/) - Amazing.... Shared this with my classes, and had a student say she's been using it for a while. Says it's a blast. What a great way to get kids involved in MMORPG's out and moving. Another great example of how technology can be used to have a positive impact our health... and the health
- [Empathy is a choice...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/12/empathy-is-a-choice/) - "Rarely can a response make something better. What makes something better is a connection."
- [Let's talk about body image...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/12/lets-talk-about-body-image/) - Not sure when this whole "thigh gap" thing got started, but it's upsetting when a trend encourages girls to try and alter their basic shape... to fit into a mold that's just not genetically possible for most. Unrealistic ideals can lead to anxiety, serious body image issues, eating disorders, unhealthy coping skills, and just an
- [I blame Ke$ha...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/i-blame-kesha/) - According to the latest research, binge drinking numbers are up for college girls. "Researchers found that, among students who drank alcohol, 85.4 percent exceeded an NIAAA drinking guideline at least once during their first week of college." Wow. In the first week. Sad to say, this isn't surprising... with about 1 in 4 American college students suffering academic
- [Health is a skill...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/11/health-is-a-skill/) - And we need to teach it, live it, and model it. Every day.
- [In defense of Health education...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/in-defense-of-health-education/) - In today's Education Week Blog, there was a great post on the importance of social and emotional education in schools. Namely, the disconnect between how important most teachers think it is, and how little of it we're actually doing. Here's a more comprehensive look at the need for Health education. If you look at what
- [Challenging the norms about teen drinking...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/07/bingedrinkingandcollege/) - Lately, much of my focus in class has been on getting the kids to challenge norms... things we've been conditioned to view as "rites of passage". President Obama mentioned this in his 2010 speech about bullying, and I think it's something we should look at when it comes to our other content areas as well.
- [Kids being awesome....](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/11/kids-being-awesome/) - Another great example of positive prevention. Show this to your students right away... Of course, if you're worried about crying in front of them, you should probably watch it a couple of times first.
- [Online self-diagnosis put to the test...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/10/online-self-diagnosis-put-to-the-test/) - Awesome resource... and a must-see for students (all of us, actually). Try and watch the whole clip directly from the BBC if you can. Tons of great clips on there for Science teachers too.
- [Food Day 2013 at SAS](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/10/food-day-2013/) - "Food Day is a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food and a grassroots campaign for better food policies. It builds all year long and culminates on October 24." Here at the Shanghai American School, we're celebrating with the help of our friends Kimberly and Chiara from Sprout Lifestyle. Over the course of three
- [Positive tobacco prevention...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/10/positive-tobacco-prevention/) - From Healthline, Sept. 2013: Teens Respond Better to Positive Information Than Warnings "Want to Keep Kids from Smoking? Tout Positives, Not Negatives... Overall, researchers found that younger study participants were less likely to take the risks of negative information into account. However, positive learning from good news remained constant for people of all ages." Positive learning
- [Planning a family field trip](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/10/planning-a-family-field-trip/) - Image: Shanghai Daily In our super-connected world, sometimes we forget to connect with the people we're closest to... So, for our 8th grade Family Advocacy project, the kids are going to research some ideas for a family field trip here in Shanghai. Then, they'll come up with their three favorite options, present them to their
- [Managing your tech anxiety](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/managing-your-tech-anxiety/) - From CNN comes this great article filled with tips on mindful technology use... -Blissfully Wired: 10 Rules for Digital Happiness- While the professor who wrote the article takes a much more hard-lined approach than I would, - she's dealing with grad students at NYU, I've got a room full of 12 year-olds with rapidly dwindling
- [The Internet was made for awesome...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/10/the-internet-was-made-for-awesome/) - Infographic courtesy of www.aplatformforgood.org With all of the talk about cyberbullying, it's important to remember the amazing ways in which kids are using the Internet to effect social change. Advocating, fund raising, collaborating... it's unreal how globally minded they've become. New research tells us that anti-bullying prevention isn't working, so it's time to take a different
- [It's time for some snacktion...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/its-time-for-some-snacktion/) - From Today's Parent, here are some fun new recipes... - Superfood: 20 Kid Friendly Recipes - I don't know what it is, but there's something about the idea of "Superfoods" that gets Middle School kids super excited. Actually... that's a lie. I do know what it is. They're all about instant gratification. And typically, they pick food based on
- [The Wired Child (Infographic)](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/the-wired-child/) - This great new infographic takes a balanced look at the digital lives of our little ones... Source: Early Childhood Education Degrees
- [Procrastination is a crime, it only leads to sorrow. I can stop it anytime... I think I will tomorrow!](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/04/procrastination/) - I learned that little jingle back in 7th grade, and it still goes through my head when I'm putting things off. Which has been known to happen time and again. Like just a few minutes ago. Which got me thinking. Procrastination has always been an issue for middle school students. I mean, it must have
- [Taking role model to a whole new level...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/awesome-resources-for-girls/) - Amy Poehler? Kinda my hero. Which is why I was excited to find out that she's created a campaign that inspires girls to change the world. By being themselves. It’s called Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, and it’s pretty much a big giant pile of awesome. In addition to the website, she has a YouTube channel where
- [Words of wisdom...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/words-of-wisdom-2/) - "You're teaching the world what it looks like to be awesome." - Kid President
- [Modeling a Healthy Digital Diet](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/modeling-a-healthy-digital-diet/) - The school year's started and kids are diving into projects, assignments, and of course... their social lives. With so much of that happening on screen, conversations (and often arguments) at home will revolve around time spent online. How much is ok? How often should you take a break? And how could you possibly have THAT
- [The bright side of stress...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/the-bright-side-of-stress/) - "When you choose to view your stress response as helpful, you create the biology of courage." - Dr. Kelly McGonigal We've learned, over the last ten years or so, that with many of our content areas in Health - nutrition, physical activity, bullying, drug prevention - focusing on the positive was the way to
- [Bringing sex ed to the 21st century](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/09/bringing-sex-ed-to-the-21st-century/) - There's been a lot of talk lately about sex education and how badly it's in need of an update. In the UK, The Telegraph has launched a full scale campaign to raise awareness of the issue, and has gotten the support of the National Union of Teachers, the National Association of Headteachers, and finally... Prime Minister David
- [Carry On: An Inspiring Story of Friendship](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/07/carry-on-an-inspiring-story-of-friendship/) - From ESPN's Outside the Lines comes this inspiring story... a story that I think would be a great addition to any class, grades 6-12... whether you're learning about goal-setting, advocacy, friendship, or character. It's the story of two friends and wrestlers from Cleveland who faced tough odds and accomplished some great things... by working together. Here's an article
- [Teaching Meditation in Schools](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/meditation-in-schools/) - There's a growing body of research that shows meditation working for students. This article from Edutopia talks about the specific ways in which a meditation practice can help students manage stress. We've recently started doing it in our Health classes, and I'm excited to see how it goes. Middle School is a stressful time, and
- [Setting Controls for an iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/setting-controls-for-an-iphone-ipad-and-ipod-touch/) - From OSX Daily, here's an extremely useful guide for filtering content and setting parental controls. How to Use Restrictions as Parental Controls on an iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It's written with super clear instructions and includes plenty of screen shots... and while many are familiar with the restrictions for in-app purchases, I don't think
- [Little League's Preventative Drug Program](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/little-league-baseball-to-create-drug-education-program/) - From Schooled in Sports - Education Week... it looks like the Little League is taking a preventative approach when it comes to performance enhancing drugs. As the top youth league for a sport that's been riddled with doping issues, they're in a unique position to really make an impact. Let's hope that they're able to come
- [Grading in PE... The Parents Perspective](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/grading-in-pe-the-parents-perspective/) - As we're making the switch to Standards Based Reporting, I think this would be a great read for parents. How Should Gym Class Be Graded? | The Parents Perspective. What really stuck out to me was the following... "One British study even found that half of girls are put off of physical activity by their experiences in
- [Great message for educators...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/great-message-for-educators/) - Another good one from Values.com Really digging this website.... so many great resources.
