MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

7TH GRADE

LESSON 1 BestLife

Students will be able to:

Explain what Project Best Life is.
Understand what is expected throughout Project Best Life.

LESSON 2 BestLife Foundations

Students will be able to:

List the five areas of health.
Explain how the five areas of health affect each other.
Explain why social connection is a human’s deepest need.
Explain why someone’s values can affect their decisions.
Summarize at least two family values, and explain why they are important.

LESSON 3 Healthy Self-Relationship

Students will be able to:

Explain the importance of having a healthy self-relationship.
Assess their self-relationship with principles learned.
Devise a plan to improve their self-relationship based on assessment.

LESSON 4 Puberty

Students will be able to:

Define puberty.
Explain how puberty begins.
Identify changes in physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual/moral maturation during puberty.
Describe how to best care for their personal hygiene during and after puberty.

LESSON 5 Human Anatomy and Reproduction

Students will be able to:

Identify male and female reproductive anatomy using scientific names.
Describe the basic process of human reproduction using scientific names.
Describe proper personal hygiene and care for myself during menstruation. (females only)

LESSON 6 Online Safety & Healthy Relationships with Others

Students will be able to:

Define sexting.
Describe possible legal consequences of sexting.
Explain how to be safe if approached online.
Describe where to get help for online bullying.
Categorize behaviors and characteristics in a friendship as healthy or unhealthy.
Assess friendships and sort the healthy from the unhealthy.
Identify a healthy relationship from an unhealthy relationship.

LESSON 7 Boundaries and Refusal Skills

Students will be able to:

Define abstinence.
Give two examples of the benefit of choosing abstinence from sexual activity.
Define sexual activity, (i.e. physical intimacy and sexual behavior).
Formulate personal boundaries and limits with respect to self.
Describe and correctly demonstrate at least one verbal refusal skill.
Describe and correctly demonstrate at least one non-verbal refusal skill.

LESSON 8 Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Students will be able to:

Accurately assess the risks of contracting an STD.
Conclude, with evidence, that abstinence is the only 100% sure way to avoid an STD due to sexual activity.
Explain the meaning of “STD”.
Identify the four modes of STD transmission.
Describe risky behaviors, such as sexual activity, that increase the risk of contracting a STD.
Explain where to find accurate information and assistance about STDs in the community.

LESSON 9 The Dangers of Pornography & Challenges of Teenage Pregnancy

Students will be able to:

List three damaging effects of pornography.
Explain how to get help in case of pornography addiction.
List at least three challenges of going to school and/or starting a career with the responsibility of a child(ren).
Describe the three ways to reduce their risk of living in poverty.
Explain two ways that parents can responsibly terminate parental rights after the baby is born.

LESSON 10 BestLife Review

8TH GRADE

LESSON 1 BestLife 2.0

Students will be able to:

Describe the five areas of health.
Explain how the five areas of health affect each other.
Explain why social connection is a human’s deepest need.

LESSON 2 The Value of Role Models

Students will be able to:

List and describe at least two expectations their parents/guardians have for them as they gain independence
and responsibility.
List at least two role models in their life.
Describe at least two positive character traits of the role models they admire.
Identify three character traits they must develop for personal success and well being.

LESSON 3 Who Do You Want To Be?

Students will be able to:

Explain the purpose of setting goals.
List at least 3 dreams for their life.
Apply the four questions of challenge, goal, action steps, and target dates related to goal-setting, to set at least 3 goals.

LESSON 4 Healthy Communication & Relationships With Others

Students will be able to:

Describe how their voice should sound to communicate clearly.
Describe how their body language should look to communicate clearly.
Categorize behaviors and characteristics in a friendship as healthy or unhealthy.
Assess their friendships and sort the healthy from the unhealthy.
Identify a healthy relationship from an unhealthy relationship.

LESSON 5 Dating

Students will be able to:

Define sexual activity, i.e. physical intimacy and sexual behavior.
Explain the viewpoints of their parents and other trusted adults about teen relationships, abstinence,
and sexual decisions.
Describe at least two ways to express caring for a boyfriend or girlfriend while staying abstinent.
Identify healthy and unhealthy characteristics of a dating relationship.
Recognize warning signs of potential danger in relationships.
Describe how they can be an advocate for peers in unhealthy dating relationships.

LESSON 6 Boundaries and Refusal Skills

Students will be able to:

Create a plan of personal boundaries and limits related to physical intimacy and sexual behavior.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate their behavioral limits, and to show respect for the limits of others related
to physical intimacy and sexual behavior.

LESSON 7 HIV/AIDS

Students will be able to:

Explain how HIV is and is not transmitted.
Judge between facts and myths of HIV/AIDS.
Describe risky behaviors, such as sexual activity, that increase the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.
Explain where to find accurate information and assistance about HIV/AIDS in the community.

LESSON 8 Pornography and Sexting

Students will be able to:

Explain at least two risks of using pornography.
Explain the possible consequences of sexting for their future.
Describe possible legal consequences of sexting, including prison time, fines, and time on the sex offender registry.
Describe when help from a trusted adult is needed, and where they can find valid help for themself or others.

LESSON 9 Healthy Choices and Safety

Students will be able to:

Explain how alcohol and other drug use affects the body.
Evaluate the impact of alcohol and other drug use related to their relationships.
Evaluate the impact of alcohol and other drug use related to safety when dating.
Evaluate the impact of alcohol and other drug use on decisions regarding sexual behavior.
Define criminal sexual conduct, including the terms penetration, sexual contact, and aggravation and injury.
Differentiate between the four degrees of criminal sexual conduct.
Describe the extent of the problem of dating abuse, assault, and rape.
Describe when help from a trusted adult is needed, and where they can find valid help for themself or others.