Curriculum Standards · Illinois
Illinois Health Education Standards — Curriculum Alignment
Aligned with all Illinois Learning Standards for Health Education (Goals 22-24, High School)
Illinois Learning Standards — Physical Development and Health (Goals 22-24): https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Goals-19-24-and-
Perf-Descrip.pdf
Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health, High School (State Goals 22-24)::
State Goal 22: Understand principles of health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury.
State Goal 23: Understand human body systems and factors that influence growth and development.
State Goal 24: Promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision-making
skills.
e Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health (State Goals 19-24) were originally adopted by the Illinois State
Board of Education in 1997 and revised in 2014 (implementation 2015-16); they remain Illinois's current standards. is alignment maps
the HET High School Health Curriculum to the HEALTH goals — Goal 22 (health promotion, prevention, and treatment), Goal 23
(human body systems and growth/development), and Goal 24 (communication and decision-making). Goals 19-21 (physical
development, fitness, and team/movement skills) are physical-education standards and fall outside this health-curriculum alignment;
they are therefore not mapped here. Benchmarks are provided at both the Early High School (level 4, x.4x codes) and Late High School
(level 5, x.5x codes) levels. Separately, for sexual health education Illinois adopted the National Sex Education Standards (2nd ed., 2020)
as its learning standards for sexual health education on June 14, 2022 under Public Act 102-0522; these are a distinct, opt-in framework
rather than part of Goals 19-24. HET's Sex Education unit addresses comprehensive sexual-health topics aligned to that framework.
Goal 22 — Understand principles of health promotion and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury.
| Topic | Illinois Standard | Where HET Covers It (Unit: Day) |
|---|---|---|
| 22.A — Explain the basic principles of health promotion, illness prevention and safety including how to access valid information, products, and services. | 22.A.4a: Compare and contrast communicable, chronic, and degenerative illnesses (e.g., influenza, cancer, arthritis). | Diseases: Day 4 (NCD comparison), Day 5 (Physiological impact). Body Systems: Day 2 (Immune/Vaccine stats). |
| 22.A.4b: Analyze possible outcomes of effective health promotion and illness prevention (e.g., reduction in stress, improved fitness, lessened likelihood of injury and illness). | Diseases: Day 5 (Lifestyle/Chronic prevention). Body Systems: Day 1 (Homeostasis challenge), Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency). Nutrition: Day 7-8 (Blood sugar/Heart health). | |
| 22.A.4c: Demonstrate basic procedures in injury prevention and emergency care that can be used in the home, workplace, and community (e.g., first aid, CPR). | First Aid: Day 1 (3 Ps), Day 2 (Hands-only CPR/AED sequence), Day 3 (R.I.C.E./FAST), Day 4 (Seizures/Asthma), Day 5 (Bleeding/Simulations). | |
| 22.A.5a: Explain strategies for managing contagious, chronic, and degenerative illnesses (e.g., various treatment and support systems). | Diseases: Day 4 (NCD comparison), Day 5 (Lifestyle/Chronic prevention), Day 5 (Research domains). Body Systems: Day 2 (Immune/Vaccine stats). | |
| 22.A.5b: Evaluate the effectiveness of health promotion and illness prevention methods using data from actual situations (e.g., impact of worksite health promotion programs). | Diseases: Day 4 (Risk assessment), Day 5 (Lifestyle/Chronic prevention). Body Systems: Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency). | |
| 22.A.5c: Explain how health and safety problems have been altered by technology, media and medicine (e.g., product testing; control of polio; advanced surgical techniques; improved treatments for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease; worksite safety management). | Body Systems: Day 2 (Immune/Vaccine stats). Diseases: Day 4 (Media Literacy), Day 5 (Research domains). | |
| 22.B — Describe and explain the factors that influence health among individuals, groups, and communities. | 22.B.4a: Explain social and economic effects of health problems on individuals and society (e.g., cost of health care, reduction in productivity). | Diseases: Day 4 (Social conditions), Day 5 (ZIP code). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (Economic access). |
| 22.B.5a: Analyze how public health policies, laws, and the media function to prevent and control illness (e.g., product and food labeling, food safety and handling, school immunizations). | Body Systems: Day 2 (Immune/Vaccine stats). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (School food rules/Federal law analysis). Diseases: Day 4 (Media Literacy). | |
| 22.C — Explain how the environment can affect health. | 22.C.4a: Analyze how environmental conditions can affect health on a large scale (e.g., acid rain, oil spills, solid waste contamination, nuclear leaks, ozone depletion). | Diseases: Day 4 (Social conditions), Day 5 (ZIP code). Environmental Health: Day 1 (Workplace Hazard reports). |
| 22.C.5a: Compare and contrast how individuals, communities, and states prevent and correct health-threatening environmental problems (e.g., recycling, banning leaf burning, restaurant inspections, OSHA standards in the workplace). | Environmental Health: Day 1 (Workplace Hazard reports). Diseases: Day 5 (ZIP code). | |
| 22.D — Describe how to advocate for the health of individuals, families and communities. | 22.D.4a: Identify health resources to help influence others in making healthy choices. | Stress: Day 1-2 (Wellness Advocacy Project). Nutrition: Day 3-4 (PSA Project), Day 9-10 (School Lunch Advocacy). Mental Health: Day 1-2 (Breaking Stigma PSA). |
| 22.D.5a: Explain how individuals can improve or help sustain school or community health initiatives and/or services. | Mental Health: Day 5-6 (Planning an initiative), Day 9-10 (Positive culture advocacy). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (School Lunch Advocacy). Alcohol: Day 4 (Safe community advocacy). Tobacco: Day 2 (Tobacco-free advocacy). |
Goal 23 — Understand human body systems and factors that influence growth and development.
