D2. Making Healthy Choices
Specific Expectations
Healthy Eating
D2.1
evaluate personal eating habits and food choices on the basis of the recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide, taking into account behaviours that support healthy eating (e.g., mindful eating, enjoying your food, choosing a variety of healthy foods, awareness of food marketing, using food labels, making water your drink of choice more often) [A1.1 Emotions, 1.2 Coping, 1.5 Self, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “How can being mindful create a sense of awareness of your everyday eating decisions?”
- Student: “Being mindful when eating includes: making conscious food choices, taking time to eat, paying attention to feelings of hunger and fullness, and avoiding distractions when eating. Being mindful of the food you eat encourages you to pay attention to the aromas, textures, flavours, and tastes of food.”
- Teacher prompt: “If you do not eat regularly throughout the day, how does this affect how you feel?”
- Student: “It’s important to pay attention to hunger and thirst cues. I feel sluggish in the morning, and I’m really hungry by ten o’clock. When I’m so hungry, I’m grumpy and more likely to eat less nutritious food and to eat more than I need when I do get the chance to eat.”
Personal Safety and Injury Prevention
D2.2
demonstrate the ability to assess situations for potential dangers (e.g., getting into a car with a stranger or an impaired, unlicensed, or inexperienced driver; dependencies or coercion in dating relationships; joining gangs; participating in violence; attending a party where alcohol or drugs are being used; using cosmetic procedures or treatments such as piercing, tattooing, crash diets, or tanning without exploring potential health risks; exposure to infectious diseases through direct contact, sneezing, or coughing), and apply strategies for avoiding dangerous situations [A1.2 Coping, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “What are some things you could do instead of getting into a car with a driver who has been drinking or who is under the influence of cannabis?”
- Student: “I could call a family member or friend, stay over where I am, walk home with a friend if there is a safe route, or take a bus or taxi if one is available. I should have a plan and, if I can, carry money or a phone, so that I do not have to depend on someone else to get home safely.”
- Teacher prompt: “What are some things to be aware of in a relationship to keep yourself and your partner safe?”
- Student: “Thinking about what makes a relationship healthier is a good start. Things that could lead to danger in relationships include an uneven balance of power in the relationship and situations that involve alcohol or drugs. I can stay safer by defining my own limits, listening to my gut feelings, and letting others know what I am doing and where I am going. If something does not feel good or right, I need to have the confidence to tell the other person to stop immediately. And if someone tells me – verbally or non-verbally – to stop, I need to stop immediately.”
Human Development and Sexual Health
D2.3
demonstrate an understanding of abstinence, contraception and the use of effective and suitable protection to prevent pregnancy and STBBIs, and the concept of consent, as well as the skills (e.g., self-awareness, communication, assertiveness, and refusal skills) they need to apply in order to make safe and healthy decisions about sexual activity (e.g., delaying first intercourse; establishing, discussing, and respecting boundaries; showing respect; opting to seek additional information and support; having safer sex) [A1.3 Motivation, 1.5 Self, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “What do teenagers need to know about contraception and safer sex in order to protect their sexual health?”
- Student: “Teenagers need to know about the benefits and risks of different types of contraception. They need to understand that the only 100 per cent sure way of not becoming a parent is to abstain from sexual contact. Those who choose to be sexually active also need to know which contraceptive methods provide a protective barrier against disease as well as pregnancy. For example, condoms provide protection against both pregnancy and STBBIs – but to be effective, they need to be used properly and used every time.”
- Teacher prompt: “The decision to be sexually active is a personal choice that everyone gets to make for themselves. No one should feel pressured to engage in sexual activity. What do teenagers need to know and think about in order to set appropriate personal limits with respect to sexual activity?”
- Student: “Not all students choose to be sexually active. When thinking about what choice they will make, students need to consider their personal or family values, religious beliefs, and cultural teachings. They need to understand how important it is to talk with their partners about sexual health choices, consent, and keeping safe. They have to develop the skills to communicate their thoughts effectively, listen respectfully, and read body cues in these conversations. This takes practice.”
Mental Health Literacy
D2.4
demonstrate an understanding of how incorporating healthy habits and coping strategies into daily routines (e.g., starting the day with physical activity, limiting screen time before going to bed, using tools such as online apps to support mindful practices, using deep breathing and grounding strategies, engaging in activities that involve positive social interaction and supporting others) can help maintain mental health and resilience in times of stress [A1.1 Emotions, 1.2 Coping, 1.3 Motivation, 1.6 Thinking]
- Teacher prompt: “Maintaining mental health involves using strategies that help balance the different aspects of life: the physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual. It involves thinking, feeling, acting, and interacting in ways that allow you to enjoy life and cope with challenges that arise. How can incorporating healthy coping strategies into daily routines help us maintain mental health and remain resilient in times of stress? And, when would you consider reaching out to a trusted adult?”
- Student: “Incorporating daily coping strategies involves planning ahead so you are not just reacting when things go wrong. I think it helps us manage stress overall, so that maybe we respond better to challenging situations. Self-care needs to be a priority. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself! If I still feel that the stress is too much, I would ask for help.”
- Teacher prompt: “The transition from elementary school to high school can be stressful. What are some things that you are doing or could do to lessen the stress?”
- Student: “I know our class is going to visit the high school and that there are programs where you can go early in August to have a walk-through. That will help, I think. Also, I know a few people – like my brother and a friend in my building – who are already in high school. It helps to know I can talk with them and ask questions about what it’s like.”
- Teacher prompt: “When we continue to explore and gather a variety of strategies to support our mental health, over time we build a ‘toolbox’ of strategies that allows us to take better care of ourselves. Different things work for different people in different situations, and these can change over time. You have to find the way that works best for you. Some First Nations people smudge, a practice in which people fan smoke from herbal medicines like sage or sweetgrass over their bodies to cleanse themselves, in order to restore balance, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. What are some of the strategies that you might incorporate into your life to support your mental health?”
- Students: “I think that having a plan for my week ahead helps me to stay focused on what I need to take care of myself. I make sure I give myself time to be active and to get outside. I like to do some of these things with my friends, because it makes it more fun and I’m more motivated to actually do it!” “I try to turn my device off at night and have some quiet time before I go to bed. Doing that helps me sleep better. It also means I’m less tired and less rushed in the morning, which makes my day go smoother.”