Middle Grade Health Education

SFUSD's Health Education curriculum is designed to meet the guidelines of the California Health Education Standards, the California Health Framework, and related laws and policies like the California Healthy Youth Act. 

Health Literacy Model

California students need to learn skills (i.e. the standards) to increase their Health Literacy , which has been defined by the World Health Organization as the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health.​

Content

In middle grade health classes, we focus on six content areas:

• Nutrition and Physical Activity
• Growth, Development, and Sexual Health
• Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
• Mental, Emotional, and Social Health
• Personal and Community Health
• Injury Prevention and Safety

Skills

In addition to teaching the  about each of these topics, we are focusing on “skills-based health education,” where students actively practice real-life skills as a part of class. These are skills that we focus on:

• Analyzing Influences
• Accessing Valid Information
• Interpersonal Communication
• Decision Making
• Goal Setting
• Practicing Health- Enhancing Behaviors
• Health Promotion 

More Details on Middle Grade Health Education

SFUSD offers two middle grade health education courses, designed to be taken in sequence. Courses will be implemented as trimester-length classes in both seventh and eighth grades.

Health 101

Students learn and practice the protective skills to make good choices and stay engaged in school despite the pitfalls of substance abuse, bullying, cyber-bullying, unhealthy foods, and peer pressure.  They learn how their brain and body changes during their teen years, as well as how to care for and nurture them. Additionally, Puberty and Anatomy classes teach students about reproductive health, body development, positive body image, and healthy relationships while promoting values of diversity and inclusion.  

Health 201

Students participate in deeper learning activities that shift the focus on health topics towards community and global health topics. Second year health students will also continue lessons on comprehensive relationship and sexuality curriculum so they have the skills  and information they need to make healthy choices around pregnancy prevention, STIs, preventing sexual harassment and assault, and preventing Human Trafficking. Students review and practice healthy eating, goal setting, and how to counteract negative media messages about body image.

Find out about policies and guidelines that apply to Health Education in SFUSD

SFUSD is rolling out redesign of its middle grade schools, called Initiate Wonder. The new schedule makes space for all students to take health education classes in 7th and 8th grade. 

We need Health Education teaches in our middle and high schools! 

To learn more about job openings in SFUSD, contact Teacher on Special Assignment Christopher Pepper at pepperc@sfusd.edu.

Curious about how to become a health teacher? Here's a great guide from CaliforniaHealthEducation.org. 

To learn more about Health Education in SFUSD middle grade schools, contact Teacher on Special Assignment Christopher Pepper at pepperc@sfusd.edu.