Elementary school educator resources

Children’s health and well-being is improved by walking, wheeling, or taking the bus all or part way to school. Teaching students how to be safe as pedestrians is a component of this process.

Classroom resources

• RoadSMARTS 4 Kids – The Ottawa Safety Council has created a series of downloadable curriculum linked teacher modules or E-cademy course to support student learning of pedestrian safety skills. (Primary, Junior)
• Parachute – Pedestrian safety section provides information on how parents and caregivers can teach their children how to be road safe, and the signs/skills needed for children to walk alone safely. (Primary, Junior) 
• Ontario Active School Travel – Ontario Active School Travel has a variety of resources for fun events, planning, and advocacy. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Young Cyclist’s Guide – This guide from Ministry of Transportation Ontario provides kid-friendly cycling safety information. (Junior, Intermediate) 

Tips for teaching about body image

• Teach students that our body image and confidence can be influenced by many factors such as: friends, educators, parents, social media, their physical environment, and their social environment.
• Help students to understand that all bodies are good bodies.
• Encourage them to accept their bodies and care for them by practicing habits that will keep them mentally and physically well, including being kind to themselves.

Classroom resources

• NEDIC Beyond Images – A free curriculum that provides students with the opportunity to explore key issues around body image and self-esteem. Also available in French. (Junior, Intermediate)
• Dove Self-Esteem Project: Confident Me – Teaching resources designed to enable teachers to run their own in-class workshops on self-esteem and body confidence. (Junior Grade 6, Intermediate)
• Media Smarts – Search tool to find lesson plans, tip sheets, and other resources on various media topics, including body image. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)

Bullying can take on many forms, all of which can cause immediate and long-lasting harm to a child’s physical, emotional, social and mental health. School staff can help promote healthy relationships and reduce bullying by:

• Helping students develop healthy communication, relationship, and social-emotional skills through classroom curricula and activities.
• Role modelling healthy relationship skills and creating a safe classroom environment.
• Promoting a whole school approach to preventing bullying by developing and maintaining positive and inclusive environments for all students.
• Being aware of the signs of bullying and its dangers to student health.
• Intervening immediately and consistently when bullying behaviours occur and being aware of how to support students who are being bullied as well as students who are bullying.

Classroom resources

• Everyday Practices to Build Healthy Relationship Skills – SMHO – A collection of classroom practices educators can use to promote positive relationships. This resource helps educators incorporate themes of being a good friend, being respectful, acts of kindness, resolving conflict, listening, and practicing empathy into the classroom through fun and easy to implement activities. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Kindness in the Classroom – A free CASEL approved 36-week curriculum to teach social-emotional skills and help create a culture of kindness and positive relationships amongst students. Includes lesson plans, book lists, training materials, and classroom activities. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Roots of Empathy – An evidence-based classroom program designed to increase empathy and reduce aggressive behaviours and bullying behaviours in children. Program involves having a Roots of Empathy Trainer and volunteer family visit the classroom throughout the course of several months to help develop skills of perspective-taking and emotional literacy. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• ECNO: Technology Leadership for Ontario’s School Boards – A variety of lesson plans and classroom resources for Ontario educators covering cybersafety basics, digital wellness, artificial intelligence and social media/gaming. (JK,SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)  

Additional resources

• Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network – PREVNet
• Bullying Facts and Solutions – PREVNet
• Healthy Relationships Training Module – PREVNet
• Egale – Resources for 2SLGBTQI issues and inclusive schools
• Kids Help Phone – Resources on bullying and peer relations with live chat support
• Safe@School – Ontario Teachers’ Federation project on bullying prevention
• Social-Emotional Learning Videos Series – SMHO

Classroom resources

Borrow a classroom resource from Southeast Public Health:

• Healthy Snacking Kit. Snacks for a Healthy Smile (2022) – Clown apron activity and handouts for students and parents about healthy snacks and dental health.(JK, SK, Primary)
• Oral Health Teaching Kit (2022) – Stuffed dinosaur with large mouth model, toothbrush for demonstrations, books, and class set of toothbrushes.  (JK, SK, Primary)
• Tooth Anatomy (2016) – Large 3D model of one quadrant of the mouth with removable parts and “How a Cavity Forms” poster.  (Resource number: 14106). (Primary Grade 3, Junior, Intermediate) 
• Toothie in Toothland – Video about the importance of teeth with proper brushing technique demonstration. (Primary)

Building food skills and familiarity with a variety of foods is one of the best ways that nutrition education can support young students. Through an inclusive and food neutral approach, educators can help students to develop a positive relationship with eating.