- [More support for Mindset](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/07/more-support-for-mindset/) - Over the summer last year, our principal had us read Mindset, by Carol Dweck. He also assigned it to the parent community, hoping it would get them to start thinking about failure in a different light... looking at the opportunities it provides for growth, rather than as some sort of a set back. In a
- [Good Reads for Parents](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/07/good-reads-for-parents/) - There are tons of great resources out there for parents trying to raise healthy teens. As I come across things worth sharing, I’ll try to add them here or to my blog. And if you stumble across anything you think would be of use to our parent community, let me know and I’ll post a link.
- [Einstein said it best...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/07/einstein-said-it-best/)
- [Tech tips for younger kids](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/tech-tips-for-younger-kids/) - From Edutopia, here are some great tips for technology usage and younger kids. It comes from Douglas Rushkoff, the Digital Literacy Advocate from Codecademy, a new online learning platform. Setting limits on your child's tech habits won't leave them behind their peers. It will help them develop even stronger digital skills as they get older... ..."we're
- [Engineering possibilities...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/engineering-possibilities/) - When our brightest minds are powered by the passion to make an impact, amazing things can happen.
- [BeatBullying launches boycott of Ask.fm](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/ask-fm-boycott/) - In the wake of another Ask.fm bullying victim in the UK, the prevention group BeatBullying is calling for a boycott of the site until they start taking the safety of its users seriously. From BeatBullying's press release August 7, 2013: We want to work with Ask.fm to: • Improve verification of users’ details • Strengthen moderation so
- [#FRD2013](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/frd2013/) - Friday is Food Revolution Day! We've got some special guests from Sprout coming in to cook with our health classes, and I can't wait to see what they've got for us. After that, we're going to watch this new documentary from HBO's The Weight of the Nation series. It's about some awesome kids in New Orleans who
- [Alcohol companies find new growth market in Africa](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/alcohol-companies-find-new-growth-market-in-africa/) - This just in from Time Magazine... "Africa has a drinking problem. It is the new darling of multinational beverage companies looking to drive profits in an increasingly booze-saturated world. The continent has the perfect emerging market conditions: a relatively small amount of commercial alcohol is being consumed; there is a rising middle class with disposable income;
- [Using tragedy as a teachable moment...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/using-tragedy-as-a-teachable-moment/) - As is usually the case in August, students come in wanting to discuss things they saw on the news over the summer. Unfortunately this year, one of those major events would have been the tragic overdose of Glee star Cory Monteith. While not all students are fans of the show, it certainly has a huge
- [Instant Gratification and Technology](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/instant-gratification-and-technology/) - Working on the decision making unit with my 6th graders right now, and as per usual, we started out with a discussion on some of the decisions they're faced with. The typical 6th grade answers came up... what to wear, what to eat for lunch, which after school sport to join... and then one
- [Pass it On...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/great-resource-for-character-and-values-lessons/) - If you haven't checked out Values.com from The Foundation for a Better Life, better get on it. There's a wealth of resources on there for teaching kids about values... posters, videos, definitions, quotes, and great examples.
- [Great new Body Image curriculum for grades 4-6](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/08/great-new-body-image-curriculum/) - If you are a Health teacher, a counselor, or a classroom teacher concerned about body image (which you should be!), you need to get this book, Healthy Bodies, right away.... I can’t say enough about the author, Kathy Kater. We’ve been using the first edition of her curriculum, Healthy Body Image, for the past few years
- [LOL? Not the same as delete.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/teen-jailed-for-comment/) - No matter how many times we try and tell the kids that what they put on the Internet stays there, they still don't seem to get it. This Texas teenager is in jail for threatening comments he made on facebook. He followed them up with an LOL and a J/K, but it's like I tell
- [Say nice stuff. People will notice. ](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/westhighbros/) - Every time I show this video, I'm beyond impressed by how it reaches our students. Such a great example of social media and how it was meant to be used... to enrich our lives and connections, and to bring out the best in people. I also love the example of positivity as a tool for
- [Free eBook for Parents: Growing up Online](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/free-ebook-for-parents-growing-up-online/) - As parents, having "the talk" with your kids about their online lives is key. And while there have always been tons of resources out there to help with the other "talk"... you know, the one about puberty and sex... there is now some awesome stuff coming out to help with the digital talk as well
- [Words of wisdom...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/words-of-wisdom/)
- [Finally... some healthy snacktion.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/healthy-snacktion/) - The U.S. if finally putting some strict bans on what schools can sell in their vending machines, and surprisingly, some people are opposed to it. From The New York Times... "Some Republicans were critical of the new rules. Representative Lee Terry, a Republican from Nebraska, tweeted his opposition using the hashtag “nannystate” and writing “RIP
- [Is this taking it too far?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/is-this-taking-it-too-far/) - Family Signal is a monitoring program that helps parents keep tabs on their child's social media use. For $4.99 per month for unlimited kids, you can get an instant alert if anything comes up you should be concerned about. This includes content that could be related to cyberbullying, alcohol, drugs, or sex. "As soon as
- [Great tips for balanced tech](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/06/some-great-tips-for-balanced-tech/) - Great post from Huff Post's Healthy Living about the importance of meditation in our super wired times. Some useful tips and great things to remember as we go into the summer months. Have fun and stay balanced!
- [Using Technology to Combat Cyberbullying](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/using-technology-to-combat-cyberbullying/) - "My position is that technology can’t solve bullying. This is a people problem. But technology can make a difference, either for the negative or the positive." -Henry Lieberman, MIT’s Media Lab- This great new article just came out in The Atlantic by Emily Bazelon, author of Sticks and Stones. I was really struck
- [Words to remember...](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/words-to-remember/) - When it comes to advocacy, goal-setting, or just establishing healthy habits.... I think we should all remember this. It's just about finding your passion and getting started.
