M/J Health Grade 8 Year   (#0800020)

Version for Academic Year:

Course Standards

General Course Information and Notes

General Notes

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become health literate and practice responsible behaviors to become healthy, productive citizens. This comprehensive course focuses on the development of positive life-long knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, which promote an active and healthy lifestyle.

The content should include, but is not limited to:
  • Mental and emotional health (personal health care, screenings, counseling, negotiation skills, bullying, coping skills and depression)
  • Prevention and control of disease (non-communicable, sexually transmitted diseases, STDs, and HIV/AIDS)
  • Consumer health (risk reduction behaviors, policies/laws, medical resources, and conflict resolution)
  • Family life (cultures, daily routines and rules)
  • Personal health (risk reduction behaviors, communication skills, social relationships, wellness, and reproductive health)
  • Nutrition (weight management, fitness plan, eating disorders, and BMI)
  • Internet safety (security, threats, media, cyber-bullying parental controls, and monitoring)
  • Injury prevention and safety (rules, bullying, water safety, weapons safety, and first aid/CPR/AED)
  • Substance use and abuse (harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and over-the-counter drugs)
  • Community health (local health organizations, technology, resources, and services)
  • Environmental health (adverse health effects, chemicals toxins and pollutants)
  • Consumer health (advertising, media influence, products and services)
  • Teen dating violence (dating, media, abuse and violence)
Special Notes - Instructional Practices: Teaching from a well-written, grade-level textbook enhances students’ content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any reason. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning:
  1. Reading assignments from longer text passages as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.
  2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
  3. Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.
  4. Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.
  5. Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).
Any student whose parent makes written request to the school principal shall be exempted from the teaching of reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS, its symptoms, development, and treatment. A student so exempted may not be penalized by reason of that exemption.

The following standards focus on yearly instruction to ensure that students gain adequate exposure to health information and practices. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade specific benchmarks and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.


English Language Development ELD Standards Special Notes Section:
Teachers are required to provide listening, speaking, reading and writing instruction that allows English language learners (ELL) to communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting. For the given level of English language proficiency and with visual, graphic, or interactive support, students will interact with grade level words, expressions, sentences and discourse to process or produce language necessary for academic success. The ELD standard should specify a relevant content area concept or topic of study chosen by curriculum developers and teachers which maximizes an ELL’s need for communication and social skills. To access an ELL supporting document which delineates performance definitions and descriptors, please click on the following link: https://cpalmsmediaprod.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/docs/standards/eld/si.pdf

General Information

Course Number: 0800020
Course Path:
Abbreviated Title: M/J HEALTH GR 8Y
Course Length: Year (Y)
Course Type: Elective Course
Course Level: 2
Course Status: Course Approved
Grade Level(s): 8

Educator Certifications

One of these educator certification options is required to teach this course.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this course.

Original Student Tutorials

Ring the Bell: Paraphrase Like a Champion:

Learn to paraphrase grade-level content in this boxing-themed tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How Dialogue, Thoughts, and Events Reveal Character in Ender’s Game -- Part Two:

Learn more about how dialogue, a character’s thoughts, and key events can reveal aspects of a character as you read excerpts from the exciting science fiction novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. As you learn more about Ender, the main character, you’ll piece together information about the world in which he lives and his unique situation given the demands of his environment.

This interactive tutorial is Part Two of a two-part series. Make sure to complete Part One first! Click HERE to launch Part One.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How Dialogue, Thoughts, and Events Reveal Character in Ender’s Game -- Part One:

Learn how dialogue, a character’s thoughts, and key events can reveal aspects of a character as you read excerpts from the exciting science fiction novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. As you learn more about Ender, the main character, you’ll piece together information about the world in which he lives and his unique situation given the demands of his environment.

This interactive tutorial is Part One of a two-part series. Make sure to complete both parts! Click HERE to launch Part Two.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

How a Character Is Developed in a Diary:

Explore excerpts from the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie. In this interactive tutorial, you'll learn about how a character is developed through a novel written as a diary. You'll examine how the author carefully reveals the history, thoughts, feelings, and perspective of the main character.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Don't Plagiarize: Cite Your Sources!:

Learn more about that dreaded word--plagiarism--in this interactive tutorial that's all about citing your sources, creating a Works Cited page, and avoiding academic dishonesty!

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Abraham the Amazing:

Learn about dramatic irony and its impact within a story. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read excerpts of a story about Abraham the circus elephant. You'll read about Abraham's unexpected adventure as you examine the effects of dramatic irony within the text.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

To Change a Heart: The Transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge:

Analyze the interaction between characters and specific events to help reveal aspects of the infamous Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. In this interactive tutorial, you’ll examine how specific character interactions and plot events help provoke Scrooge to make a decision about the way he lives his life.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this course.

*(Benchmark examples listed within parenthesis are neither prescriptive nor limiting.)