Teaching Tools

These teaching tools are designed to support teachers in creating comprehensive lesson plans to cover health-related content in the classroom. The resources are guidelines and suggestions for teachers to use and considered appropriate for your classes.

Each of the teaching tools contain:

• Background information for the teacher
• Materials for engaging learning activities
• Instructions
• Activity variations

The resources have been designed to satisfy expectations outlined in the Ontario Ministry of Education's Elementary Health and Physical Education curriculum (2019) and the Secondary Health and Physical Education Curriculum (2015).

Resources will be added as they become available.

Consult your school's public health nurse

Your school's public health nurse can help you prepare for delivering presentations, activities, and in developing engaging projects and extension activities. To reach your school's public health nurse, email healthyschools@niagararegion.ca or call 905-688-8248 ext. 7379 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.

Elementary teaching tools

• Personal safety and injury prevention

  These teaching tools are intended to reduce injuries and equip students with the ability to recognize, assess and manage potentially dangerous situations, including online.

  Kindergarten and Grade 1

  • Handwashing and germs (kindergarten and grade 1)

  Grade 4

  • Protect your head (grade 4)
  • Active school travel (grade 4)

  Grade 5 / 6

  • Protect your head (grades 5 and 6)
  • Active school travel (grades 5 and 6)
• Substance use, addictions and related behaviours

  Learning in this content area focuses on student understanding of the effects of drugs and the consequences of their use, and how addictions and related behaviours can lead to compulsive behaviours.

  Grade 3

  • Be smart, don't start (grade 3)

  Grade 4

  • Talking about tobacco (grade 4)
  • Vaping (grade 4)

  Grade 5

  • Vaping (grade 5)
  • Cannabis (grade 5)

  Grade 6

  • Vaping (grade 6)
  • Cannabis (grade 6)
  • Be drug-free (grade 6)

  Grade 7

  • Vaping (grade 7)
  • Cannabis (grade 7)

  Grade 8

  • Vaping (grade 8)
  • Cannabis (grade 8)
  • Substance use (grade 8)
• Human development and sexual health

  These teaching tools will help students develop an understanding of the physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes they will experience during puberty, and further develop their sense of self and identity.

  Grade 1

  • Body parts and hygienic procedures (Grade 1)
  • Senses and functions (Grade 1)

  Grade 2

  • Oral health (Grade 2)
  • Stages of development (Grade 2)

  Grade 3

  • Healthy relationships (Grade 3)
  • Physical and social-emotional development (Grade 3)

  Grade 4

  • Puberty (Grade 4)

  Grade 5

  • Puberty and the reproductive system Grade 5)
  • Self-concept and sexual orientation (Grade 5)

  Grade 6

  • Healthy relationships (Grade 6)
  • Gender and sexual diversity: Stereotypes and assumptions (Grade 6)

  Grade 7

  • Making decisions about sexual health (Grade 7)
  • Sexually transmitted infections (Grade 7)

  Grade 8

  • Gender and sexual diversity (Grade 8)
  • Healthy relationships (Grade 8)
  • Making decisions about sexual health (Grade 8)

  See additional human development and sexual health resources and guides.

• Supporting mental wellness

  Schools and classroom environments have an important impact on a student's sense of belonging and overall mental health. Maintaining positive relationships with students within a caring school community that is safe, welcoming and inclusive contributes to students' social-emotional wellness and readiness to learn.

  These evidence-based resources focus on promoting positive mental health in classrooms by providing wellness tools that work to increase protective factors and resiliency.

  The following resources have been collected by Niagara Region Public Health to support mental health literacy throughout schools and assist educators by amplifying their teachings.

  Grade 1

  • Mental health and overall health
  • Thoughts, emotions and actions

  Grade 2

  • Body and brain - responses and feelings
  • Knowing when to seek help - healthy choices to support mental health

  Grade 3

  • Brain stress response systems - external factors that contribute to stressful feelings

  Grade 4

  • Healthy choices to support mental health

  Grade 5

  • Seeking support
  • Stigma awareness

  Grade 6

  • Seeking help from professional helpers
  • Connecting thoughts, emotions and actions

  Grade 7

  • Mental health and mental illness

  Grade 8

  • Routines and habits for mental health
  • Societal views - impact on stigma

  See additional resources on social-emotional learning, and mental health and wellness guides.

Secondary teaching tools

• Human development and sexual health

  Learning in this content area will help students develop an understanding of the physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes experienced during puberty, and learn more about how to acquire information, skills, attitudes, beliefs and values related to identity and relationships.

  • Contraception (Grade 9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Healthy relationships (Grade 9, 10, 11, 12)
  • Sexually transmitted infections (Grade 9, 10, 11, 12)
• Substance use, addictions and related behaviours

  Learning in this content area focuses on student understanding of the effects of drugs and the consequences of their use, and how addictions and related behaviours can lead to addictions or compulsive behaviours.

  • Cannabis (Grade 9, 10, 11, 12)

Public Health

School Health

• Teaching Tools
• Become a Healthy School
• School Health Programs
• Youth Vaccination
• Dental Screening
• Vision Screening