- [My.U.P.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/04/my-u-p/) - My.U.P.2013 My.U.P. in Korean version Chinese MyUP Had a great time presenting at the AAHPERD National Convention this week. What an awesome opportunity to talk Health with folks from the elementary all the way through the university level. If you weren't able to make it to the session or download my handout from their website,
- [Wait... there's how many servings in that?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/wait-theres-how-many-servings-in-that/) - Just came across this video of what serving sizes really look like... most kids have no clue when it comes to the processed stuff. This could be helpful with any age level Health class. Not sure about the ending though! Here's a pretty comprehensive NY Times article to make it a complete lesson with the older kids.
- [Changing bodies, changing uniforms.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/404/) - The Dallas School Board just made a ruling about easing up on their dress code for their overweight and obese kids, no longer forcing them to tuck in their shirts. While I’m all for this… there’s nothing worse than trying to tuck in a shirt when you’re not feeling great about your body... when I
- [What is Technology Balance?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/01/something/) - In a 2011 study done by the McCann World Group, 53% of 16-22 year-olds said they would rather give up their sense of smell than their favorite technology. When this first came out and I presented it to my 8th grade Health class, way back in 2011, their reactions were all pretty much the same. Those teenagers have
- [Concern and debate over video game addiction.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/04/new-post/) - This is an area of huge debate and definitely one worth discussing with your Health classes.
- [Well put.](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/well-put/) - "Technology is neither good nor bad. But it does make people's good and bad more powerful." -Yishan Wong, Reddit, Wired Magazine - May 2013
- [Are you kidding me right now?](https://thehealthteacher.com/2013/05/are-you-kidding-me-right-now/) - After three years of back and forth court battles... it looks like the FDA won't be able to force big tobacco to put graphic warning labels on their packages after all. Unreal. In Australia, they've cracked down so hard that the entire box is pretty much all warning, but in the states, they just can't seem

## Pages

- [Home](https://thehealthteacher.com/) - Amy Lauren Smith The Health Teacher Amy Lauren Smith is an internationally recognized health education consultant and curriculum specialist with over 20 years of experience working with international schools across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Based in Hong Kong, she currently serves as the High School Health Teacher and Schoolwide Health Coordinator at Hong
- [Health & Wellbeing Consulting](https://thehealthteacher.com/consulting-clients/) - Every school is at a different point in its journey. The options below offer flexible ways to build, strengthen, and sustain Health, CSE, Safeguarding, Wellbeing, and SEL/Advisory programs. 🌱 Foundational Consultation (Level 1)Initial insight and direction to clarify priorities and next stepsProgram review and targeted gap analysisLeadership consultation and strategic alignmentIntroductory workshop or presentationPractical recommendations
- [About Amy](https://thehealthteacher.com/about-me/) - Amy Lauren Smith is an internationally recognized health education consultant and curriculum specialist with over 15 years of experience working in international schools across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Based in Hong Kong, she currently serves as the High School Health Teacher and Schoolwide Health Coordinator at Hong Kong International School.Amy partners with schools
- [Whole School Wellness- HKIS 2025](https://thehealthteacher.com/hkwellness25/) - Slides: Whole School Wellness HKIS 2025
- [PHASE China 2025](https://thehealthteacher.com/phase-china-2025/) - Presentation Slides (Google): Skills-Based Health ResourcesPresentation Slides (PPT): Skills-Based Health Resources
- [EARCOS ETC 2025](https://thehealthteacher.com/etc2025/) - 1. Whole School Health: Breaking Out of the Silos2. Resources for Skills-Based Health3. Body Image and Media Literacy4. Substance Abuse Prevention
- [Upcoming Workshops](https://thehealthteacher.com/workshops2425/) - Workshop Calendar 2024-2025 DatesConference/LocationWorkshop LinksSept. 14, 2024Hong Kong International SchoolHealth Education for International SchoolsSept. 25, 202421st Century Learning/VirtualWellness in Schools SymposiumNov. 15-17, 2024PHASE Asia Pacific Conference/NIST BKKHealth Education for International Schools (Pre-con) and other workshopsJan. 24-25, 2025NESA Educators Training Institute/ACS Abu DhabiA Systemic Approach to Whole School WellnessMarch 20-22, 2025EARCOS Teachers Conference, Kuala LumpurVarious Workshops
- [Testimonials](https://thehealthteacher.com/testimonials/)
- [3 tips for creating a healthy and inviting classroom environment](https://thehealthteacher.com/three-tips-for-creating-a-healthy-and-inviting-classroom-environment/) - It’s been a tough week. On Monday, we got hammered by Typhoon Goni, and our school experienced some pretty substantial flooding. My classroom was one of the three most affected, and was covered with two inches of water. While I’m grateful that our school didn’t receive more damage, and realize it could have been much,
- [Recent Workshops](https://thehealthteacher.com/recent-workshops/) - Presentations and Workshops: Click on the green hyperlinks for resources or contact amy@thehealthteacher.com for more info. Positive Prevention: A New Approach to Health Ed SXSWEdu 2016, Austin, TX. The health concerns of our students have shifted dramatically over the last twenty years, and the past model of textbooks and scare tactics is obviously not working.