Children are concrete thinkers, and it is not until age 12 that they start to understand abstract concepts such as nutrition. Rather than emphasizing the health benefits of certain foods, try to inspire curiosity about food through experiential learning and food exploration.

Try to talk about all foods in a neutral manner. Labelling foods into “good or bad”, “healthy or unhealthy” categories promote “all or none” thinking. It is important that educators do not comment on student lunches. School mealtime roles should be:

• Parents and caregivers decide what foods are packed for meals and snacks.
• Schools decide when and where students eat.
• Students decide whether and how much to eat from what was packed.

Classroom resources

• Agriculture Classroom Canada – A curriculum connected resource matrix on key topics in agriculture. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• At my Best – A free comprehensive curriculum supported toolkit promoting overall wellness. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• BrightBites – An online program by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health with HPE and Science curriculum-based lesson plans. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate) 
• Canada’s Food Guide in the Classroom – A series of digital lesson plans about Canada’s Food Guide. (Junior, Intermediate)
• Teach Nutrition – Dairy Farmers of Canada – Tools and resources created by registered dietitians. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Co-Co’s Adversmarts – An interactive unit on food marketing. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Nutrition Education Consulting – Lessons and activities with evidence-informed, child-centered nutrition information. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Sustain Ontario – Food Literacy and Children and Youth initiatives. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Teach Food First – Resources to aid educators in encouraging food exploration. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Food is Science – Evidence-based resources for Ontario’s Science and Technology Curriculum. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)

Additional resources

• • Teaching and Talking to Students about Food and Nutrition – Healthy Schools BC
  • Unlock Food
  • Canada’s Food Guide

Sexual health is an important component to a person’s overall health. Teaching sexual health is best done through:

• Creating a safe, respectful, and accepting space for all students.
• Using inclusive language to support all students.
• Reflecting on personal values and biases prior to teaching.

Classroom resources

• Always Changing – puberty education program
• Amaze.org – Animated videos to support teaching HDSH curriculum topics. Preview videos first to ensure alignment. (Primary Grade 3, Junior, Intermediate)
• Teaching Sexual Health – Teacher portal and parent portal with evidence-based lesson plans. (Junior, Intermediate)
• Educator Guide – SIECCAN – Gender-Based Violence Prevention within School-Based Comprehensive Sexual Health Education. (Junior, Intermediate)
• Niagara Region Public Health – lessons and resources. (primary, junior, intermediate)
• Draw the Line – Sexual violence prevention resources

Additional resources

• Contraception Booklet – Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
• Sexually Transmitted Infection Booklet – Public Health Agency of Canada
• SEX and U – Sexual and reproductive health information
• Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network – PREVNet
• Sieccan – Sexual and reproductive health information
• Saleema Noon – Sexual Health Educators
• Talking About Sexuality in Canadian Communities – Resources for youth with disabilities
• Egale Canada – 2SLGBTQI resources

Immunization is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of vaccine preventable diseases. Educators can empower students to make informed health decisions by:

• Developing health and media literacy with students so they can assess credible sources of health-related information.
• Facilitating open and non-judgmental discussions that are based in evidence.
• Encouraging and teaching about coping mechanisms for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students who may have fears or anxiety related to school immunization clinics.

Additional resources

• Immunization Information on the Internet: Can you trust what you read? – Immunize Canada
• School Immunization Checklist – Ministry of Health Ontario
• Vaccine Safety (Video) – Immunize Canada (Intermediate)
• Give Vaccines a Shot: A Guide to the Immune System – Science North (Junior, Intermediate)
• Teens, meet Vaccines – Public Health Agency of Canada (Intermediate)
• Immunize Canada – Teacher’s kit for integrating immunization education into Grade 6 curriculum

School staff can help reduce the spread of communicable childhood illnesses by:

• Teaching students about how infectious illnesses can be shared, and ways to prevent or reduce their spread.
• Encouraging proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, discouraging the sharing of personal items.
• Reminding students, families and staff to stay home when sick.
• Being aware of requirements related to reportable diseases according to Section 265 of the Ontario Education Act.

