Grade 3 - 6
Infectious Disease
Algoma Public Health works to maintain a healthy community through the prevention and control of communicable diseases. This is done through the surveillance and investigation of infectious diseases, along with public education.
For more information on all infectious diseases, such as routine precautions or recommendations for ‘time off’ school/daycare, contact your public health nurse and/or visit Algoma Public Health’s website.
Handwashing Teaching Toolkit (Grade 3 to 6)
Prevention is the best intervention!
Addressing the spread of germs in schools is essential to the health of our youth, schools, and community. Proper handwashing is inexpensive and the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs. Students of all ages must know when and how to wash their hands properly.
We have designed a Handwashing Teaching Toolkit which teaches elementary school youth the importance of handwashing, including how to wash their hands. This toolkit is available to all Grade 3 to Grade 6 teachers, so
Human Development & Sexual Health
“Sexuality education equips children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that help them to protect their health, develop respectful social and sexual relationships, make responsible choices and understand and protect the rights of others.” (WHO, 2023)
Good quality education on these topics:
- Informs students about their sexuality, sexual health, and rights.
- Encourages safer sex and gauging readiness to start engaging in sexual activity.
- Prepares them for physical, emotional, and social changes they will experience.
- Teaches them about consent and respect.
- Reduces risk from violence, abuse, and exploitation.
- Shows them where to go to get help.
Introduction to Puberty Presentation and Guide (Grade 4)
In Grade 4 students learn about puberty, including: how to identify and manage emotions (A1.1.); how to recognize stress, cope with challenges, and seek help (A1.2); describe the physical, emotional, and social changes that occur at puberty (D1.5); and demonstrate an understanding of personal hygiene (D2.4):
We designed a presentation and guide to support you in teaching this curriculum. Contact your school-aligned Public Health Nurse for more information.
Puberty & Reproduction Presentation & Guide (Grade 5)
In Grade 5 students learn more about puberty and are introduced to reproduction, including the parts of the reproductive system and body changes during puberty (D1.3); the process and role of menstruation and spermatogenesis (D1.4); factors that affect the development of self-concept and sexual orientation, and how these support personal health and well-being (D2.4); the emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty; how to recognize signs of mental health concerns; and strategies to manage stress, build resilience, and communicate through this time (D2.5).
Introduction to Healthy Relationships Presentation and Guide (Grade 6)
In Grade 6 students learn about healthy relationships, including skills to help build relationships, develop empathy, and communicate (A1.4); the impacts of viewing sexually explicit media, including pornography (D1.3); how to make informed decisions that show respect for themselves and others; the concept of consent; socio-emotional learning skills (D2.6); how to assess the effects of stereotypes and assumptions based on a variety of factors on relationships with others; and appropriate ways of responding to those harmful assumptions and stereotypes (D3.3).
We designed a presentation and guide to support you in teaching this curriculum. Contact your school-aligned Public Health Nurse for more information.
Please contact your school-aligned Public Health Nurse for more information and to obtain these resources.
SHORE Centre (Sexual Health - Options - Resources - Education (Grade 4 - 6)
Are you teaching puberty for the first time this school year? Nervous about teaching birth control? Worried about the questions students may ask? Or maybe you’ve been teaching for several years and are looking for some fun activities to change your lessons? You’ve come to the right place! We have several games, quizzes, activities, videos, and resources that will support your lesson plan.
We have resources for all grade levels that can help you teach your students about their bodies, their health, relationships, consent, respecting diversity for all students, and many more! https://www.shorecentre.ca/teachers/
Teaching Sexual Health (Grade 4 - 6)
The teacher portal provides teachers and educators with evidence-based sexual health information, lesson plans, tools, and resources. https://teachingsexualhealth.ca/teachers/
OPHEA – Always Changing & Growing Up (Grade 5 & 6)
Always Changing & Growing Up: Grades 5 & 6 is a resource for teaching pre-teens in Grades 5 and 6 about the transition between childhood and adolescence stages of puberty. Directly linked to the Healthy Living strand of the H&PE Curriculum, Always Changing & Growing Up addresses issues surrounding adolescent growth and development, and personal hygiene.
This school-based resource comes complete with a Leader's Guide, Parent/Guardian Guide, Student Guide, student worksheets, quizzes, crosswords, and other fun resources and teaching strategies to help students understand their changing bodies, and the stages of puberty.
Mental Health
Positive Mental Health is defined by the Public Health Agency of Canada as “the capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity” (2022).
Schools are an idea place for mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention
School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) (all grades)
SMHO is a website platform and team that provides information and resources to help schools and school boards enhance student mental health. The strategies they use are evidence-informed and based on best practice. They provide support for implementing mental health programs, tailored resources, mental health literacy for teachers and school boards, mental health information for parents, support for student leaders, and more.
The SMHO Wayfinder is a grade-by-grade guide to teaching mental health across the curriculum and a good place to start! Did you know you have SMHO Coach and local Mental Health Leader aligned to your school board? Contact a Coach or Leader today.
