Curriculum Standards · New York
New York Health Education Standards — Curriculum Alignment
Aligned with all New York State Learning Standards for Health Education (Commencement
Level)
New York State Learning Standards for Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences: https://www.nysed.gov/
sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/healthpefacslearningstandards.pdf
New York State Health Education Commencement (High School) Standards:
Standard 1: Personal Health and Fitness — Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain
physical fitness, participate in physical activity, and maintain personal health.
Standard 2: A Safe and Healthy Environment — Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and
maintain a safe and healthy environment.
Standard 3: Resource Management — Students will understand and be able to manage their personal and community
resources.
New York State Learning Standards Content Strands:
Health Education, Physical Education, Family and Consumer Sciences (this alignment addresses the Health Education strand
at the Commencement level)
e Learning Standards for Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences were adopted in 1996 by the New York State
Board of Regents and remain the currently adopted New York State health education standards. Each standard is elaborated through key
ideas (numbered) and performance indicators (bulleted); this document aligns each Commencement-level Health Education
performance indicator to the HET High School Health Curriculum.
Standard 1: Personal Health and Fitness
| Topic | New York Standard | Where HET Covers It (Unit: Day) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Students will understand human growth and development and recognize the relationship between behaviors and healthy development. They will understand ways to promote health and prevent disease and will demonstrate and practice positive health behaviors. | understand human growth and development throughout the life cycle | Begin a Term: Day 1 (Personal Timeline/Future Letter). Self-Esteem: Day 2 (Reshaped over time). Body Systems: Day 3 (Hormonal shifts). Sex Education: Day 5-6 (Development/Lifespan literacy), Day 5-6 (Physical/Social shifts), Day 7-8 (Fertilization). |
| demonstrate the necessary knowledge and skills to promote healthy development into adulthood | Begin a Term: Day 1 (Health Mission Statement). Self-Esteem: Day 4 (Self-acceptance plan), Day 5 (Small steps). Mental Health: Day 1-2 (5 Dimensions), Day 3-4 (Mental Health Toolbox), Day 9-10 (Personal Mental Health Plan). Stress: Day 1-2 (Reduction strategy), Day 9-10 (Toolkit implementation). Nutrition: Day 1-2 (Hydration swap), Day 7-8 (Fuel-up goal), Day 9-10 (SMART goal plan). Body Systems: Day 1 (Homeostasis challenge), Day 3 (Reproductive wellness plan). Sex Education: Day 9-10 (Values check). End a Term: Day 1 (Live it Forward challenge), Day 2 (Living System). | |
| apply prevention and risk reduction strategies which can delay the onset or reduce the risk of potential health problems into adulthood | Mental Health: Day 9-10 (Wellness Plan). Stress: Day 5-6 (Risk/Protective Factors). Dangerous Decisions: Day 1 (Risk Management Plan), Day 2 (Substance impact), Day 3 (Refusal/Negotiation skills). Nutrition: Day 7-8 (Blood sugar/Heart health). Body Systems: Day 2 (Immune/Vaccine stats). Diseases: Day 4 (Risk assessment), Day 5 (Lifestyle/Chronic prevention). Alcohol: Day 4 (Future you letter). Drugs: Day 3 (Harm reduction leadership). Sex Education: Day 7-8 (Contraceptive effectiveness/PrEP), Day 9-10 (Abstinence proactive choice). End a Term: Day 1 (Scenario 24-25). | |
| evaluate how the multiple influences which affect health decisions and behaviors can be altered. | Begin a Term: Day 1 (Belief formation), Day 2 (Social Determinants). Empathy: Day 2 (Culture/Technology), Day 3 (Stereotypes). Self-Esteem: Day 1 (Media/Family), Day 2 (Peer Influence), Day 4 (Instagram/TikTok). Mental Health: Day 1-2 (Biopsychosocial), Day 7-8 (Digital validation). Stress: Day 1-2 (Racism/Sexism), Day 3-4 (Systemic barriers). Diversity: Day 2 (Implicit bias). Dangerous Decisions: Day 1 (Peer Pressure), Day 3 (Groupthink). Nutrition: Day 1-2 (Diet Culture), Day 5-6 (Influencer claims). Sex Education: Day 5-6 (Comparison culture). End a Term: Day 2 (Generational cycles). | |
