Grade 1 Health Curriculum

Family-facing version of the grade 1 health curriculum

Quarterly Overview of Grade 1 Health

The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning. The pacing by quarter and by week provides an example of how the curriculum can be organized throughout the year. Teacher teams may adjust the pacing or order of units to best meet the needs of students.

Lessons and Details

NOTE: Lessons with * are part of the Emotional and Social Health (ESH) unit of the Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum and will be included within the health grade. Parents or guardians may choose to opt their child out of any or all lessons in the ESH unit.
 

Bus, Car, & Pedestrian Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Explain why it is important to follow safety rules and guidelines for personal safety.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.

Major Body Organs

Students will:

  • Identify major body organs (e.g., heart, brain, lungs, stomach) and the location of the organs.
  • Describe the importance of having a healthy heart, brain, and lungs.
  • Share ways to maintain a healthy heart, brain, and lungs for lifelong health.

Healthy Habits

Students will: 

  • Identify that physical activity is a form of healthy entertainment. 
  • Identify ways to increase physical activity.
  • Encourage classmates to be physically active inside and outside of school.
  • Identify behaviors that promote health and wellness, including personal hygiene, sleep, physical activity, and healthy food choices.
  • Determine how sleep habits affect mood and academic performance.
  • Promote behaviors that impact health and wellness.

Healthy Food Choices

Students will:

  • Identify why it is important to consume a variety of foods and beverages from the five MyPlate food groups (i.e., fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy).
  • Identify "sometimes foods" (e.g., candy, cookies, chips, ice cream, soda) and explain that not all food products advertised or sold are healthy.
  • Explain that all foods can fit into a healthful diet through balance, variety, and moderation.
  • Explain what physical reactions may occur if someone is having an allergic reaction.
  • Explain how allergens remain on surfaces and why it is important to clean surfaces and hands before and after eating.
  • Describe how one can get help from an adult if a classmate is having an allergic reaction.

Health Checkups

Students will: 

  • Identify adults who keep children healthy (e.g., parents/guardians, teachers, school counselors, nurses, dentists, and doctors).
  • Explain the need for regular health checkups and screenings (e.g., medical, dental).
  • Describe how one selected health professional/adult helps keep children healthy.

What is Medicine

Students will: 

  • Identify that medicines can be both helpful and harmful.
  • Explain the harmful effects of misusing medicines and drugs.
  • Create safety rules for medication in the home.

My Family Community*

Students will: 

  • Describe a community as people living and working together and will understand that family members make up a community.

Family Jobs*

Students will: 

  • Identify the responsibilities of different family members.

Good Touch, Bad Touch*

Students will: 

  • Identify physical affection as an expression of friendship.

Responses to Inappropriate Behaviors*

Students will: 

  • Identify strategies to respond to inappropriate behavior from family members, neighbors, strangers, and others.

Dealing with Feelings

Students will: 

  • Identify comfortable and uncomfortable feelings and when one might experience these feelings.
  • Describe feelings that may result from hearing kind and unkind words and when experiencing problems (e.g., someone not sharing).
  • Identify appropriate ways a person may express feelings (e.g., happy, unhappy, mad) and trusted adults to share feelings with at school and home.
  • Explain the importance of responsible behaviors when interacting with others.
  • Demonstrate ways to express feelings appropriately.
  • Demonstrate responsible behaviors when interacting with others.

Being Respectful and Responsible

Students will:

  • Describe personal space and boundaries for oneself and others.
  • Identify cooperative and responsible behaviors, such as respect for others, adherence to school rules, acceptance of responsibility, and respect for the property of others.
  • Identify strategies for respecting others’ personal space, boundaries, and belongings.
  • Explain the importance of responsible behaviors when interacting with others.
  • Apply strategies for establishing and respecting others’ personal space, boundaries, and belongings.
  • Demonstrate responsible behaviors when interacting with others.

Listening and Problem Solving

Students will:

  • Identify effective listening skills.
  • Explain how listening is important for effective communication.
  • Explain how to listen and use words to respond to and solve problems.
  • Demonstrate effective listening skills.
  • Demonstrate the best ways to solve social problems.

Different is Beautiful

Students will:

  • Describe positive characteristics that are unique to each individual.
  • Explain the importance of showing kindness, consideration, and concern for others.
  • Demonstrate cooperation with friends and classmates.

Playground Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Explain why it is important to follow safety rules and guidelines for personal safety.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.

Being Safe and Fire Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Compare and contrast personal safety behaviors at home, at school, and in the community.
  • Explain why it is important to follow safety rules and guidelines for personal safety.
  • Describe how to report a dangerous situation.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Practice fire safety and emergency and disaster procedures.

Self-Propelled Vehicle Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Explain why it is important to follow safety rules and guidelines for personal safety.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.

Water and Sun Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Describe sun safety practices.
  • Identify the importance of sun safety.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Describe the proper way to apply sunscreen.

Internet Safety

Students will:

  • Identify safety rules and guidelines for bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.
  • Promote positive behaviors for personal safety, including bus and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, fire safety, water safety, Internet safety, and safety when biking and using other recreational equipment.

Taking Care of the Environment

Students will:

  • Identify items and materials that can be reduced, recycled, repurposed, or reused.
  • Explain why it is important to dispose of trash properly, recycle materials, conserve water, and prevent water pollution.
  • Create strategies to keep the environment healthy, including proper disposal of trash, recycling, or reusing, and water conservation.

Assessments

Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.

  • Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
    • Check for understanding 
    • Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
  • Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for next steps in instruction.

For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), first grade tests focus on basic literacy and numeracy development.

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