- [Whole School Wellness- Lead to Succeed 2024](https://thehealthteacher.com/l2s/) - Link to the Slide Deck: Whole School Wellness- L2S 2024
- [The Energy Bar Project: Part 1](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-energy-bar-project-part-1/) - NHES 3: Students will analyze the validity of health information, products, and services. You see it all over the aisles of the grocery store…. “whole grain”, “gluten free”, “non GMO”. But how much weight to these health claims really carry? That was the question my students set out to answer as they began a new
- [SHAPE Seattle Resources 2023](https://thehealthteacher.com/shape2023/) - Click on the links below for presentation slides Sex Ed for Today’s Independent, International and Faith-Based Schools SEL, Advisory & Health: Teaming Up for a Schoolwide Approach
- [PHASE Phuket 2023](https://thehealthteacher.com/phase-phuket-2023/) - SLIDES: Media Literacy & Body ImageSLIDES: Sexual Health
- [Students](https://thehealthteacher.com/resources-2/) - Research shows that one of the main reasons teens go on the internet is to get answers to health questions they’re too embarrassed to ask in person. Make sure you’re going to the right places. Hopefully you’ve gone through proper search techniques in your Health class, and if you have your own computer, take the
- [Health Ed- PHASE- Oct. 2022](https://thehealthteacher.com/health-ed-phase-10-22/) - Click on the session title to access the slides and resourcesSaturday, Oct. 15, 2022Part 1: Health Education for International Schools: Oct. 15, 2022Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022Part 2: Health Education for International Schools: Oct. 22, 2022
- [Health Ed- PHASE- Mar. 2022](https://thehealthteacher.com/health-ed-phase-2022/) - Click on the session title to access the slides and resourcesSaturday, Feb. 26th, 2022Part 1: Health Education for International Schools: Feb. 26, 2022Saturday, March 5th, 2022Part 2: Health Education for International Schools: March 5, 2022
- [CAPE Conference 2022](https://thehealthteacher.com/cape-conference-2022/) - Hey gang! You'll find the resources for all of our sessions here! KeynoteUpdating Health CurriculumPBL w/ a Focus on Health & WellnessStress Management and Healthy Coping SkillsGrowth, Development & Sexual HealthMedia Literacy and Body ImageDigital Citizenship and Tech BalanceSubstance Abuse Prevention SEL, Advisory & Health Education
- [21CLHK- Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child](https://thehealthteacher.com/21cl-wscc/) - Hey gang! Thanks for joining me today. You can find the slides from the presentation below, and as always, reach out with any questions or if you need anything else. 😀👩‍💻 Nov. 23, 2021: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Approach to Health & Wellbeing
- [Branksome Hall Asia](https://thehealthteacher.com/branksome-hall-asia/) - Excited to be working with you all. You can find the links our slide decks below. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Grade 8/9 Advisory- 10.11.21 Grade 6/7 Advisory- 10.18.21
- [12 Grab & Go Projects for Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/12-grab-go-projects-for-health/) - https://thehealthteacher.com/the-blue-zones-project/* this post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.comMany schools are shifting their curriculum to include project-based learning (PBL), but in the life of a teacher, project planning time is always tight.As a head start, use any of these 12 ready-to-go projects and adapt them to your class as needed. Just click on the project title for
- [PHASE Online- 2021](https://thehealthteacher.com/phase-online-2021/) - Hey gang! Looking forward to our time together this week at PHASE Online. You can find the slides from our two workshops below, and as always, reach out with any questions or if you need anything else. 😀👩‍💻 Sept. 13, 2021: Aligning your School's Approach to Sex Ed Sept. 15, 2021: Teaching Stress Management and
- [EARCOS Health & Wellbeing 2021](https://thehealthteacher.com/earcos2021/) - Weekend Workshop, Jan. 30-31 Sponsored by Brent International School, Manila Saturday, Jan. 30th:Click on the session title to access the slides and resources8 a.m.: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Approach to Health & WellbeingZoom link Password: Wellbeing10 a.m.: Teaching Stress Management & Healthy Coping SkillsZoom link Password: Wellbeing12 p.m.: Breakout SessionsUpdating Health Curriculum to
- [Ideas for Family Fun](https://thehealthteacher.com/family-fun-in-shanghai/) - Image: Shanghai Daily In our ever connected world, we sometimes forget to connect with those we're closest to! For our 8th grade Family Advocacy project, the kids are going to research some ideas for a family field trip here in Shanghai. Then, they'll come up with their three favorite options, present them to their family,
- [Teachers](https://thehealthteacher.com/teacher-resources/) - What makes an effective Health curriculum? Here's the latest from the CDC that breaks it down really well... "Today’s state-of-the-art health education curricula reflect the growing body of research that emphasizes Teaching functional health information (essential knowledge) Shaping personal values and beliefs that support healthy behaviors Shaping group norms that value a healthy lifestyle Developing
- [12 Healthy Eating Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/12-healthy-eating-resources/) - Superfoods!!! April 12, 2016 Hey 6th graders! Have you ever heard of something called Superfoods? Well, they’re super awesome, and today you’re going to use your super powers to explore the Internet and find out all that you can about Superfoods. Then you’re going to list as many as Analyzing food packaging December 9, 2015 Hey
- [Character Strengths Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/character-strengths-project/) - Hey 8th graders! We're going to get started on your Character Strengths Project. After taking the Character Strengths Survey at ViaMe.org, you're going to look at one of your top three character strengths (or any combination thereof) and get to work. It's time to really think about how you embody this strength, how you use it
- [Body Image](https://thehealthteacher.com/body-image/) - We all know somebody who doesn't see themselves the way that everyone else does. And we've all had days like that too. Information: Tips and resources for setting healthy habits; Bodi Mojo From Upworthy: some facts about body image and the media This isn't just about girls: NY Times article about Boys and Body Image
- [What is Technology Balance?](https://thehealthteacher.com/what-is-technology-balance/) - *Image courtesy of 9gag via my 7th grade class In a 2011 study done by the McCann World Group, 53% of 16-22 year-olds said they would rather give up their sense of smell than their favorite technology. When this first came out and I presented it to my 8th grade Health class, way back in 2011, their
- [Welcome to The Health Teacher](https://thehealthteacher.com/homepage/) - This site is currently being built. please give it a week, then come back. In the mean time, please contact me if you have any questions.
- [Gaming](https://thehealthteacher.com/what-is-technology-balance/gaming/) - Gaming is a big concern for a lot of parents and teachers, but it doesn't have to be. Gaming can foster critical thinking skills, collaboration, and can also be an excellent stress buster. The video game industry has a very bright future with a lot of job opportunities, and gamers are being used more and
- [Questions?](https://thehealthteacher.com/contac/) - [contact-form-7 id="7" title="Contact form 1"]
- [Time Management](https://thehealthteacher.com/time-management/) - Procrastination and time management are huge issues for all of us, not just the kids. Here's a great digital workshop on multi-tasking that can be used with middle school or high school students and for parent education. Digital Workshops for Parents and Educators from PBS (The series on multitasking is quite effective with grades 6-8)
- [Tech Balance](https://thehealthteacher.com/technology/) - Looking at how technology and health intersect. Click on the specific topics for further information and links.
- [Tech Balance](https://thehealthteacher.com/technology-balance/) - Did you know that the average American teenager processes 3700 text messages a month? News Clip: MSN Maybe it's time to put down the phone and actually talk to someone. You know, face to face. Everyone will think you're being retro. Maybe you can start a trend. As this is a newer issue, resources are limited and
- [Tech Tips for Parents](https://thehealthteacher.com/tech-tips-for-parents/) - When it comes to balancing your family's digital diet, there are a ton of great resources out there for parents. I always recommend starting with Common Sense Media. They have solid advice, as well as extensive ratings for films, TV shows, video games, apps and more. If they need support with time management (and, really...
- [Tobacco. Gross.](https://thehealthteacher.com/tobacco/) - Hopefully most of you know that smoking is bad. I don't think this is going to come as a shock. You shouldn't do it. And hopefully you won't. But if you were thinking about it for even just one second, go to this website. Watch their videos. Read the facts. Either way you should check
- [Procrastination](https://thehealthteacher.com/procrastination/) - Procrastination is a crime, it only leads to sorrow. I can stop it anytime, I think I will tomorrow... I learned that little jingle back in 7th grade, and it still goes through my head when I'm putting things off. Which has been known to happen time and again. Like just a few minutes ago.