Substance Use
Schools have a unique opportunity to provide early substance use prevention. Classroom teachers can make a positive difference in the lifestyle choices of their students through their own role modelling, knowledge, and teaching of the substance use curriculum. Here are a few ideas to build confidence when discussing substance use:
- review relevant information related to substance use and abuse from the perspective of the individual, family, culture and society
- learn why words matter when talking about substances
- participate in training opportunities
- examine personal values and beliefs related to substance use
- bring enthusiasm and commitment to the material.
Vaping: Thinking it Through Presentation (Grade 5 & 6)
In grade 5 students learn about substance use, including decision-making and refusal skills (D2.3); and how to identify personal and social factors that influence the decision to use substances including vaping (D3.3.).
In grade 6 students learn about substance use, including the effects of substance use (D1.2); decision-making strategies and an understanding of factors that influence substance use; and how to make safe personal choices about substances including vaping (D2.4).
We designed a presentation and guide to support you in teaching this curriculum. Contact your school-aligned Public Health Nurse for more information.
Pig Lungs (Grade 5 & 6)
A demonstration kit for grades 5-12 that contains preserved pig’s lungs (one healthy lung and one affected by years of smoking) to show students the anatomy and physiology of a non-smoker’s lung and a smoker’s lung damaged by cancer and emphysema. Educators can access the resource by contacting the public health nurse aligned to your school.
Vaping Education Resource (Grades 4 - 6)
Developed to provide educators with capacity building tools and conversation starter prompts to support students (Grades 4 -8) in developing the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions to support their health and well-being. This resource includes Instructional Moments videos and an Educator Guide as well as Conversation Starter videos designed to initiate conversations about vaping with elementary students at different stages of their development. Available in English and French.
English: OPHEA Vaping Education Resources
Vaping: What's the Hype (Grades 5 & 6)
This resource is meant to help youth learn about vaping to become informed decision-makers. This toolkit contains an educator guide and curriculum linked activities for students in grades 5-9.
Cannabis Education Resources (OPHEA) (Grades 5 & 6)
This cannabis education resource was developed to provide educators and administrators access to evidence-informed information on substance use (specifically cannabis) to help students develop the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions to support their health and well-being. This resource includes a discussion guide, activity plans (broken down by grade level, Grades 5 – 12), and resources/handouts.
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: Understanding Substance Use Educators Guide (Grade 6)
Designed for education professionals (teachers, guidance counsellors, coaches, social workers and so on) working with youth from grades 6–12 to gain knowledge, tools and resources on substance use, stigma, cannabis vaping, alcohol and impaired driving. Using this guide with the supporting video modules can help educators start and navigate difficult conversations with youth on these subjects.
Food & Nutrition
Our Public Health Dietitian has provided a list of resources that will support you in teaching topics related to food and nutrition to your students.
Rainbow Food Explorers Educator's Guide
A binder full of inspirational activities and ideas for incorporating vegetables and fruit into all areas of the curriculum; providing exposure, sparking enthusiasm, and cultivating positive relationships with food. This resource comes from Rainbow Plate, an online community designed to help educators and caregivers engage and inspire kids through food.
Snactivity Kit
A collection of hands-on resources to keep students engaged. Contents include stuffed vegetable and fruit characters, vegetable and fruit bean bags, food models, matching cards, food beach ball and more.
Food is Science
Food is Science is a website created by Sustain Ontario to help educators understand and teach the new food literacy expectations in Ontario’s Science and Technology Curriculum. The website provides evidence-based resources, lesson plans and videos to help educators teach science through food and food systems.
Dietitians 4 Teachers
How educators talk about food and bodies in the classroom matters for the physical and mental health of students. The Dietitians 4 Teachers website (created by a Registered Dietitian in Ontario) provides access to classroom posters, teaching activities, individual consultations, and professional development to help educators foster positive food relationships and teach about food and nutrition safely.
Teach Food First; An Educator's Toolkit for Exploring Canada's Good Guide with K-8 Students
Evidence shows that using a food exploration approach when teaching about food and nutrition is associated with long-term positive eating attitudes and behaviours. Healthy Schools BC created
Physical Activity
Promoting physical activity has a direct impact on academic achievement and positive classroom behaviour. Students who meet
Pedometer Lending Kit
Pedometer-related activities align with the Ontario curriculum. Pedometers can be used during standard physical education sessions to support school daily physical activity.
Each kit contains (30) pedometers, you can download the pedometer lending guide, and reach out to your school-aligned
Busy Box
The busy box is an enthusiastic addition to your Health & Physical Education lessons. It contains a variety of items to promote physical literacy and encourage daily physical activity. Contact your .
Ontario Physical Activity Standards in Education (OPHEA)
Free, online activity-based resource helps children and youth develop an understanding of skills and strategies associated with physical activity and provide experiences to help with physical and health literacy and skills for healthy active living. www.ophea.net
Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada)
Offers professional development services, programs, and resources for quality physical health education and healthy learning environments. https://phecanada.ca
More resources will be added as they become available!
