Healthy Habits Start

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Overview

Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Year Level: 1-2 (aligned to Australian Curriculum)
Curriculum Link: Health and Physical Education (F-2) - Personal, Social and Community Health:

• Content Descriptions:
  • Identify actions that keep themselves healthy and safe (ACPPS003).
  • Recognise situations and opportunities to promote health and wellbeing (ACPPS005).

Focus of the Lesson:
Students will build foundational knowledge about healthy habits. They'll explore what makes a "healthy action" and engage in fun, interactive activities to learn about eating well, moving their bodies, and practising good hygiene.

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Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should:

• Understand the meaning of "healthy habits."
• Name at least three healthy habits related to eating, exercise, or hygiene.
• Explain why healthy habits are important for their wellbeing.

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Lesson Plan

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (10 mins)

Introduction to Healthy Habits

1. Greet the students and sit them in a circle on the carpet.
2. Ask, “What does it mean to be healthy?”
   • Write down their answers on the board (or a large sheet of butcher paper).
   • Examples might include feeling good, growing strong, having energy, or being safe.
3. Show a "Healthy Habits Treasure Box." Inside are items/pictures that represent healthy habits, e.g.:
   • A toothbrush
   • A water bottle
   • A fruit snack (real or pretend)
   • A pair of running shoes

Discussion Prompt: “These items are clues! What do you think they could be telling us today? What might it mean to have healthy habits?”
Guide students toward the idea that healthy habits are things we do to care for our body and mind every day.

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2. Whole Class Activity: Healthy, or Not? (15 mins)

Sorting Game

1. Place two large signs in front of the class: "Healthy Habit" and "Not a Healthy Habit."

2. Hand out pre-made picture cards to students with simple actions on them (one card per student). Examples:

   • Brushing your teeth
   • Eating lollies every day
   • Running in the playground
   • Getting enough sleep
   • Sharing combs with friends
   • Washing hands before eating

3. Students take turns coming to the front of the class to read/show their card and stick it under the appropriate sign with Blu Tack.

4. As a class, discuss why each habit is healthy or not healthy. For younger Year 1 students, prompt with questions like:

   • “What happens if we eat too much sugar?”
   • “Why is it good to wash our hands?”

5. Repeat until all cards are sorted. Conclude by saying, “Healthy habits help us look after our bodies and feel our best!”

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3. Interactive Learning Stations (20 mins)

Station Set-Up

Divide the room into three stations with 10 students rotating through each. Rotate every 6 minutes, leaving 2 minutes at the end for group reflection.

1. Station 1: Healthy Plate Puzzles

   • Students piece together magnetic "food group" puzzle boards showing balanced meals based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
   • Discuss which foods give our bodies energy and nutrients.

2. Station 2: Move Your Body Dice Game

   • Using a large foam dice, students roll actions (e.g., hop, skip, star jumps) written on a poster and count the repetitions aloud.
   • Emphasise the importance of daily movement for strong bodies and fun!

3. Station 3: Handwashing Glitter Germs

   • Coat a few students' hands in glitter lotion (representing germs).
   • Discuss how germs spread when we don’t wash hands.
   • Students practise washing their hands with water and soap at a classroom sink to see how well they remove the "germs."

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4. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 mins)

1. Gather students back on the carpet and ask:

   • “What are some healthy habits we learned about today?”
   • “Does anyone think they’ll try a new habit at home tonight?”

2. Distribute a “Healthy Habits Adventure Chart.” This is a take-home sheet where students can colour a star each time they practise healthy habits (e.g., eating a fruit/veg, brushing teeth, etc.) during the week. The chart will be revisited at the start of Lesson 2.

3. Wrap up with “Today we started our Healthy Habits Adventure! Next time, we’re going to learn how food can be like fuel for our bodies!”

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Differentiation

• For younger Year 1 students or those needing additional support, simplify language and instructions. For instance, use shorter sentences during the discussions or pair them with a buddy for group activities.
• Offer visual supports, such as real photos for food groups (Station 1) or step-by-step posters for the Glitter Germ activity.
• For Year 2 students or advanced learners, challenge them to classify why some "Not Healthy Habits" are harmful instead of just identifying them.

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Assessment

• Formative: Monitor participation during group discussions and activities. Note the connections students make to their own lives.
• Anecdotal Notes: Record which students demonstrate understanding of key concepts (e.g., identifying healthy habits and explaining why they are important).
• Healthy Habits Adventure Chart will serve as an assessment tool leading into the next lesson.

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Resources

• Healthy Habits Treasure Box (toothbrush, water bottle, etc.)
• Sorting game picture cards
• Magnetic "Healthy Plate" puzzles (laminated for reuse)
• Foam dice/game actions poster
• Glitter lotion, soap, towels
• Healthy Habits Adventure Chart handouts

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Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson)

• Did the students engage with the sorting game and stations?
• Were age-specific connections made between habits and their benefits?
• How can this lesson inform the next one in the unit? Consider scaffolding more complex habits in Lesson 2.

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This detailed and activity-filled lesson ensures active participation, integrates Australian curriculum standards, and provides tangible take-home segments to connect school learning to home life!