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Grade 6 Health Overview

The main units in Sixth Grade Health are:

Social/Emotional Health

  • Skills: Identifying and dealing with strong emotions; dealing with stress in healthy ways, communicating in assertive ways (I-statements, conflict resolution skill), asking for adult help, making healthy decisions
  • Functional Knowledge: Basic teen brain information/plasticity, how the brain works under strong emotions and stress; stress basics; benefits of mindfulness; tools for being mindful; qualities of healthy friendships; how to be a healthy/positive friend; passive/assertive/aggressive communication styles; benefits of assertiveness; qualities of helpful adults; when to get adult help; qualities of good decisions

Safety

  • Skills: Review/application of the 5 Rules of Safety (from Elementary School/Erin’s Law); practicing Internet Safety; understanding the rights & responsibilities of healthy Digital Citizens; being a courageous “Upstander;” responding to dangerous situations
  • Functional Knowledge: 5 Safety Rules; School Safety procedures (Fire Drill, Shelter in Place, Lock-Out, Lock-Down); potentially dangerous situations in public and how to stay safe

Alcohol, Tobacco (Vaping) and other Drugs (ATOD)

  • Skills: Using assertive refusal skills; analyzing influences on decisions regarding ATOD; making healthy decisions
  • Functional Knowledge: dangers of alcohol, marijuana, nicotine; effects of drugs on the teen brain/life

Your Changing Body

  • Skills: Recognizing influences on body image and how to develop a healthy body image; recognizing the normal developmental changes that occur with puberty; understanding that everyone’s journey through puberty is different
  • Knowledge: Body image; social, emotional, physical and cognitive changes of puberty; gender, gender identity, gender expression; basic anatomy & physiology of human reproductive systems; menstruation basics

What can parents do?

  • Use teachable moments in everyday life to reinforce family values related to health topics.
  • Support healthy lifestyles by modeling them at home.
  • Encourage your child to teach you the skills they are learning in class.
  • Contact your child's teacher directly with any questions or concerns.