Provides Age-Appropriate and Developmentally Appropriate Information, Learning Strategies, Teaching Methods, and Materials

Description: An effective curriculum addresses students’ needs, interests, concerns, age, developmental and emotional maturity levels, experiences, and current knowledge and skill levels. Developmentally appropriate practice does not mean making things easier for students. Rather, it means ensuring that healthy behavior outcomes (HBOs), functional health knowledge, skills, and experiences are suited to students’ learning and development and are challenging enough to promote progress and interest. In addition, concepts and skills should be taught in a logical sequence through reinforcement, but not repetition, at each grade level.¹

Example 1

For this teaching example, the lesson being taught is designing a breakfast for healthy growth and development, and the HBO for the lesson is FN-1: Follow a healthy eating pattern that meets individual preferences and needs for growth and development (HECAT Appendix 3).

1. The teacher designs the lesson, designing a breakfast for healthy growth and development, to reinforce students’ learning of the knowledge expectation of explaining why breakfast should be eaten every day.
2. The teacher writes the following two prompts on the whiteboard and has the students write responses on a sheet of paper:
   1. Why should breakfast be eaten every day?
   2. What are the components of a healthy breakfast?
3. The teacher then has each student find a partner to compare responses to the first question.
4. The teacher and the students discuss responses and create a list of reasons why breakfast should be eaten every day (e.g., focus, energy, and feeling full).
5. The teacher has each pair of students work with another pair of students to compare responses to the second question (What are the components of a healthy breakfast?) and writes the groups’ responses on the whiteboard.
6. The teacher and students compare the groups’ responses to the components of a healthy breakfast (e.g., fruits, vegetables, whole grain, protein, nutrient dense, low sugar, or low salt).
7. The students work in groups to draw a healthy breakfast on the whiteboard.
8. The teacher and the students then review and provide feedback related to the groups’ pictures of a healthy breakfast.

Example 2

Note: This activity is developmentally appropriate for 5th grade students.

For this teaching example, the lesson being taught is healthy growth and development, and the HBO for this lesson is SH-1: Recognize developmental changes experienced by self and others during childhood and adolescence (HECAT Appendix 3).

1. The teacher reviews the developmentally and age-appropriate sexual health knowledge expectations listed in the HECAT for students in grades 3–5. The teacher uses the following two knowledge expectations aligned with this HBO to design this lesson:
   1. Describe the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that occur during puberty.
   2. Explain how puberty and development can vary greatly and be normal.
      
2. The teacher starts the lesson by distributing a journal worksheet to students and asking them to complete it. The worksheet includes the following items:
   1. When I think of the word “puberty,” I . . .
   2. “Puberty” is defined as…
   3. Facts related to puberty
      1. Puberty is normal.
      2. Puberty and development vary greatly from one person to another.
      3. It is normal for puberty to vary greatly from one person to another.
   4. Changes associated with puberty
      1. Physical changes
      2. Cognitive (how you think) changes
      3. Emotional changes
      4. Social changes

         

3. The teacher shows and reads to the students the definition of “puberty”: puberty is the time of life when a child experiences physical and hormonal changes that mark the changes into adulthood. The teacher asks the students to compare their definition of “puberty” and the definition of “puberty” provided by the teacher. The teacher reassures the students that although puberty can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss, it is important for everyone to understand that puberty is a normal part of growth and development.
4. The teacher also explains that there are physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes associated with puberty, then asks the students to write down at least one puberty-related change that happens
   1. in their body,
   2. in the way they think,
   3. in their emotions, and
   4. in the way they interact with friends, family, and peers.
5. The teacher calls on student volunteers to share examples.
6. The teacher reviews the physical (e.g., voice change, hair growth, or growth spurt), cognitive (e.g., abstract thinking or being able to consider many points of view), emotional changes (e.g., mood swings, irritability, or sensitivity), and social changes (e.g., peers become more important or concerns about appearance) associated with puberty.
7. The teacher concludes the lesson by asking the students to write one thing they learned about puberty.

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