- [Student Created Tech Use Policy](https://thehealthteacher.com/my-u-p-resources/) - Download your own editable doc here: My UP Family Agreement Korean My.U.P. Chinese My.U.P. In 2011, shortly after our school went 1-to-1, our 8th grade Health classes began noticing that they were having issues managing their tech distractions and were concerned about themselves and their classmates. For their advocacy project, they drafted a personal use agreement, created PSA's
- [Today's Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/todays-health-class/) - What makes an effective Health curriculum? Check out this article from the CDC... it very clearly breaks down the characteristics of an up-to-date Health class, with an emphasis on skills rather than content. So important, as it gives teachers the freedom to design their class with their specific student population in mind. This serves the
- [The Puberty Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-puberty-project/) - The Puberty Project Just had the great opportunity of doing this presentation live for the PhysEdSummit 3.0 You can watch it on YouTube- just make sure you drag the cursor to start from the beginning. Online health searches are the third most popular activity on the web... have we equipped our students (and ourselves?)
- [Puberty Help for Parents](https://thehealthteacher.com/puberty-help-for-parents/) - We’ve just finished up with our puberty unit for the 6th graders, and oftentimes, it’s more stressful for the parents than it is for the kids. Comfort levels vary, and they might not have received any education on the topic themselves, except for a slightly awkward conversation with their own parents. They want to do right by their
- [Project: Create your own Infographic](https://thehealthteacher.com/infographic-project/) - *Infographic created by Esther, Grade 8 Infographics are used quite a bit in reporting health news, as they're a visually appealing way to get facts and statistics out to the community. Here are some samples… Infographic: Meditation in Schools Across America Infographic: 15 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Happier Today you're going to create your own
- [SAS Growth, Development & Sexual Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/sas-puberty/) - Thanks so much for taking the time out to join us on Monday. I know we're all excited to get aligned and up-to-date with our puberty units. Here's where I'll be keeping all of the resources that we'll be using throughout the day. Let me know if there's any additional information you'd like to include
- [SAS- G&D Scope and Sequence](https://thehealthteacher.com/sas-gd-scope-and-sequence/) - SAS Scope & Sequence: Growth, Development, & Sexual Health Here are the standards as a word document: SAS G&D- Scope & Sequence Key: CT- Classroom teacher GC- Guidance Counselor HT- Health Teacher TBD- Could be TRF, GC, CT or HT Kindergarten Growth and Development Standard : Essential Concepts 1.1.G Explain that living things grow and mature.
- [Resources for an LGBT friendly health class...](https://thehealthteacher.com/lgbt-resources/) - Over the last month or so, we’ve been going through the process - as many schools and districts are right now - of bringing our sex ed curriculum up to date. As such, we’ve spent quite a bit of time referencing the Guttmacher Institute’s State Policies on Sex and HIV Education. Some pretty shocking facts
- [The Social and Emotional Roots of Obesity](https://thehealthteacher.com/no-more-shame/) - *This post originally appeared on TeenBeing.com “It is important to understand that the weight bias that obese youth face is just as serious as the physical consequences of excessive weight on the welfare of the child.” -CDC: Childhood Obesity, Issues of Weight Bias Sorry folks, but we’re
- [Unit Plan- Stress Management](https://thehealthteacher.com/unit-plan-stress-management/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com It’s crunch time! Stress management for teens. May is a stressful time to be at school. Younger kids are finishing up projects, older ones are gearing up for finals, and most of us teachers are left wondering how it will all get graded in time. As adults, we know
- [Wellness for HS Seniors](https://thehealthteacher.com/senior-year-wellness/) - College Readiness: Managing your stress and staying well. Hey seniors!!!! You have heard senior year can be stressful... but it doesn't have to be! Learn strategies and coping skills you can use during the college application season and throughout your college years as well. Here's what today's going to look like: Healthy Coping Skill #1: Journaling
- [The Blue Zones Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-blue-zones-project/) - Hey 6th graders! You just learned about the Wellness Wheel and the four main components of our health: Physical, Social, Emotional and Mental. You also learned that you're at your best when these areas are in balance. Of course, knowing how to maintain that balance can be tricky. With this project, we're going to learn about the Blue Zones,
- [The Infographic Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-infographic-project/) - Hey 8th graders! Here's everything you'll need for our next project. Infographics are used quite a bit in reporting health news, as they're a visually appealing way to get facts and statistics out to the community. Here are some samples… Infographic: Meditation in Schools Across America Infographic: 15 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Happier Today
- [4 starter ideas for a new semester...](https://thehealthteacher.com/teacher-resources/4-starter-ideas-for-a-new-semester/) - Unlike many other subjects, health is rarely a yearlong course. Most students are required to take health for either a semester or a quarter, which means that this time of year can require a quick “getting to know you” process, or a conscious shift in class dynamics as the students move from the field into
- [SXSW Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/sxsw-resources/) - *Grade 8 Student Project Positive Prevention: A New Approach to Health Ed Weds. 3/9 1:30-3:30 (feel free to pop in at anytime!) Austin Convention Center 17B Click on the links below for more info, lesson plans, and project ideas! What is Positive Prevention? Tentative Agenda and Resources Welcome and Intros What's your name and position,
- [Sleep Advocacy Posters](https://thehealthteacher.com/7th-grade-sleep-advocacy-posters/) - Did you know that 1/3 of all teenagers are sleep deprived? According to the National Sleep Foundation, You need at least 9 hours, and most of you aren't even clocking in at 7. Why is that? Fear of Missing Out is one reason, but so is the desire to study hard and do better in
- [UNIS Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/unis-health/) - UNIS Weekend Workshop Agenda and Resources: Designing a Health & Wellness Program to Meet the Unique Needs of the International Student Friday, May 5th Morning Session Welcome and Intros 4 Starter Ideas for the First Day of the New Semester Journal Topic: What did health class look like when you were in school? Who taught it?
- [Stressbusters Video Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/stressbusters-video-project/) - Hey 6th graders! Hope you're excited about making your stress buster videos. Project Sheet: Stressbuster Video Instructions Rubric: Stress Busters Video Rubric If you need some inspiration, check out some of the videos by our friend Berna at Choices. Remember, you want people to be inspired to try out your healthy coping skills as an alternative to
- [Projects](https://thehealthteacher.com/projects/) - * this post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com Many schools are shifting their curriculum to include project-based learning (PBL), but in the life of a teacher, project planning time is always tight. As a head start, use any of these 12 ready-to-go projects and adapt them to your class as needed. Just click on the project
- [The Energy Bar Project: Part 2](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-energy-bar-project-part-2/) - Last week I wrote about part one of a new project my 8th graders have been working on where they analyze the health claims of energy bars. This week, I’ll be focusing on part two of the project, which has them creating and marketing their own. The Energy Bar Project Part 2: Creating and marketing
- [SAS PXHS Health & Wellness](https://thehealthteacher.com/sas-pxhs-health-wellness/) - Article: What Students Have to Say About Skill-Based Health Education Slides: PXHS Student Health & Wellness SEL/Wellness Alignment Chart PK-12 Additional Resources: New York Times Unit Plan on the #MeToo Movement Agenda: PXHS Planning Retreat Elevating Student Health & Wellness at SAS: An Integrated Approach 8:15-8:30- What are the big issues for SAS HS students today? 8:30-9:45-
- [The PE Teacher's Guide to Teaching Health- APPEC 2018](https://thehealthteacher.com/the-pe-teachers-guide-to-teaching-health-appec-2018/) - Hi friends! So excited about our work together this weekend. This is where I’ll keep our agenda with live links so you can bookmark as we go along. Let me know if you want me to add any resources along the way! Here’s the link to the Google Folder with the presentations and templates! Link to
- [SEL for Teens 2019](https://thehealthteacher.com/sel2019/) - Hi friends! Below you’ll find a link to the pages for all of our workshops this weekend. Google Doc folder containing all of the slide shows throughout the weekend. EARCOS Weekend Workshop 2019: Social Emotional Learning for Teens If there are any resource links you'd like me to add throughout the weekend, please let me know!
