Health Teacher Resources

Healthy bodies and minds make healthy learners! Find a wealth of health-related lesson plans and activities on nutrition, wellness, growth and development, injury prevention, and first aid In Lesson Planet’s collection of reviewed and rated resources.

A good place to start is with a presentation about the primary components of each of the three major areas (physical, social, and mental health) of the health triangle. Introduce early learners to the health triangle and the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle with the collaborative activities found in this unit. The activities in another unit plan help middle schoolers develop a broader understanding of the areas of the health triangle.

Good nutrition is a key part of physical health. Get kids thinking about their food choices with a video that compares the nutrients found in fast foods to those in fruits and vegetables. Another video, sure to snare the interest of viewers, suggests world hunger problems could be solved by reviving or expanding the practice of eating bugs, an amazing source of vital nutrients!

Healthy relationships are a key part of social and mental health. A lesson for middle and high schoolers helps them develop the personal and interpersonal skills they need to develop and maintain healthy relationships. Another resource includes a series of lessons that discuss biological, emotional, and social facts about human sexuality.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important ways to maintain and improve physical health, mental health, and well-being. Get your students up and moving with a packet of activities designed to promote active habits and a healthy way of life.

Whether looking for resources for a health unit or materials to enrich a complete course, you’ll find what you need at Lesson Planet.

Showing 169 resources
+
11 Items in Topic
Lesson Planet Curated

KidsHealth in the Classroom: Health Problems Series Grades 3-5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Teach kids in grades 3 through 5 about health problems with a collection of 11 lessons that cover issues related to physical health (alcohol, tobacco, and drugs), emotions and behavioral health (bullying, sadness, and stress), as well as...
+
PPT
Curated OER

The Health Triangle

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What else does physical health include besides exercise and nutrition? How can I support my mental health? Does social health just refer to relationships with friends? How are all of these questions vital to the body's overall efficiency...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introductory Class

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Secondary special education students are introduced to the topics covered in health class. This is the first in a series of lessons focused teaching developmentally appropriate life and sexual health related topics. Intended for mild to...
+
Unit Plan
2
2
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment

Health and the Whole Person

For Teachers 8th
Health is more than measuring your blood pressure and eating nutritious foods. Eighth graders discuss the factors that play into an individual's health, including spirituality, social life and friendships, emotional stability, cognitive...
+
Lesson Plan
HealthTeacher

Get More Sleep

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Help learners identify habits that interfere with sleep and to understand the importance of adequate rest and its impact on not only physical health, but also emotional wellbeing.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

It's All About Vitamins

For Students 7th - Higher Ed
The fascinating topic of human skin color is examined in this article from Muse magazine. It highlights a study done by a pair of scientists on the relationships among strength of sunlight, vitamins, and melanin in the skin. The results...
+
Instructional Video4:22
TED-Ed

What Is Fat?

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
An animated fat molecule explains how some fats are beneficial and some are harmful. He describes triglyceride molecules and how the chemical bonding or overall shape determines the health value of each individual type of fat. This...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Baylor College

Crossing the Synaptic Gap

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
As part of a unit on the chemistry of the brain, thinkers learn how chemicals work to transmit messages between individual neurons and how controlled substances impact the synaptic cleft. They do so by playing a dice-and-card game in...
+
Instructional Video4:52
1
1
TED-Ed

Should We Eat Bugs?

For Students 5th - 10th Standards
Cricket cookies? Mealworm mac and cheese? Bugs are super nutritious! Why don't we eat them? Viewers discover the history of entomophagy, that is, the practice of eating insects and spiders, by viewing a fascinating video that explores...
+
Handout
1
1
Delaware Health and Social Services

Set Your Mind, Set Your Goals

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Becoming a woman can be overwhelming for girls. An educational resource assists female learners in setting goals for their reproductive choices, physical health, and emotional and mental well-being.
+
Instructional Video5:45
TED-Ed

The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep

For Students 7th - Higher Ed Standards
It's well known that people should get eight hours of sleep each night, but exactly why is that? Follow along with this short video as it investigates the crucial role sleep plays not only in peoples' physical health, but their memory...
+
Instructional Video15:34
TED-Ed

Digging for Humanity's Origins

For Students 9th - Higher Ed Standards
"Is this a good evolutionary adaptation, or is it going to lead us to being the shortest lived hominid species on planet earth?" Listen as Kenyan paleontologist Louise Leakey discusses our evolution from common ancestry and her work in...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
Greater Good Science Center

See The Good Challenge

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Scientists study all sorts of things. For example, studies show that it feels good to feel grateful. Feeling grateful also contributes to physical health and strengthen relationships. In the second lesson about gratitude, class members...
+
Activity
1
1
Lions Clubs International Foundation

Mindful Self-Awareness Exercise: Building Self-Confidence

For Parents 3rd - 5th
Encourage scholars to build self-confidence by thinking positively. Learners focus on breathing and then think of positive statements about themselves, their relationships, appearance, physical health, and so much more. 
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puberty/Adolescence, Day 1: Overview

For Teachers 9th - 10th
What a simple way to have a health class learn about puberty! Worksheet 1 has a list of statements about puberty, and the class puts checkmarks in the boxes that they think applies to boys and/or to girls. Sure to promote lively...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does Mother Nature Know Best?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Investigate herbal medicine in the science or health classroom with this lesson from the New York Times. After a discussion about class members beliefs about and experiences with herbal medicines, pupils read an article that might impact...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Miss America

For Teachers 7th - 12th
The first part of this article by PBS on the Miss America pageants can be used in a health class when it's time to talk about body image. There are links to related articles. There are some great questions for discussion. There are ideas...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beauty or the Beast

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Does the FDA really intend to protect public health? Spark a debate in your chemistry or health class by using this article, titled "Beauty or the Beast." It questions the safety of cosmetics and toiletry products, govenment regulations,...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Infectious Diseases Classroom Activity

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Here is a different approach: emerging epidemiologists first go home to interview family on the topic of infectious disease. Then they come to class and view a video and PowerPoint that explore how climate change may increase the...
+
Lesson Plan
Give and Let Live

Blood and Transplant: Blood

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Why is blood donation so important, anyway? Science and health classes across multiple grades benefit from an in-depth look into the need for and process of blood donation. With an emphasis on presenting the topic in a non-threatening...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observation Milk Fat Lesson

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Turn your class loose to experiment with the different fat content in skim milk, whole milk, half and half, and heavy cream. This is a visually vibrant experiment, as learners drip food coloring on the surface of the products and measure...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Macromolecules

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
Magnify macromolecules for your biology class by having them answer these ten questions. They will define monomers and polymers, list monosaccharides, and analyze polysaccharides. In addition to assigning this to your biology class, you...
+
Unit Plan
Curated OER

An Introduction to Nutrition

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Whether you need a new textbook for your health class, or a few exercises and passages for your lesson on nutrition, you'll find what you need with a thorough nutritional science resource. With 15 chapters that cover elements of...
+
Instructional Video4:20
TED-Ed

How Do Contraceptives Work?

For Students 7th - 12th
How do contraceptives work? What are the forms of contraceptives? Is one form better than others? How reliable is each type? The three forms of contraception—block, disable, or suppress—are examined in a short video designed for high...