Comprehensive health education standards and performance indicators are integrated throughout the elementary school experience. Grade 2 teachers implement a variety of health education learning activities to promote and practice wellness skills and strategies.

Key Concepts

• Mental and emotional health—identify and demonstrate appropriate methods of communication; categorize and demonstrate the meaning of emotion; name cooperative skills; examine choices and decision-making processes; list positive and negative character traits; discuss the principles associated with stress management
• Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs—identify practices for using medicines safely; identify harms to wellness from tobacco products; legal age for tobacco use; discuss the benefits of not using tobacco products; list physical and legal consequences of use of alcohol; practice ways to say “no” to unsafe medicine/drug use
• Personal and consumer health—investigate health services in the school and community; research health issues created by pollution; explain eye and ear care; promote overall health (visit the doctor, exercise, adequate nutrition, practice hygiene, and avoid hazards)
• Family life and human sexuality—discuss responsibilities of family members; examine the process of physical, social, and mental growth
• Safety and injury—model how to call 911 and tell an adult of an emergency; discuss outdoor safety on bikes and skates; examine water and sun safety; identify ways to stay safe around people you know and strangers; getting help from others if someone is hurt (police, teachers, nurses, guidance counselors, and parents)
• Nutrition and fitness—define six major nutrients; explain the relationship between fitness and a healthy lifestyle; identify and define the nutrition facts label; classify foods into groups according to the choosemyplate.gov
• Disease prevention and control—define the differences between communicable and non-communicable diseases