Health Course Descriptions

7th Grade Health Course Description: All students at West Essex participate in health education for a nine-week period each year. Health Education in 7th Grade focuses on character education, personal health, stress management, bullying, cyberbullying, and decision-making. Occasionally our program is enhanced by utilizing out-of-district resources as presenters for our students.
8th Grade Course Description: This course has been designed with respect to and in compliance with the expectations set forth in the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards; Human Sexuality, Fitness & Nutrition, Body Image and Eating Disorders, Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana.


9th Grade Health is a one marking period course addressing the following units: alcohol and prescription drugs, substance abuse, relationships, human sexuality, pregnancy & childbirth.


Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Understand the immediate and long-term consequences of risky behavior associated with substance abuse. Students will acquire skills to interpret a drug dependency/addiction which typically requires outside intervention, a strong personal commitment, treatment, and the support of family. Students will analyze prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, medicinal supplements; identify their use for numerous reasons, and how they can be used safely and effectively. Utilize technology as personal health resource and understand how technology impacts the capacity of individual to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships.Through participation in small group cooperative tasks, projects, role-playing, and class discussions students are actively engaged in skill practice and use of higher level thinking processes as they positively interact with peers and adults.


10th Grade Health is a one marking period course addressing: Drivers Education.

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Understand the rules and regulations of road and drivers safety. Students should feel prepared to practice supervised driving, while abiding by laws and driving precautions. Students will analyze the distractions on the road; other drivers, passengers, technology, food, and music. Students will participate in the NJ Driver State Examination.


11th Grade Health is a one marking period course addressing the following units: planning and goal setting, nutrition, first aid safety & CPR, mental health, decision making, conflict resolution, stress management.


Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Understand that maintaining wellness requires ongoing evaluation of factors impacting health and modifying lifestyle behaviors accordingly. Applying basic nutrition to lifestyle behaviors that impacts wellness. Understand that personal health is impacted by family, community, national, and international efforts to prevent and control diseases and health conditions. Understand how pivotal stress management skills are and that they impact an individual’s ability to cope with different types of emotional situations. Understand that total wellness is the key to a healthy lifestyle.


12th Grade Health is a one marking period course addressing the following units: consumer health, weight management and fitness, reproductive systems, personal care, parenting and adulthood, prevention and safe behaviors.


Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Senior Health is designed to assist the student in preparing to make the transition from high school to the outside world. The foundation of a healthy teenager is the knowledge that their health is in their hands and based upon their day-to-day decisions. Students in this course will walk away with practical knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding their health and wellness as they embark on the next stage of their life. Students will discover solutions to health issues using available resources.They will understand that pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood are significant events that cause numerous changes in one’s life and the lives of others. Students will evaluate information that supports abstinence from sexual activities. They will analyze factors that influence the choice, use, and effectiveness of safer sex methods and contraception, including risk-reduction and risk-elimination strategies.