Health & Physical Education
Strand D. Healthy Living
D1. Understanding Health Concepts
D1.3 Human Development and Sexual Health
- identify the parts of the reproductive system, and describe how the body changes during puberty [A1.5 Self]
D1.4 Human Development and Sexual Health
- describe the processes of menstruation and spermatogenesis, and explain how these processes relate to reproduction and overall development
D2. Making Healthy Choices
D2.4 Human Development and Sexual Health
- identify intersecting factors that affect the development of a person’s self-concept, including their sexual orientation (e.g., self-awareness, self-acceptance, social environment, opinions of others who are important to them, influence of stereotypical thinking, awareness of their own strengths and needs, social competency, cultural identity, availability of support, body image, mental health and emotional well-being, physical abilities), and how these factors can support their personal health and well-being [A1.1 Emotions, 1.2 Coping, 1.5 Self]
D2.5 Human Development and Sexual Health
- describe emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty (e.g., questions about changing bodies and feelings, adjusting to changing relationships, crushes and more intense feelings, conflicts between personal desires and cultural teachings and practices), recognize signs that could indicate mental health concerns, and identify strategies that they can apply to manage stress, build resilience, keep open communication with family members and caring adults, and enhance their mental health and emotional well-being (e.g., being active, writing feelings in a journal, accessing information about their concerns, taking action on a concern, talking to a trusted peer or adult, breathing deeply, meditating, seeking cultural advice from Elders, Métis Senators, knowledge keepers or knowledge holders) [A1.1 Emotions, 1.2 Coping, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self]
RESOURCES:
OPHEA Lesson Plans/Supplements - offer lesson plans, supplements and activities designed to reflect the requirements of the Ontario Health and Physical Education curriculum. Talk to your school Health and Physical Education Lead or Curriculum Consultant to find out if your school board subscribes.
Fully Alive - Family Life Education, as it is represented in Fully Alive, is intended to pass on a distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage, and family. Its goal is to complement the efforts of families and to support what parents are doing at home. The entire program, from Grades 1 through Grade 8 is designed to encourage children to become the people God wants them to be -- to be fully alive.
Teachingsexualhealth.ca is an innovative website developed by Alberta educators and health professionals. They offer up-to-date, evidence-based information and strategies for teachers and educators teaching the Alberta Education Human Sexuality curriculum and for parents of children from birth up to 18 years of age. NOTE: Resources may not be grade specific to the Ontario curriculum but content does address the Ontario curriculum expectations). Available in English and French.
SexandU was created by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) and provides an overview of changes in both male and female bodies during puberty.
About Kids Health - is created by the Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) in Toronto, this website provides reliable information about puberty in both males and females, as well talks about menstruation and how the body works in males and females.
KidsHealth in the classroom is a US based website that offers educators free health-related lesson plans for all grades and subject area.
Teen Health Source - Teen Health Source by Planned Parenthood Toronto is a is a sexual health information service run for and by youth. Teen Health Source offers live peer education services in addition a comprehensive sexual health website. Teens can speak one-on-one with a trained teen volunteer by phone, text, email, or online chat
Physical and Health Education Canada Always Changing resource for Grades 5 & 6 is designed to help your students develop fun, active, confident, energetic self-images.
Dove Self-Esteem Project - resources for teachers aimed at 11-14 year olds that promote body confidence looking at the media’s influence on body image and self-esteem.
D3. Making Connections for Healthy Living
D3.2 Personal Safety and Injury Prevention
explain how a person’s actions, either in person or online, including making homophobic or other hurtful comments, can affect their own and others’ feelings, self-concept, mental health and emotional well-being, and reputation (e.g., negative actions such as name calling, making sexist or racist remarks, mocking appearance or ability, excluding others, bullying/cyberbullying, sexual harassment [including online activities such as making sexual comments, sharing sexual pictures, or asking for such pictures to be sent]; positive actions such as praising, supporting, including, and advocating) [A1.1 Emotions, 1.4 Relationships, 1.5 Self]
RESOURCES:
The Gilbert Centre provides social and support services to empower, promote health, and celebrate the lives of people living with and affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) and the individuals and families from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (2S-LGBTQIA+) communities of Simcoe Muskoka.
Suggested resource for 2S-LGBTQIA+ language appropriate for young children: Welcoming Schools
An American based Human Rights Campaign offers a program called Welcoming Schools. The program is dedicated to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools by embracing family diversity, creating 2S-LGBTQIA+ and gender-inclusive schools, preventing bias-based bullying, and supporting transgender and non-binary students.
Kids Help Phone - Online Safety - Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. They offer professional counselling, information and referrals. It is volunteer-led, text and phone-based support to young people in both English and French.