Understanding Healthy Living

Overview

This 45-minute lesson introduces Year 7 students to the concept of healthy living, focusing on three core aspects: nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being. It is the first lesson in the "Empowering Healthy Communities" unit, designed to meet the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education standards outlined in the National Curriculum for England.

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National Curriculum Links

PSHE Education Programme of Study (Key Stage 3, Years 7-9)

• Health and wellbeing
  • Pupils should know:
    • How to make informed decisions about health.
    • The importance of physical activity and mental wellbeing.
    • How to develop a healthy diet and lifestyle.
• Core themes:
  • Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities.
  • Preparing to play an active role as citizens.
  • Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle.

Learning Outcome Statements Addressed

• Recognise the characteristics of a healthy lifestyle including nutrition, physical activity, and mental wellbeing.
• Understand vocabulary related to health and wellbeing.
• Reflect on personal health choices and identify healthy habits.

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Learning Objectives (Differentiated)

Learning Level	Objective
Emerging	I can identify one healthy habit to adopt.
Developing	I can explain why exercise is important for wellbeing.
Secure	I can list a variety of healthy foods and explain their benefits.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed vocabulary flashcards: “nutrition”, “exercise”, “well-being”
• Paper and coloured pencils
• Pre-prepared healthy food images or real items (e.g., fruits, vegetables, whole grains)
• Exercise demonstration video (3 mins max)
• Reflection worksheets (with sentence starters tailored to differentiated objectives)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes) – Word Association

• Begin with a simple icebreaker: show the words nutrition, exercise, and well-being on flashcards.
• Ask students in pairs to shout out the first word/image that comes to mind for each.
• Quickly write key responses on the board, emphasizing healthy lifestyle connections.

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and introduce key vocabulary aligned with PSHE health objectives.

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2. Introduction to Healthy Living (10 minutes)

• Present a clear, engaging definition of healthy living (incorporating physical and mental aspects).
• Discuss briefly what ‘nutrition’, ‘exercise’, and ‘well-being’ mean in age-appropriate terms.
• Show images of healthy and unhealthy foods; ask students to identify which are healthy.
• Play the short exercise video showcasing simple activities suitable for their age.

National Curriculum focus: Understanding informed decisions about lifestyle choices.

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3. Main Activity - Interactive Group Discussion & Task (20 minutes)

Part A: Nutrition Brainstorm (10 mins)

• Provide students with paper and pencils.
• Task: Draw or list as many healthy foods as they can within 5 minutes.
• Share answers, encouraging ‘Secure’ level students to elaborate benefits (vitamins, energy).
• Support ‘Developing’ and ‘Emerging’ students with prompts and vocabulary.

Part B: Why Exercise Matters (10 mins)

• Facilitate a group discussion: Why do you think exercise is important?
• Write key responses on the board (improves health, mood, strength).
• For 'Developing' students, encourage them to explain using simple examples.
• For 'Emerging', guide them to identify and verbalise one healthy habit related to exercise or nutrition.

Differentiation: Scaffolded questioning and peer-support in small groups of 3.

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4. Reflection and Personal Goal Setting (5 minutes)

• Hand out reflection worksheet with sentence starters tailored to each level:
  • Emerging: “One healthy habit I want to try is…”
  • Developing: “Exercise is important because…”
  • Secure: “Some healthy foods are…, and they help me by…”
• Allow students to complete individually and share if comfortable.

Assessment Opportunity: Check worksheets to gauge understanding and to plan personalised next steps for subsequent lessons.

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5. Plenary - Healthy Living Quiz (5 minutes)

• Quick oral quiz game: Teacher asks rapid-fire questions based on the day’s learning (e.g., “Name 2 healthy foods”, “Why is exercise good for you?”).
• “Pass the Ball” or use a soft toy to increase engagement and turn-taking.

Purpose: Reinforce key vocabulary and concepts, ensuring active recall aligned with the National Curriculum’s emphasis on confidence and responsibility.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Informal formative assessment through participation in activities and discussions.
• Review reflection worksheets to identify understanding at each level.
• Provide verbal praise and targeted feedback during activities, affirming healthy choices and vocabulary use.

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Extension/Homework (Optional)

• Students can create a simple ‘Daily Healthy Living Planner’ listing meals, any exercise, and one positive mental health activity (like mindfulness or breathing exercises) to try.
• Encourages application of lesson to real life, supporting the unit’s aim to empower healthy communities.

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Use inclusive language to consider diverse dietary needs and physical abilities.
• Incorporate positive mental health messages sensitively, highlighting that wellbeing is holistic.
• Encourage respectful listening during discussions, enabling confidence-building for quieter students.

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This lesson combines knowledge, personal reflection, and practical engagement, aligned with the national curriculum focus on health and wellbeing, fostering lifelong skills for a healthy lifestyle in young learners.