Physical Positive Actions to Practice for Good Health

"Health is wealth" is an old adage that most people have heard at some point in their lives. It's a timeless reminder that one’s well-being is invaluable and must not be taken for granted. Developing healthy habits early on can significantly impact one's quality of life, so it's never too soon to start.

In this SEL lesson, grade 1 students learn that engaging in physical positive actions is crucial to achieving optimal health. When someone makes an effort to care for their body in this way, they're likely to feel good about themselves.

The teacher begins by asking the students if they know what it means to be healthy. Following this, the word "Healthy" and its definition are written on the board and recited several times by the class. The teacher then makes an interesting comparison, likening the body to a car that needs fuel and movement. This sets the stage for a story about Davey Doddle, a character who likes to travel.

Davey's car is in dire need of repair before his next trip to Healthyville, where he plans to move into a new, clean, healthy house. The repairman asks Davey a series of questions to gauge if he is taking good care of his car, and it becomes apparent that he is not. The repairman suggests that Davey take a slight detour on the road to Healthyville and visit the Road to Good Health, where he can learn from people who live along the way. Davey agrees, promising to care for his car forever if the repairman saves its life.

After the story, the teacher prompts the students to identify physical positive actions shown in the "Road to Good Health" poster. These include eating healthy food, keeping clean, exercising daily, getting enough sleep and rest, taking care of one's teeth, avoiding things that harm the body, using medicine correctly, and staying well.

To reinforce the lesson concepts, the class sings along to a song called "Take Care of You," which lists all the ways one can take care of oneself. The teacher then encourages the students to give examples of positive thoughts and actions for caring for the body and asks how they feel after doing these positive actions.

Finally, the teacher displays the Positive Behavior Chart for Unit 2, which helps students track the positive actions they are learning. As they do each positive action, they mark it with checks, stars, or stickers.

This evidence-based health education lesson introduces students to a strong and healthy lifestyle. It shows them that physical positive actions are essential for good health and encourages them to make positive changes in their habits. By instilling these values early on, students gain knowledge and tools to lead a happy and fulfilling life.