Fourth - Health

Overview Link to this section

Fourth-grade students in SFUSD engage in 20 Health lessons per year. Lessons are created from the HealthSmart curriculum and correspond to SFUSD monthly health themes. Elementary health education strives to improve health outcomes for youth and their families by teaching the knowledge and skills necessary for life-long healthy choices. We view comprehensive health education as a rite of passage for all students.

Priority Standards Link to this section

What students will know, what students will do, and what thinking skills students will develop to apply and transfer Health understandings that endure within the discipline, leverage deeper understandings, and/or support readiness for success at the next grade level.

In Fourth Grade, focus on these critical areas:

Illustration of people swimming, bowling, walking pets, and running

Describing How to Use a Decision Making Process to Select Nutritious Foods, Beverages, and Physical Activities

Diagram illustrating who is involved in bullying: bully, target, and bystanders

Describing the Types and Effects of Bullying & Harassment Behaviors and Demonstrates How to Be an Ally

Illustration of various forms of tobacco and alcohol

Describing the Effects of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs, and Strategies to Avoid Substance Abuse

Instruction: Signature Elements Link to this section

Below are signature elements of SFUSD Health instruction that students should experience regularly throughout first grade as they develop health literacy.

Create an Information-Rich Environment

Provide meaningful, health-related text on classroom walls and well-stocked, inviting, and comfortable libraries that contain a range of health-related texts (e.g., nutrition and physical activity, social and emotional learning), including texts in students’ home languages.

Illustration of question mark, gears turning, light bulb coming on, and exclamation point over faces

Promote Inquiry & Autonomy

Allow students to generate their own questions and to choose health-related activities, texts, and even locations in the room in which to engage with health-related books, manipulatives, and tasks independently.

Text: Student like with multicolor circle around text

Make It Relevant

Ensure that health education experiences are relevant and responsive to students’ interests, everyday life, or important current events.

Icon of four people forming a circle by interlinking arms

Emphasize Collaboration

Structure frequent opportunities for students to collaborate with their peers in health-related group learning tasks, to read and discuss texts, and in creating artifacts that demonstrate their learning.

Materials

Fourth Grade HealthSmart Lesson Slide Decks

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Units & Planning Guide

Lessons are created from the HealthSmart curriculum and correspond to SFUSD monthly health themes. Harvest of the Month lessons correspond to the availability of the produce at local farmers’ markets. To meet the required 20 health lessons per year, we recommend at least three lessons from each health topic. Health lessons are not available in Spanish.

Unit	Lessons
Personal and Community Health (AUG/SEPT)	Habits for Good Health Protecting My Eyes and Ears Staying Safe at Home, at School, and in My Community Harvest of the Month: CUCUMBERS (Spanish)
Substance Abuse Prevention (OCT)	L20: Reasons to Stay Tobacco and Alcohol Free (report card lesson) L21: What Influences Tobacco and Alcohol Use? (report card lesson) L22: Saying NO Takes Practice (report card lesson) Harvest of the Month: PERSIMMONS (Spanish)
Violence Prevention (NOV/DEC)	SFUSD Inclusive Schools Week Resource Guide Find lessons to support Bully Prevention Month in the SEL portal L14 Responding to Conflict L15 Conflict Resolution Skills Harvest of the Month: PUMPKINS & SWEET POTATOES (Spanish) Harvest of the Month: CABBAGE & BROCCOLI (Spanish)
Growing Bodies and Active Consent (JAN/FEB)	PCAR Sexual Harassment Prevention Lessons Find safe touch lessons in the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in the SEL portal L25 Thinking About Growing and Changing L26 Dealing with Growing Up L27 Getting Help with Growing and Changing Tell me about AIDS Student Guide, Teacher Guide Harvest of the Month: GREENS (Spanish) Harvest of the Month: MANDARINS (Spanish)
Nutrition & Physical Activity (MARCH)	L16 Eating Healthy: The Big Picture View (report card lesson) L17 Food Helps Your Body in Different Ways (report card lesson) L18 Being Active Every Day (report card lesson) Harvest of the Month: ROOT VEGGIES (Spanish)
LGBTQ and Advocacy (APRIL)	*All read aloud books can be found in SFUSD libraries PRIDE: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag (readaloud) Charlie Parkhurst Ally or Bystander Harvest of the Month: PEAS & BEANS (Spanish)
Summer Safety and Environmental Health (MAY)	L9 My Healthy Habit Goal L10 Understanding Risk Taking L12 Assessing My Risks Harvest of the Month: STRAWBERRIES (Spanish)

**Lessons will continue to be added as they are developed
Unit Overview as Document for Fourth-Grade Health

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Reflection Questions Link to this section

How are students' developmental needs, communities, and experiences being reflected and honored, or how could they be?
What opportunities do you see for developing equitable access & demand, inquiry, collaboration, and assessment for learning?
What are the implications for your own practice? What strengths can you build upon? What will you do first?

Want More?

SFUSD Elementary Health Education

Standards

California Health Education Content Standards

More Resources

Contact the Health Team

Allison Shoule

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