| Topic | Illinois Standard | Where HET Covers It (Unit: Day) |
|---|---|---|
| 23.A — Describe and explain the structure and functions of the human body systems and how they interrelate. | 23.A.4a: Explain how body system functions can be maintained and improved (e.g., exercise/fitness, nutrition, safety). | Body Systems: Day 1 (Homeostasis challenge), Day 1 (Internal Balance), Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency). Nutrition: Day 1-2 (Macro/Micro functions), Day 7-8 (Blood sugar/Heart health). |
| 23.A.5a: Explain how the systems of the body are affected by exercise and the impact that exercise has on learning. | Body Systems: Day 1 (Homeostasis challenge), Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency), Day 2 (Stress impact). Nutrition: Day 1-2 (Macro/Micro functions). | |
| 23.B — Explain the effects of health-related actions on the body systems. | 23.B.4a: Explain immediate and long-term effects of health habits on the body systems (e.g., diet/heart disease, exercise/fat reduction, stress management/emotional health). | Body Systems: Day 2 (Stress impact), Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency). Nutrition: Day 7-8 (Blood sugar/Heart health), Day 9-10 (Nutrient preservation). Diseases: Day 5 (Lifestyle/Chronic prevention). |
| 23.B.5a: Understand the effects of healthy living on individuals and their future generations (e.g., not using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs during pregnancy). | Body Systems: Day 3 (Reproductive wellness plan). Alcohol: Day 4 (Family addiction roles). End a Term: Day 2 (Generational cycles), Day 2 (Waves of impact). | |
| 23.C — Describe factors that affect growth and development. | 23.C.4a: Describe changes in physical health and body functions at various stages of the life cycle. | Body Systems: Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency), Day 3 (Hormonal shifts). Sex Education: Day 5-6 (Physical/Social shifts), Day 5-6 (Development/Lifespan literacy). |
| 23.D — Describe and explain the structures and functions of the brain and how they are impacted by different types of physical activity and levels of fitness | 23.D.4a: Explain how brain functions can be maintained and improved through activity. | Body Systems: Day 1 (Gut-brain disruption), Day 2 (Lifestyle efficiency). Nutrition: Day 1-2 (Macro/Micro functions). |
al 24 — Promote and enhance health and well-being through the use of effective communication and decision-making ski
| Topic | Illinois Standard | Where HET Covers It (Unit: Day) |
|---|---|---|
| 24.A — Demonstrate procedures for communicating in positive ways, resolving differences and preventing conflict. | 24.A.4a: Describe the effects (e.g., economic losses, threats to personal safety) of conflict and violence upon the health of individuals, families, and communities. | Conflict: Day 1 (Uptown upbringing), Day 2 (Power imbalances). Violence: Day 4 (Ripple effects), Day 5 (Protective Factors). |
| 24.A.4b: Formulate strategies to prevent conflict and resolve differences. | Conflict: Day 1 (Assertiveness/I-statements), Day 1 (Negotiation), Day 2 (Accountability/Repair). Violence: Day 5 (Nonviolent Communication). | |
| 24.A.5a: Compare and contrast strategies to prevent conflict and resolve differences. | Conflict: Day 1 (Conflict styles), Day 2 (Communication Balance), Day 2 (Assertive outcomes). Violence: Day 5 (Intervention choice). | |
| 24.B — Apply decision-making skills related to the protection and promotion of individual, family, and community health. | 24.B.4a: Explain how decision making affects the achievement of individual health goals. | Begin a Term: Day 1 (Healthy year vision), Day 2 (Vortex of Impact). Self-Esteem: Day 5 (Boundary setting). Dangerous Decisions: Day 1 (STOP-THINK-CHOOSE), Day 3 (Pre-decision challenge). |
| 24.B.5a: Explain immediate and long-term impacts of health decisions to the individual, family and community. | Begin a Term: Day 2 (Vortex of Impact). Dangerous Decisions: Day 1 (Risky choice impact). Alcohol: Day 4 (Family addiction roles). End a Term: Day 2 (Waves of impact). | |
| 24.C — Demonstrate skills essential to enhancing health and avoiding dangerous situations. | 24.C.4a: Formulate a plan to achieve individual health goals. | Begin a Term: Day 1 (Health Mission Statement). Self-Esteem: Day 4 (Self-acceptance plan). Mental Health: Day 9-10 (Personal Mental Health Plan). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (SMART goal plan). |
| 24.C.5a: Evaluate progress toward the attainment of a health goal. | Mental Health: Day 9-10 (Wellness Plan). Stress: Day 9-10 (Toolkit implementation). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (SMART goal plan), Day 10 (Food log/MyFitnessPal expenditure tracking). |
Health Education Today's high school health curriculum is used by 35,000+ teachers reaching 10 million+ students across 3,700+ schools. Every program is built to exceed the National Health Education Standards (NHES) and the most rigorous state frameworks — including Illinois's.
See the full curriculum →