The Michigan Model for Health™ (MMH) facilitates learning through a variety of interactive teaching and learning techniques. Skill development through demonstration and guided practice is emphasized resulting in the development of positive lifestyle behaviors for students and families.
The MMH middle school curriculum is designed for health education teachers to implement as a component of the core school curriculum, with each of the lessons lasting approximately 45 minutes in length. Furthermore, some lessons include activities to facilitate parental and family involvement beyond the classroom. The curriculum can be implemented in public, private, or alternative schools.
Michigan Model for Health™ Middle School (7-8)
The Michigan Model for HealthTM Middle SchoolCurriculum (Grades 7-8) addresses the major youth health risk behaviors identified by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The middle school curriculum is organized by five health topic modules that cover the following six main health topics. Each health topic module consists of one teacher manualwith fully-scripted lesson plans, teacher resources, and support materials.
Social & Emotional Health
Nutrition & Physical Activity
Safety
Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs
HIV/AIDS & Other STIs
The Michigan Model for HealthTM Grades 7-8 curriculum is available in digital and print formats by health topic module. The curriculum is developed with user-friendly instructions to help teachers prepare to teach the lessons in each unit. All lessons are formatted similarly to include: lesson objectives and correlation with Michigan and National Health Education Standards, time and materials chart, preparation tasks, tips, and lesson procedure.
The Michigan Model for HealthTM middle school curriculum is a CASEL Promising Program approved for Grades 7-8. The evaluation supported program effectiveness and found that compared to students in the comparison group students who participated in the program reported lower frequencies of using drugs and alcohol at post-test.
The skills students need to be contributing members of society, successful employees, and nurturing family members mirror the skills that they need to maintain and improve their health. The Michigan Model for Health™ program is a recommended CASEL Promising Program evidence-based curriculum that addresses the five core social emotional learning competencies including: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Lessons in theSafe and Sound for Life: Social and Emotional Health and Safety curriculum teach middle school students to learn ways to cooperate and respect one another and to build skills that develop healthy, life-long habits related to social and emotional health and safety. Health topics include:
Self-Awareness and Self-Respect
Stress Management
Anger Management
Communication Skills (Listening, I-Statements, Empathy and Refusal)
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Conflict Resolution
Violence Prevention, Including Bullying
Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships
Getting and Giving Help
Healthy eating and physical activity affects a student's health, growth, intellectual development, and how he or she looks and feels. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that poor eating habits and physical inactivity are responsible for the majority of diseases that result in early death for adults. The lessons in the Michigan Model for Health™A Winning Team: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity curriculum help middle students know how to choose foods wisely and save time for physical activity. Health topics include:
Health benefits of eating healthy foods and daily physical activity
Guidelines to set goals for a healthy diet and physical activity
How body image can impact a person’s eating and activity habits
Locating and assessing resources on nutrition and physical activity
Analyzing restaurant menu items, including fast food
Persuading others to eat healthy foods and be physically active
Refusing to be pressured into choosing foods and activities that will not yield health benefits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that alcohol and other drug use among our nation’s youth remains a major public health problem. The earlier teens start using substances, the greater their chances of continuing to use substances and developing substance use problems later in life. The lessons in the Michigan Model for Health™Stay Drug Free Today for a Successful Tomorrow curriculum provide middle school students with critical health information and opportunities to build health skills that will develop life-long healthy decisions related to alcohol and other drugs. Health topics include:
Internal and External Influences on Teenage Drug Use
Impact of Drug Use on the User and Others (Alcohol, Over-the-Counter Drugs and Prescription Drugs including Opioids, Marijuana, Sports Supplements, and Steroids)
Skills to Protect One-Self and Influence Others to be Drug Free (I-Statements, Refusal and Decision Making)
Identify Risky Situations
Getting and Giving Help
Advocate for Changes to Encourage Staying Drug Free
Smoking cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, hookah smoking and vaping e-cigarettes are all dangerous to teens health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that if cigarette smoking continues at the current rate in the United States, 5.6 million of today’s youth will die prematurely from a smoking-related illness. The lessons in Michigan Model for Health™The Power Is Yours To Be Tobacco Free curriculum provide middle school students accurate information about the impacts of tobacco use and vaping on their health and teaches important skills to protect themselves and others from tobacco and nicotine addiction. Health topics include:
Impacts of tobacco use, vaping and second-hand smoke exposure
What influences a person to use or refrain from using tobacco and vaping
Skills to protect oneself from risky situations related to tobacco and vaping
Skills to help others stay tobacco and vaping free
Where to find information and resources
An unintended pregnancy or infection with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, can alter the course of a young person’s life, or even shorten it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that half of all new STDs reported each year are among young people 15 to 24. The lessons in Michigan Model for Health™Growing Up and Staying Healthy: Understanding HIV and Other STIs curriculum teaches middle school students the knowledge and skills they need to avoid sexual behaviors that can damage their health and prevent them from reaching their full potential. Health topics include:
Facts about sexually transmitted infections and ways to prevent them
Behaviors that have no risk of transmitting infections and those that are risky
Possible legal, financial, health, social, and emotional consequences of sexual activity
Skills to communicate with family members and other trusted adults about sexual decisions and potential consequences
Skills to set personal limits and communicate them to peers
Skills to identify risky sexual situations and avoid or escape them
The benefits and skills for remaining abstinence
Methods for reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy (abstinence-based option)
Locating and assessing reliable sources of information
Goal-setting and advocacy skills
Digital Curriculum
The Michigan Model for HealthTM middle school digital curriculum format includes HTML lessons that are mobile-friendly with links to streamed videos and online teacher resources.
Print Curriculum
The Michigan Model for HealthTM middle school print curriculum format includes a three-ring print binder and a travel flash drive of electronic teacher resources.
Teacher Resources
streaming videos
student worksheets (available in Google and PDF)
pre-/post-assessments (available in Google and PDF)
teacher keys
teacher references
family resource sheets
teacher slides (available in MS PowerPoint and PDF)
assessment rubrics and/or checklists (available in MS Word and PDF)
website resources
Hands-On Support Materials
Instructional Support Materials are available to support classroom instruction of health lessons and can include: attractive full-color laminated posters, activity card sets, informational pamphlets, and DVD videos. Complete middle school grade level and health topic kits can be purchased or materials can be purchased separately.
Purchase MMH Curriculum & Support Materials
The middle school curriculum can be purchased individually by grade level or within digital curriculum bundles. School-wide and district-wide pricing discounts may also be available. To purchase MMH curriculum, Michigan educators, contact your School Health Coordinator and out-of-state educators, contact the Michigan Model for Health Clearinghouse. To view MMH middle school curriculum and support materials, click on the button link.