Classroom resources

• Safety Practices for Preventing Infectious Diseases – OPHEA – Educator toolkit regarding safety practices. (Primary)
• The Scrub Club – Online resource for teachers with lesson plans, infographics, videos, and activities on handwashing. (Primary, Junior)
• Hand-Washing Heroes – Government of Canada – Video to help children learn how to wash their hands for 20 seconds. (Primary)

Additional resources

• Hand Hygiene: The importance of cleaning hands – Public Health Ontario.
• Environmental Cleaning: Refresher For School and Child Care Settings – Public Health Ontario.
• Common Childhood Illnesses – Canadian Paediatric Society.
• Hand Hygiene in School and Early Year Education – CDC.

Mental health is an essential component of overall health. School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) suggests:

• Keep the focus on positive mental health.
• Create a safe space where students feel comfortable taking in new information and expressing ideas.
• Be mindful of accessibility and inclusivity of Black, Indigenous, racialized, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
• Encourage participation, to the degree students are comfortable.
• Guide the conversation, keep it focused on the lesson, and avoid setting up opportunities for sensitive personal disclosures.
• Complete the School Mental Health Ontario Mental Health Literacy Course for Educators to increase knowledge and comfort in support student mental health and well-being.  

Classroom resources

• Wayfinder – SMHO – Your Grade-By-Grade Guide to Teach about Mental Health. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate) 
• Kindergarten Connections – SMHO – Evidence-informed check-ins and activities for social-emotional skills. (JK, SK)
• Mental Health Literacy Lesson Plans – SMHO and OPHEA – Lesson plans for mental health literacy and social-emotional learning. (Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Everyday Mental Health Classroom Resource – SMHO – Evidence-informed mental health practices for public school learning and faith-based learning. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• Kindness in the Classroom – A free CASEL approved curriculum to teach social-emotional skills. (JK, SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate)
• ECNO: Technology Leadership for Ontario’s School Boards – A variety of lesson plans and classroom resources for Ontario educators covering cybersafety basics, digital wellness, artificial intelligence and social media/gaming. (JK,SK, Primary, Junior, Intermediate) 

Additional resources

• School Mental Health Ontario – Evidence-based mental health promotion
• Teach Resiliency – PHE Canada

Physical activity should be taught within the context of a healthy school, using the Ontario HPE Curriculum Elementary or Ontario HPE Curriculum Secondary.

Teaching tips for physical activity

• Incorporating physical activity into the classroom whenever possible.
• Providing students with meaningful feedback regarding their skills and effort.
• Modifying games for the group to shift the emphasis to fun.
• Changing up the participants regularly.
• Introducing a variety, choice and non-traditional activities.
• Introducing individual and recreational activities such as walking, running, dancing, yoga, hiking.

Classroom resources

• Coming soon.

Additional resources

• Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines: Newborn to 4 years | Children 5 to 17 years.
• Kingston Gets Active
• Active for Life
• Ophea Teaching Tools

Educating students about substances is best done by:

• Delivering over multiple lessons.
• Making cross curricular connections between personal choices related to substance use and healthy coping skills.
• Creating a safe nurturing environment using non-stigmatizing language.
• Engaging parents and caregivers to enhance programming.

Classroom resources

• Ophea – Substance Use, Addictions, and Related Behaviours (cannabis and vaping). (Junior, Intermediate)
• Health Canada Experiences – A variety of information and resources including Get the Facts, Know More Opioids, Pursue Your Passion, Consider the Consequences of Vaping. (Junior, Intermediate)
• YMCA Youth Cannabis Awareness Program – In person or virtual workshops and webinars. (Intermediate)
• Cannabis and Mental Health – Resources and activities around mental health and substance use. (Intermediate)
• Not an Experiment – An interactive website reviewing dangers of vaping with lesson plan. (Intermediate)
• Behind the Haze – An interactive website reviewing the harms of vaping. (Intermediate)
• My Brain My Choice – Southeast Public Health’s multi-component program designed to delay or prevent substance use in youth. Contact Healthy Schools by emailing Healthy.Schools@SoutheastPH.ca or your school’s public health nurse for information or to book. (Grade 6)