| 1. Students will demonstrate personally and socially responsible behaviors. They will care for and respect themselves and others. They will recognize threats to the environment and offer appropriate strategies to minimize them. | recognize hazardous conditions in the home, school, work place, and community and propose solutions to eliminate or reduce them | Dangerous Decisions: Day 1 (Risky driving), Day 2 (Water safety/blackouts), Day 3 (Distracted driving CDC data). First Aid: Day 1 (Immediate measures), Day 4 (Heat stroke). Environmental Health: Day 1 (Workplace Hazard reports). End a Term: Day 1 (Scene Safety Scenario). |
| evaluate personal and social skills which contribute to health and safety of self and others | Begin a Term: Day 2 (Practicing consent). Empathy: Day 2 (Active Listening), Day 4 (Saying No). Mental Health: Day 5-6 (Assertiveness). Stress: Day 3-4 ("I" statements). Conflict: Day 1 (Assertiveness/I-statements), Day 2 (Accountability/Repair). Dangerous Decisions: Day 3 (Refusal/Negotiation skills). Violence: Day 4 (Refusal/Advocacy), Day 5 (NVC - Nonviolent Communication). First Aid: Day 1 (Willingness to act), Day 2 (Bystander delegation), Day 5 (Bystander identity). Sex Education: Day 3-4 (Clear "No" strategies), Day 7-8 (Yes/No/Maybe map). End a Term: Day 1 (Scenario 7-8). | |
| recognize how individual behavior affects the quality of the environment. | Environmental Health: Day 1 (Our Planet guide), Day 1 (Analyze Your Environment). | |
| 1. Students will understand the influence of culture, media, and technology in making decisions about personal and community health issues. They will know about and use valid health information, products, and services. Students will advocate for healthy families and communities. | demonstrate how to evaluate health information, products and services for validity and reliability | Mental Health: Day 5-6 (Numbing myths). Stress: Day 3-4 (Valid points of help). Diseases: Day 4 (Media Literacy), Day 5 (Research domains). Nutrition: Day 3-4 (Evaluating resources), Day 5-6 (Registered Dietitians vs Influencers). Tobacco: Day 1 (Vape ad decoding). End a Term: Day 1 (Online Data Scenario). |
| analyze how cultural beliefs influence health behaviors and the use of health products and services | Empathy: Day 2 (Culture/Technology). Mental Health: Day 3-4 (Gender/Race). Stress: Day 5-6 (Stigma), Day 7-8 (Societal acknowledgment). Diversity: Day 2 (Cultural humility), Day 3 (Narratives). Nutrition: Day 3-4 (Cultural honoring). Diseases: Day 4 (Social conditions). Drugs: Day 4 (Systemic inequities/Stigma). | |
| demonstrate the ability to access community health services for self and others | Begin a Term: Day 2 (School counselors/nurses). Mental Health: Day 1-2 (Counselors/Support groups), Day 5-6 (Crisis Text Line), Day 9-10 (Therapists/Peer support). Stress: Day 1-2 (Wellness centers), Day 9-10 (Circle of Support Map). Violence: Day 5 (Crisis lines). Nutrition: Day 3-4 (NEDA/Professional medical care). First Aid: Day 1 (911 Script), Day 4 (Poison Control). Alcohol: Day 2 (Minor in Possession/Treatment access). Drugs: Day 4 (Medication-Assisted Treatment). Sex Education: Day 7-8 (Testing bookmarks), Day 9-10 (Planned Parenthood). | |
| use technology and the media to promote positive health messages | Mental Health: Day 1-2 (Breaking Stigma PSA). Stress: Day 1-2 (Wellness Advocacy Project). Conflict: Day 1-2 (Guidebooks/PSAs). Diversity: Day 1 (Media for Equity). Dangerous Decisions: Day 3 (PSA - challenging "cool" risk). Nutrition: Day 3-4 (PSA Project). Tobacco: Day 2 (Tobacco-free advocacy). | |
| demonstrate advocacy skills in promoting individual, family and community health. | Empathy: Day 1 (Empathy-driven cause), Day 5 (40% reduction project). Self-Esteem: Day 4 (Advocacy for Authenticity), Day 5 (Self-advocacy). Mental Health: Day 5-6 (Planning an initiative), Day 9-10 (Positive culture advocacy). Stress: Day 5-6 (Reducing silence). Diversity: Day 2 (Advocating for Equity). Violence: Day 4 (Breaking Silence), Day 5 (Challenging victim-blaming). Nutrition: Day 9-10 (School Lunch Advocacy). Sex Education: Day 7-8 (Confidential testing advocacy). Alcohol: Day 4 (Safe community advocacy). Drugs: Day 3 (Harm reduction leadership). Tobacco: Day 2 (Tobacco-free advocacy). End a Term: Day 2 (Breaking cycles of silence). |
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