- [Fear of Missing Out](https://thehealthteacher.com/fomo/) - We're having more and more difficulty disconnecting and being alone. Why? FOMO What is FOMO? Well, you know that feeling you get when your internet starts cutting out? Or you don't have any signal? Or the absolute worst... you left your phone at home? Now imagine that feeling as a teenager... It's anxiety, and it affects
- [Healthy Tech Curriculum](https://thehealthteacher.com/curriculum-resources/) - If you're looking to add digital literacy to your classes (which you should be!), there are some groups out there creating curriculum, aligning it to the standards, and making it very easy for us educators to stay on top of our game. Don't reinvent the wheel, just adapt it. For the U.S.: Free online K-12
- [Eat real food.](https://thehealthteacher.com/nutrition/) - Nature made it look like a rainbow for a reason. So you'd eat it. Don't mess with nature. There are so many different resources out there, and I know it can be overwhelming when you're searching for ideas about how to eat. You have to remember to pay attention to how you feel, and not
- [Oh, Puberty.](https://thehealthteacher.com/oh-puberty/) - What is it about that word that freaks everyone out so much? You're all going through it, or have gone through it, or are about to go through it. And guess what? Every single adult you know has gone through it too. It's something that every one of us has in common, yet rarely
- [Fitness!](https://thehealthteacher.com/fitness/) - The secret to fitness? Find something you like. Find other people who like it. Do it together. It doesn't have to be a sport. Go ask some of the adults you know about their favorite physical activity, and you'll find a huge range. I've got some friends who love the gym, some are into yoga,
- [Cyberbullying Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/cyberbullyingresources/) - The best way to deflect cyberbullying? Through positivity. Now it's time to create your own positive prevention... Student Rubric: Bullying- Positive Prevention Some examples from the StopBullying.gov Tumblr page Can be a poster, meme, website, video game (like Herotopia), blog, infographic, up to you! Here’s my favorite… You can also check out some of these other resources and go from
- [Parents](https://thehealthteacher.com/parents/) - Resources for parents are plentiful, and I'll include any I come across that I think could be of use. Click here for some helpful parent resources, and check in with my blog for the latest in adolescent health related news and information.
- [Good Reads for Parents](https://thehealthteacher.com/good-reads-for-parents/) - There are so many awesome resources out there for parents when it comes to raising healthy teens. As I come across anything I feel worth sharing, I'll add them here or to my blog. And if you stumble across anything you think would be of use to our parent community, let me know and I'll
- [Personal Tech Use Policy](https://thehealthteacher.com/personal-tech-use-policy/) - My.U.P.2013 Korean My.U.P. Chinese My.U.P. In 2011, shortly after our school went 1-to-1, our 8th graders began noticing some issues balancing their tech use. They were concerned about themselves and their classmates, so for their advocacy project, they drafted a personal use agreement. Click on the links above to download the personalized Tech Use Policy. We
- [Cyberbullying: Positive Prevention](https://thehealthteacher.com/cyberbullying-positive-prevention/) - Using Positive Peer Pressure and Social Media to Prevent Cyberbullying Below are some resources I used with my students as well as for a teacher workshop at the Learning 2.013 conference. This is the order I went in, but feel free to pick and chose anything you think might be relevant to your class. Start
- [Go to bed!](https://thehealthteacher.com/go-to-bed/) - * Image from Russell Foster's Ted Talk: Why Do We Sleep? Did you know that 1/3 of all teenagers are sleep deprived? According to the National Sleep Foundation, You need at least 9 hours, and most of you aren't even clocking in at 7. Why is that? Fear of Missing Out is one reason, but
- [Presentations & Consulting](https://thehealthteacher.com/presentations/) - Presentations and Workshops: Click on the green hyperlinks for resources or contact amy@thehealthteacher.com for more info. Upcoming: EARCOS Weekend Workshop Developing a Health and Wellness Program for the Unique Needs of the International Student October 14th & 15th, 2017 Ready-to-Go Health Projects for a School on Any Budget SHAPE America National Convention 2017 What would
- [PBL: Healthy Eating](https://thehealthteacher.com/pbl-healthy-eating/) - Healthy Eating: If you're looking for ways to incorporate project-based learning into your Health class, (and let's be honest here, you should be!) then why not start in your own cafeteria? Kick off the project by watching this awesome documentary from HBO about the Rethinkers, a group of students in New Orleans who set out
- [Meditation Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/meditation-resources/) - Last year, after learning about the powerful impact meditation was having on middle school students in San Francisco, we decided to give it a try in our Health classes. Since we don't have the time to implement the full Quiet Time program, we started with a modified version, doing five minutes at the beginning of each
- [Happy Classroom Tunes](https://thehealthteacher.com/happy-classroom-tunes/) - If you're a Spotify user- which you totally should be - then check out this playlist. It's filled with upbeat music that's appropriate for the classroom, indie enough for us old folk, and just hip enough to give you some street cred with the kids.
- [PBL: Family Values](https://thehealthteacher.com/pbl-family-values/) - Mission Statement (noun): 1. An official statement of the aims and objectives of a business or other organization. Values are huge part of the decision making process, so we spend quite a bit of time working with them in our 8th grade health class. High school is coming up soon, and that means more freedom, which definitely means more decisions.
- [Posts for Choices Magazine](https://thehealthteacher.com/choices-blog-posts/) - Each week, I contribute a blog post to the website for Choices, Scholastic's health and life-skills magazines for teens. You can check it out by going to their website for an archive of the posts.
