Skills-based health education is transforming how schools approach health instruction—shifting the focus from memorizing facts to developing real-life skills students can use to lead healthier lives. Rooted in national standards and designed to be practical, engaging, and impactful, this approach prepares students not just to know about health, but to live it.
In this article, we’ll break down the SHAPE America National Health Education Standards, explore the core components of a skills-based approach, and provide a sample lesson from PLT4M’s comprehensive health education program. Whether you’re a veteran teacher or new to health education, this guide will offer clear insight into what skills-based health education looks like—and how it can come to life in your classroom.
SHAPE America National Health Education Standards
SHAPE America’s National Health Education Standards define what a student should know and be able to do as a result of a highly effective health education program. These standards serve as a strong foundation for health educators creating skills-based health education.
By centering instruction around the National Health Education Standards, educators ensure students are not only gaining functional knowledge but also developing the practical skills needed to navigate real-life health decisions.
These standards are intentionally designed to foster student growth in personal and social responsibility for health, empowering young people to make informed choices and lead healthier lives.
The standards provide a framework that emphasizes skill development over rote memorization of health class content, aligning with modern approaches to education that value application and action. Whether educators are teaching elementary students or high schoolers, these benchmarks help create cohesive, age-appropriate learning experiences that prioritize both individual and community well-being.
The 8 National Health Education Standards are:
Use functional health information to support health and well-being of self and others.
Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others.
Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self and others.
Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self and others.
Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and others.
Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others.
Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self and others.
Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others.
A skills-based approach ensures that health education is more than just informational—it’s transformational. By using the standards as a guide, schools can build programs that equip students with lifelong skills to thrive physically, mentally, and socially, with well-rounded, healthy lifestyles.
Skills-Based Health Education
Skills-based health education goes beyond simply teaching students about health—it equips them with the skills they need to apply knowledge in real-life situations. Grounded in national standards, this approach focuses on empowering students to make informed decisions, develop healthy habits, and build strong interpersonal skills that support their well-being and the well-being of others.
At PLT4M, we’ve built a comprehensive and ready-to-use health education curriculum that aligns with this skills-based approach. Our health lesson plans are designed to make planning and execution simple for educators while maximizing student engagement and learning outcomes. Each lesson includes three key components that bring skills-based health education to life in the classroom:
Do Now – Each lesson begins with a “Do Now” activity designed to kick off the class. This short, thought-provoking prompt gets students thinking critically and personally connecting with the day’s topic right from the start.
Content – Students then dive into the core of the lesson through a curated article and an engaging video. This section provides clear, reliable information and encourages deeper exploration of key health concepts and issues.
Live The Lesson – The final component ties everything together through practical application. This is where students practice the specific skills highlighted in the lesson—like communication, decision-making, or advocacy—reinforcing the core goal of skills-based health education: applying learning in real-world contexts.
PLT4M’s structured, skills-based approach helps health teachers bring effective, meaningful health education into every classroom—no matter their experience level or background in health.
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Built By Educators, For Educators – Jeff Bartlett
To ensure our skills-based health education curriculum is both practical and impactful, PLT4M partnered with one of the nation’s top health educators, Jeff Bartlett, to create two key elements of every lesson: the Do Now and Live The Lesson activities.
Jeff brings his classroom expertise and award-winning teaching strategies to the table, designing engaging openers (Do Nows) that spark curiosity and encourage personal reflection. He also creates the Live The Lesson components—practical, skill-based applications that give students the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into action.
Jeff Bartlett has worked at Holten Richmond Middle School, a public 6–8 middle school in Danvers, Massachusetts, since 2008. A graduate of Springfield College and Boston University, Jeff was named the 2020 Massachusetts Health Teacher of the Year, the 2021 SHAPE America Eastern District Teacher of the Year, and the 2021 SHAPE America National Teacher of the Year.
In addition to teaching, Jeff coaches high school cross country and track & field at Danvers High School, home of the 2023 Massachusetts Boys Cross Country State Champions. He also runs Level Up Health Education, LLC, where he supports health educators nationwide through professional development, resources, and a widely read email newsletter.
Jeff lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with his wife and two daughters, and enjoys reading, hiking, and cycling—both outdoors and on Zwift.
His contributions help ensure that every PLT4M health lesson starts strong and ends with purpose, giving educators powerful tools to deliver high-quality, skills-based health education.
Sample Skills-Based Health Education Lesson
Below is a sample lesson from PLT4M’s skills-based health education program. This example comes from our “Sleep” unit, with the first lesson focused on the Benefits of Sleep.
Like all PLT4M lessons, it follows our three-part structure designed to engage students, deliver meaningful content, and promote real-life skill application:
Do Now – A short, reflective prompt that gets students thinking about their own sleep habits and how sleep impacts their daily life.
Content – A student-friendly article and video that explore the science and importance of sleep, including how quality rest supports physical health, mental well-being, academic performance, and emotional regulation.
Live The Lesson – A hands-on activity that encourages students to advocate to a friend about the benefits of sleep using the information from the lesson.
Key Takeaways On Health Education
The sample lesson on sleep is just one example of how skills-based health education can engage students and promote lasting, meaningful learning. By combining reflection, reliable content, and real-world application, this approach transforms traditional health instruction into something far more impactful.
PLT4M’s full health education curriculum goes well beyond sleep and covers a wide range of critical health topics that support the whole student. With lessons spanning:
- …and an ever growing library of awesome content!
Health educators have access to a robust, ready-to-use program that aligns with national standards and brings health education to life.
Whether you’re introducing students to foundational habits or tackling complex social issues, PLT4M’s skills-based health education provides the structure and support needed to help students thrive—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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