Grade 8 Health South Carolina standards Standards

Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.

Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.

Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.

Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

Discuss the reasons that individuals use and abuse alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD).

Examine the short and long-term effects and consequences of ATOD use, including the impact on society.

Explain ways to access laws relating to ATOD use, possession, and sales.

Discuss the influence of family, peers, culture, and the media on an individual's opioid use, abuse and dependence.

Evaluate the influence of family, peers, culture, and the media on an individual's ATOD use.

Examine ways that a person's decisions about ATOD affect his or her family and peers, as well as society.

Explain when and how to ask for assistance in dealing with ATOD abuse with family members.

Advocate for positive alternatives to ATOD use.

Explain how roles, including rules and responsibilities of the members in a family, change over time (e.g., parental responsibilities when parenting a teenager versus parental responsibilities when parenting an infant).

Compare and contrast the structures and functions of the male and female reproductive systems.

Describe health issues that can affect male and female reproductive systems.

Discuss the advantages of abstinence.

Describe signs and symptoms and effective treatments of sexually transmitted infections and diseases (STIs/STDs), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS).

Explain effective methods for the prevention of STIs/STDs, HIV, AIDS, and unintended pregnancy.

Discuss South Carolina laws relating to the sexual conduct of minors, including criminal sexual conduct through the use of technology.

Explain ways that culture and the media influence families and relationships.

Discuss the influence of family, peers, culture, and the media on personal decisions about sexual behavior.

Evaluate the availability of valid information, community resources, and testing locations related to reproductive health and STIs/STDs.

Access valid information and resources related to bullying, cyberbullying, dating violence, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and sexual assault.

Discuss effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills for healthy parent, family, and peer relationships.

Utilize communication and refusal skills to promote sexual abstinence and to avoid risk behaviors.

Compare and contrast ways to communicate with parents, family members, and other safe adults about reproductive health and responsible behaviors.

Apply a decision-making process to promote abstinence and to avoid risk behaviors, including the use of the internet.

Set a personal specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goal to protect oneself from STIs/STDs, HIV, and AIDS.

Explain effective methods for the prevention of unintended pregnancy in the context of future family planning.

Explain how to effectively support a person who has been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, or dating violence.

Examine the scientific process of fertilization, prenatal care and development, childbirth, and postnatal care.

Identify ways to reduce risk of unintentional and intentional injuries in the home, school, and community.

Research the impact of gang activity on individuals, peers, family, school, and the community.

Define human trafficking.

Explain the effect of gangs on personal safety in the community.

Discuss the risk factors, prevention, and support for someone who is involved in human trafficking.

Apply refusal and negotiation skills to reduce the risk of injury and promote personal safety.

Apply a decision-making process to deal with situations involving personal safety and risk when using technology, including the internet, social media, texting, and sexting.

Demonstrate behaviors and strategies to manage conflict in healthy ways.

Plan protective strategies to reduce the risk of violence in the home, school, and community.

Encourage others to provide active bystander-interventions when others are at risk.

Examine factors that contribute to a positive self-concept.

Discuss the interrelationship among mental, emotional, social, and physical health during adolescence.

Describe the characteristics of resiliency.

Demonstrate effective ways to communicate personal boundaries and show respect for the boundaries of others.

Examine how family, peers, and the media influence the mental, emotional, and social health of adolescents.

Evaluate how external influences affect feelings of depression, as well as the risk of self-harm and suicide.

Explain ways that the media influences an individual's body image.

Locate valid health information, products, and services.

Demonstrate communication skills that foster healthy relationships.

Implement a stress-management plan.

Implement strategies to maintain or improve mental, emotional, and social health.

Demonstrate effective skills to negotiate agreements about the use of technology in relationships.

Discuss coping strategies to increase resiliency.

Describe the potential impacts of power differences such as age, status, or position within relationships.

Examine the benefits of choosing healthy foods while following the current federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Discuss ways that disordered eating impacts an individual's health, including oral health.

Explain the mental, social and physical benefits of moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Describe ways that personal economics and geographic location influence food choices and availability.

Discuss the influence of the environment on a person's physical activity.

Explain to others the importance of variety and moderation in food selection and consumption with emphasis on healthy foods and beverages.

Create a personal SMART goal to achieve a balanced nutrition plan, monitor the progress of that goal, and make the necessary adjustments to reach it.

Develop and implement a plan to increase physical activity.

Develop and implement a personal balanced nutritional plan that benefits oral health as well as overall health.

Articulate the importance of assuming personal responsibility for consuming healthy foods and beverages, and engaging in physical activity.

Implement an advocacy plan to promote healthy food and beverage choices, and physical activity in the community.

Explain the components of personal wellness.

Discuss how heredity, lifestyle, behaviors, environment, and medical care influence an individual's health.

Research ways in which organ, tissue, and blood donations enhance health promotion.

Discuss the ways that social norms influence healthy and unhealthy decisions and behaviors.

Explain behaviors that may lead to the spread of communicable diseases.

List actions to include in an oral health plan (e.g., floss, receive regular dental cleanings, brush twice a day).

Demonstrate ways to encourage others to avoid risk behaviors.

Demonstrate ways to advocate for a healthy environment.