- [Evaluating Health Websites](https://thehealthteacher.com/evaluating-health-websites/) - *This post originally appeared on choices.scholastic.com National Health Education Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products and services to enhance health. A few years ago, I was chaperoning a middle school dance in the cafeteria when I caught a 6th grade boy playing around on the cashier’s computer. When he saw
- [Health Class Summer School Survival Kit](https://thehealthteacher.com/health-class-summer-school-survival-kit/) - This post originally appeared on Choices.Scholastic.com My first experience as a health teacher was during summer school. I was only 24 years old, at the beginning of my career, and intimidated beyond belief. I was given a stack of worksheets, the teacher’s guide to an outdated textbook, and a box of old VHS tapes. Very
- [Class Resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/class-resources/)
- [Grade 6](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-6/)
- [Grade 7](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-7/)
- [Grade 8](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-8/)
- [Grade 6 Course Outline](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-6-course-outline/) - Middle School Health Education Ms. Smith, Room M106 Email: amy.smith@saschina.org “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.” –World Health Organization At SAS Puxi Campus each student will take one semester of Health in grade 6, 7 & 8. Health education at SAS is
- [Grade 7 Course Outline](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-7-course-outline/) - Middle School Health Education Ms. Smith, Room M106 Email: amy.smith@saschina.org “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.” –World Health Organization At SAS Puxi Campus each student will take one semester of Health in grade 6, 7 & 8. Health education at SAS is
- [Grade 8 Course Outline](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-8-course-outline/) - Middle School Health Education Ms. Smith, Room M106 Email: amy.smith@saschina.org “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.” –World Health Organization At SAS Puxi Campus each student will take one semester of Health in grade 6, 7 & 8. Health education at SAS is
- [EARCOS WW 2017](https://thehealthteacher.com/earcoshealth/) - EARCOS Weekend Workshop Agenda and Resources: Designing a Health & Wellness Program to Meet the Unique Needs of the International Student Saturday, September 12th Morning Session 8:30-Welcome and Intros Where is your school at in terms of a Health and Wellness Program? 8:45-9:15- What would your ideal Health program look like? 9:15-9:45-What’s happening in Health
- [6th Grade- Flood Lesson](https://thehealthteacher.com/6th-grade-flood-lesson/) - Hey 6th graders, Sorry about the floody day schedule! Hopefully you were able to use it to your advantage and get a few extra hours of sleep :) For today's lesson, you need to take the character strengths survey from Via Strengths. Click here to take the quiz. Once you've gotten to the page, you'll
- [7th Grade- Flood Lesson](https://thehealthteacher.com/7th-grade-flood-lesson/) - Hey 7th graders! Sorry about the floody day schedule! Hopefully you were able to use it to your advantage and get a few extra hours of sleep :) For today's lesson, we'll be learning more about goal setting and advocacy. You're going to be reading about Jilly Dos Santos, a high school student who was
- [Advocacy through Art Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/7th-grade-advocacy-through-art/) - Hey 7th graders! Here are the details for step one of your project. For teacher instructions, check out the details on this post for Choices Magazine. PSA Research: Click on the link to watch these three PSA's, or maybe find a few on your own. Then answer the following questions with your partner in your
- [Evaluating Health Websites](https://thehealthteacher.com/evaluating-health-websites-2/) - Hey 6th graders! Did you know that online health searches are now the third most popular activity on the web? While googling information about our health can be helpful, sometimes it can give us misinformation as well. Read the following article from Choices: Will You Fall for Fake News? After reading all of the ways
- [Food Guidelines Around the World Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/food-guidelines-around-the-world-project/) - Hey 7th Graders! Here’s your opportunity to learn about food and dietary guidelines all around the world to help our SAS community come up with food guidelines for our own cafeteria. Here is the link to the most recent Food Based Guidelines around the world. You can work together, but you all need to have your own sheet filled out
- [Brain Pop Exploration- Puberty!](https://thehealthteacher.com/brain-pop-exploration-puberty/) - Hey, gang! Now that we're discussing puberty, I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I’d like you to watch a few of the brain pops on growth and development. You should watch them in this order, do the practice quizzes (no need to send me the answers) and then write down three facts that stood out or
- [Analyzing food marketing at the grocery store](https://thehealthteacher.com/analyzing-food-marketing-at-the-grocery-store/) - Hey 8th graders, Now that we've watched Fed Up, get ready to really analyze how the food industry is working to rope you in by checking out what's happening at our local grocery stores. We go the market so often, but rarely pay attention to the way that food placement and packaging can influence us to
- [Analyzing food packaging](https://thehealthteacher.com/analyzing-food-packaging/) - Hey 8th graders, Now that you've done your taste test of the different energy and granola bars, you're going to analyze the labels to see if the claims match up to the actual facts. Download the following sheet, look at the packaging for your bar, and answer the questions. DIGGIN’ IN AND ANALYZING ENERGY BARS You'll
- [Eportfolios in Education](https://thehealthteacher.com/eportfolios-in-education/) - From Times Higher Education, Sept. 2015 Universities are switching to a new form of admissions, how do we prepare our students for the shift? Current research on eportfolios: Times Higher Education: Leading universities to change student application process Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success: Participating Schools Tech Crunch, Dec. 2015: The New Digital Stars of Higher
- [Conflict Resolution Skits](https://thehealthteacher.com/conflict-resolution-skits/) - Hey, 7th graders! It's time for you to demonstrate all you know about communication and conflict resolution. Make sure you've got the key vocabulary down, and then get going on your skits! Communication Vocab: Note Taking Sheet Answer Key- Communication Vocab: Note Taking Sheet Remember, you need to write a scenario about a conflict that
- [PEACH 2016- Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/peach2016/) - Click on the links below for more info, lesson plans, and project ideas! Google Doc for shared resources Tentative Agenda and Resources Welcome and Intros What's your name and position, and where is your school at in terms of a Health and Wellness Program? Round Robin discussion protocol and additional icebreaker ideas for a new
- [Superfoods!!!](https://thehealthteacher.com/grade-6/superfoods/) - Hey 6th graders! Have you ever heard of something called Superfoods? Well, they're super awesome, and today you're going to use your super powers to explore the Internet and find out all that you can about Superfoods. Then you're going to list as many as you can and then pick one to tell us about. After
- [Healthy Choices Letter](https://thehealthteacher.com/healthy-choices-letter/) - Hey 7th graders, The time has come to pass on your wisdom by writing a letter to incoming 6th graders about how to stay healthy in middle school. Brainstorm a list first of all of the healthy choices we've learned about, pick a few of your favorites and then get to work! Healthy Choices Assessment Letter
- [Articles](https://thehealthteacher.com/articles/)
- [PBL Health](https://thehealthteacher.com/pbl-health/) - Hey #HealthEd teachers, here's a link for all of the resources I shared in the PhysEdSummit and APPEC 2016 workshops. For free PD, here's a copy of the online presentation to take back to your department. And a copy of the keynote as well: PhysEdSummit 2016: PBL with a Focus on Health and Wellness Tip 1: Set the
- [PhysEdSummit2017](https://thehealthteacher.com/physedsummit2017/) - Another fun session with the amazing crew at #PhysEdSummit! Here's a video of the presentation if you missed it, and the link below will take you to the Google Slides with all of the resources that were shared. As always, please reach out if you have any questions! Updating Health Curriculum to Meet the Needs of Today's
- [Content Strands](https://thehealthteacher.com/content-strands/)
- [A Nutrition PBL That Can Lead to Healthier School Lunch](https://thehealthteacher.com/a-nutrition-project-that-can-lead-to-healthier-school-lunches/) - One of the best parts of project-based learning is that it has the potential to end up much bigger than you planned. Last week, some of our 7th graders were able to present their suggestions for a healthier cafeteria- originally intended for an audience of 2nd graders- to a team of executives from the Sodexo
- [Advocacy and Art: A Cross-Curricular Project](https://thehealthteacher.com/advocacy-and-art-a-cross-curricular-project/) - Advocacy Through Art: A Cross-Curricular Project Like many others, our school is adopting a project-based learning (PBL) approach to education. PBL challenges students to find real-world solutions to their questions through inquiry, collaboration, and reflection. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. But that’s all part of the process. Our school’s health and art departments
