Health Education

Health Education Activities and Resources for Families during COVID-19

Health education is about helping students understand how to manage their behaviors and avoid high-risk behaviors in order to improve physical and mental health. This includes reducing stress and improving the immune system. Below are links to activities that students and families can do during the "safer at home" order. Choose activities that are fun and that you can do wherever you are comfortable. There are activities and games for indoors and outdoors.

Children's Wisconsin (formerly Children's Hospital of Wisconsin) has long been a partner in providing high-quality health education to students in Milwaukee and  throughout Wisconsin. It has provided free access to its online health classes for families to use. The classes are fun learning activities for students:

• Act Now! (bullying prevention for K4–grade 8)
• It's UR Choice (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs prevention for grades 4–8)
• Mission: Health (nutrition and physical activity for K5–grade 8)
• Healthy Minds (mental and emotional health for K–grade 8)

Here is a link to the sign-up page: https://healthykids.chw.org/login/signup.php

For high school students, dealing with stress under normal circumstances is an important skill to learn. During these times, it becomes even more important. Try the two "Daily Big 3" versions here as part of learning to take care of yourself, which is a lifelong health skill. (Thank you, SHAPE America, for providing these resources.)

• the Daily Big 3
• the Daily Big 3 – SPANISH
• the Daily Big 3 – version 2
• the Daily Big 3 – version 2 – SPANISH

If you have any questions, contact your teacher from your school or Brett Fuller, curriculum specialist for health and physical education, at fullerba@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

Health and Physical Education Vision Statement

Students will leave Milwaukee Public Schools with the skills, knowledge, and attitude necessary for lifelong wellness and daily physical activity.

Health and Physical Education Mission Statement

Milwaukee Public Schools’ K–12 health and physical education mission is to support students in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be healthy, well, and physically active throughout their lifetime.

The concepts and skills learned in health education become the cornerstone for developing healthy habits that students will use every day for the rest of their lives. Students will learn how to analyze influences, access accurate health information, use positive communication skills, make healthy decisions, set goals, practice healthy/safe behaviors, and advocate for their own health and those around them.

Health Education Standards

MPS uses the State of Wisconsin Health Education standards. These standards are the same as the National Health Education Standards. MPS uses these standards for all health grading.

Abbreviated description:

• Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 1
• Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 2
• Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 3
• Standard 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 4
• Standard 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 5
• Standard 6: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 6
• Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 7
• Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.
  Performance Indicators for Standard 8

MPS Human Growth and Development

MPS has worked with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and community partners to develop its own sex education curriculum called the MPS human growth and development curriculum. This curriculum, one of only three curricula recommended by the DPI, is used in other districts across the state. Parents/guardians will receive a permission form for students to opt out of some of the HGD lessons. Most lessons in each grade level have more to do with interpersonal communication and decision making than specific sex-related topics, so students should not be opted out of all  lessons. Please review the lessons. If you have questions, please contact your child’s teacher.

HGD Curriculum Outlines

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade
• 9th Grade

Sample HGD Permission Slips

• K5-3rd Grade HGD
• 4th-5th Grade HGD
• 6th Grade - High School HGD

Download all human growth and development curriculum for kindergarten through high school in English, Arabic, Burmese, French, German, Hmong, Italian, Karen and Spanish.

Resources

Choose My Plate

Centers for Disease Control

Dental One Associate: Healthy Guide for Kids