Our Health Program prepares students by providing them with learning experiences to support their abilities to access health information and services to maintain or improve their own health and the health of others; in addition students will acquire skills and knowledge that encourage lifetime healthy behaviors.

Alcohol, Nicotine, and Other Drugs:

Explain why household products are harmful if intentionally absorbed or inhaled.
Explain the benefits and correct use of medicines and potential risks associated with inappropriate use of medicines.
Identify short- and long-term effects of alcohol and nicotine use, including secondhand effects.
Explain the dangers of experimenting with nicotine and alcohol.
Describe family rules about avoiding nicotine and alcohol use.
Identify the social impacts of ANOD use (e.g. family, friends, peers).

Healthy Relationships:

List healthy ways to express affection, love, and friendship.
Identify characteristics and benefits of healthy family and peer relationships.
Describe the value of others’ talents and strengths.
Describe gender-role stereotypes and their potential impact on self and others.
Define and discuss consent as it relates to personal boundaries.

Violence Prevention:

Summarize the impact of teasing or bullying others.
Identify nonviolent ways to manage anger.
Describe the difference between mean spirited behavior, bullying, and harassment.
Explain the difference between tattling and reporting aggressive or violent behavior.
Explain what to do if you see bullying, fighting, and/ or violence.

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity:

Name the food groups and variety of nutritious food choices for each food group.
Explain the importance of eating a variety of foods from all the food groups.
Describe the physical, mental, social, and academic benefits of healthful eating habits and physical activity.
Identify nutritious and non nutritious beverages.
Describe the benefits of consuming plenty of water. HEPA 1.6.5 Describe the benefits of limiting the consumption of solid fat, added sugar, and sodium.
Explain the concept of eating in moderation.
Explain body signals that tell a person when they are hungry and when they are full.

Sexual Health:

Describe basic reproductive body parts and their functions.
Explain common human sexual development and the role of hormones (e.g., romantic feelings, mood swings, timing of pubertal onset).
Describe the range of physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during puberty.
Explain how puberty and development can vary greatly and still be normal.

Optimal Wellness and Disease Prevention:

Describe ways to prevent the spread of germs that cause infectious diseases.
Describe the benefits of personal health care practices such as tooth brushing and flossing, hand washing, covering a cough and sneeze, washing hair and bathing regularly.
Define the terms communicable and noncommunicable disease and identify ways to help prevent disease (e.g. HIV, diabetes, cancer, heart disease).
Describe symptoms that prevent a person from daily activities (i.e. going to school, practices, playing with friends, etc.).
Develop an awareness and empathy for health problems associated with common childhood chronic diseases or conditions such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, and epilepsy.
Describe the importance of seeking help and treatment for diseases.

Sexual Assault and Abuse Prevention:

Define consent in a variety of settings (e.g. social interactions, playground interactions, physical contact, holding hands, kissing, etc.).
Distinguish between “appropriate” and “inappropriate” touch.
Explain that inappropriate touches should be reported to a trusted adult.
Explain that everyone has the right to tell others not to touch his or her body.

Mental and Emotional Health:

Explain why sleep and rest are important for proper growth and good health.
Explain what it means to be mentally or emotionally healthy.
Describe the relationship between feelings and behavior and describe appropriate ways to express a variety of feelings (i.e. anger, happiness, sadness, frustration, excitement, etc.).
Identify feelings and emotions associated with loss and grief.
Identify role models who demonstrate positive emotional health.
Explain the importance of talking with parents and other trusted adults about feelings.
Describe the importance of being aware of one’s own feelings and of being sensitive to the feelings of others.
Give examples of prosocial behaviors (e.g., helping others, being respectful of others, cooperation, consideration).
Explain the importance of telling an adult if someone is in danger of hurting themselves or others.

Safety and Injury Prevention:

Identify ways to reduce risk of injuries while riding in a motor vehicle.
List examples of dangerous or risky behaviors that might lead to injuries.
Describe how to ride a bike, skateboard, ride a scooter, and/or inline skate safely.
Identify ways to reduce risk of injuries in case of a fire, around water, and from falls.
Identify ways to protect vision or hearing from injury.
Identify ways to reduce injuries from firearms.
Identify ways to reduce injuries as a pedestrian.
Identify safety precautions for playing and working outdoors in different kinds of weather and climates.
List ways to prevent injuries at home, school and community.
Identify ways to reduce risk of injuries from animal and insect bites and stings.
Explain why household products are harmful if ingested or inhaled.
Explain what to do if someone is poisoned or injured and needs help.
Identify equipment needed for protection in sports and recreational activities, such as mouthpieces, pads and helmets.
Explain how hearing can be damaged by loud sounds.
Describe how vision can be damaged.
Describe ways to prevent vision or hearing damage.
Describe ways to prevent harmful effects of the sun.

Once every three years we provide a presentation to students in Grades 3-5 on firearm safety. Parents may choose to exempt their students from these presentations. Using developmentally age-appropriate instructional materials, our presentation focuses on the following key points:

If you see an unattended firearm, leave it alone, do not touch it, and get an adult to put it away.
Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
Never point a firearm at another person.
Firearms are not toys-never play with a firearm.
Never touch a firearm unless an adult you trust supervises and assists you and you have your parents’ or guardians’ permission.
If your family has firearms in the house, your friends may find it an irresistible temptation. Never show a firearm to another child.
Firearms are not illegal, nor is legally possessing a firearm any indication of a person’s character.
Some professions require having firearms; police carry firearms to protect us.

Coventry Public Schools

Coventry Public Schools