- [EARCOS 2017](https://thehealthteacher.com/earcos-2017/) - Link to the Google Slides can be found here: EARCOS Health Workshop 2017 Lesson plans for the IB- Health Education for Teens Saturday, October 14th Morning Session 8:30-Welcome and Intros Where is your school at in terms of a Health and Wellness Program? Setting up a healthy and inviting classroom environment 8:45-10:00- Updating Health Curriculum
- [APPEC 2017](https://thehealthteacher.com/appec-2017/) - Hey gang! Here's where I'll be posting the links for all of our resources over the next two days. If there's anything else you'd like added as we go through, please just let me know! Google Doc for contact info: #HealthEd teachers APPEC 2017 Saturday, Nov. 18th: Slides: Resources for Adding Health into the MYP Google
- [EARCOS 2018](https://thehealthteacher.com/earcos2018/) - Hi friends! So excited about our work together this weekend. This is where I'll keep our agenda with live links so you can bookmark as we go along. Let me know if you want me to add any resources along the way! Here's the link to the Google Folder with the presentations and templates! Link
- [EARCOS Teacher's Conference 2019](https://thehealthteacher.com/etc2019/) - Placeholder for ETC Agenda here. Sample: Hi friends! So excited about our work together this weekend. This is where I’ll keep our agenda with live links so you can bookmark as we go along. Let me know if you want me to add any resources along the way! Here’s the link to the Google Folder with
- [PHASE 2019](https://thehealthteacher.com/phase2019/) - Hi friends! Below you'll find a link to the pages for all of our workshops this weekend. Google Doc folder containing all of the slide shows throughout the weekend. Preconference Friday, Nov. 16th: The PE Teacher's Guide to Teaching Health Analyzing Influences: Link to Google Slides Teen Sleep: Link to Google Slides Mental Health: Link to
- [PHASE 2019](https://thehealthteacher.com/phase-2019-healthed/) - Hi friends! Below you'll find a link to the pages for all of our workshops this weekend. Google Doc folder containing all of the slide shows throughout the weekend. Preconference Friday, Nov. 15th: The PE Teacher's Guide to Teaching Health Sex Ed: Link to Google Slides Analyzing Influences: Link to Google Slides Current Health Issues: Link to Google Slides

## My Templates

- [Elementor Single Page #3747](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=elementor-single-page-3747) - Elementor Single Page #3747 Amy Smith So we’re on week 8 of home learning over here in Hong Kong (WEEK 8!), and though this situation has been challenging to say the least, we’ve settled in a bit and have learned a few things along the way. I’ve received several emails from teachers around the world
- [Mailer Update](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=mailer-update) - Hi friends! I hope your year is off to a good start. If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’ve attended one of my workshops on health education or whole school wellness in the past. While I don't tend to send out mailers, there are exciting developments in the world of international school health education that
- [Elementor Footer #3829](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=elementor-footer-3829) - Content area
- [Archive](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=archive) - Template: Archive Blog Analyzing the Scientific Evidence Behind Health News Another awesome lesson plan from the folks at New York Times. This one takes an in-depth look at health news and hits NHES3 (Accessing Information), NHES2 (Analyzing Influences) and NHES 8 (Advocacy). Would love to team up with the librarian Read More » August 20,
- [Elementor Header #3731](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=elementor-header-3731) - Content area
- [Default Kit](https://thehealthteacher.com/?elementor_library=default-kit)

## Form Templates

- [PD Opportunities: 2025-2026](https://thehealthteacher.com/em-form-template/form-template-1756284362/) - Hi friends!I hope your year is off to a good start. If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’ve attended one of my workshops on health education or whole school wellness in the past. While I don't usually send out mailers, there are exciting developments in the world of international school health education that I
- [Template Test Run](https://thehealthteacher.com/em-form-template/template-test-run/)

## Categories

- [Blog](https://thehealthteacher.com/category/blog/)
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## Tags

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- [time management](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/time-management/)
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- [resources](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/resources-2/)
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- [mindfulness](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/mindfulness/)
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- [Today's Health Class](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/todays-health-class/)
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- [wellness](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/wellness/)
- [project](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/project/)
- [accessing valid information](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/accessing-valid-information/)
- [consent](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/consent/)
- [tech](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/tech/)
- [michael pollan](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/michael-pollan/)
- [school food](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/school-food/)
- [7th](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/7th/)
- [NHES 3](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/nhes-3/)
- [financial literacy](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/financial-literacy/)
- [workshops](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/workshops/)
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- [Projects](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/projects/)
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- [time ma](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/time-ma/)
- [eating disorders](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/eating-disorders/)
- [lesson plan](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/lesson-plan/)
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- [professional development](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/professional-development/)
- [happiness](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/happiness/)
- [positive psychology](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/positive-psychology/)
- [gratitude](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/gratitude/)
- [strengths](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/strengths/)
- [play](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/play/)
- [e-cigarettes](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/e-cigarettes/)
- [vaping](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/vaping/)
- [gender stereotypes](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/gender-stereotypes/)
- [analyzing influences](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/analyzing-influences/)
- [NHES 2](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/nhes-2/)
- [TED talks](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/ted-talks/)
- [sub plans](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/sub-plans/)
- [video](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/video/)
- [tech balance](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/tech-balance/)
- [video games](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/video-games/)
- [phones](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/phones/)
- [research](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/research/)
- [activities](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/activities/)
- [curriculum](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/curriculum/)
- [social emotional health](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/social-emotional-health/)
- [NHES 6](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/nhes-6/)
- [blue zones](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/blue-zones/)
- [cross-curricular](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/cross-curricular/)
- [journailing](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/journailing/)
- [social media](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/social-media/)
- [high school](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/high-school/)
- [unit plan](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/unit-plan/)
- [advisory](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/advisory/)
- [nhes 8](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/nhes-8/)
- [accessing information](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/accessing-information/)
- [ecigarettes](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/ecigarettes/)
- [juuls](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/juuls/)
- [Coronavirus](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/coronavirus/)
- [Home Learning](https://thehealthteacher.com/tag/home-learning/)