What Ontario grade 7 students learn in health and physical education

Your child will learn to recognize and handle their emotions during health and physical education activities. This will help them express their own feelings better and understand how others are feeling.

Your child will learn to recognize what causes them stress and how to deal with challenges, including knowing when and how to ask for help. This will help them build resilience, which is their ability to bounce back from difficulties.

Your child will learn to develop a positive attitude and keep trying even when things are difficult in physical education and health activities. This will help them feel hopeful and optimistic. For example, they will learn to listen to their body to push themselves, be ready for different weather to stay active outdoors, and challenge negative thoughts about their body to feel good about themselves and make healthy choices.

Your child will learn how to build strong, positive relationships with others, understand their feelings, and communicate effectively. This includes learning to be inclusive in games and activities, showing good sportsmanship, and understanding how to respond to hurtful comments.

Your child will learn to understand themselves better and feel more confident while participating in health and physical education activities. This helps them develop a stronger sense of who they are and feel like they belong. For example, they might think about how their family or culture influences their choices about being active, or understand how breaking down a difficult skill like a cartwheel into smaller steps can help them improve.

Your child will learn to think carefully and creatively during health and physical education activities. This helps them connect ideas, understand problems, and make good decisions.

Your child will be able to actively participate in many different physical activities, like individual and group sports, dance, and outdoor activities. They will also learn to be a good sport and try their best.

Your child will understand what makes physical activity enjoyable for them, like being able to change games, trying different activities, and feeling comfortable while being active. They will explore many types of activities, including team sports, individual activities, dance, and fitness, both indoors and outdoors.

Your child will understand what encourages or discourages people from being physically active every day, such as friends, self-confidence, or the cost of activities.

Your child will participate in at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day that gets their heart rate up, including warming up their muscles before and cooling them down afterwards.

Your child will learn what affects their overall health and fitness, such as their genes, diet, and surroundings. They will also understand how to use training principles like how often, how hard, and how long they exercise to improve their fitness.

Your child will be able to figure out how fit they are in different areas like how well their heart and lungs work, how strong their muscles are, how long their muscles can work, and how flexible they are. They will also learn to keep track of how their fitness changes over time, for example, by noticing their heart rate or how quickly they recover after exercise.

Your child will learn to create, follow, and adjust a personal fitness plan to reach short-term health goals, like getting stronger or improving endurance. They will also understand how to set realistic goals, overcome challenges, and track their progress.

Your child will learn how to stay safe and prevent injuries, including concussions, during physical activities, both for themselves and others. This includes understanding how to follow rules, be responsible, and check for potential dangers around them.

Your child will learn how to recognize and react to dangers that could cause sickness or injury, like concussions, when playing outside. This includes understanding how different dangers can lead to different problems and knowing when to tell an adult, remove the danger, or move away from it.

Your child will be able to move smoothly and keep their balance, both when standing still (static balance) and when moving (dynamic balance), even when interacting with others or using equipment. This includes being able to shift their weight and turn their body in different activities.

Your child will be able to perform many different ways of moving their body, like running, jumping, or dodging, even when using equipment. They will also learn to react to things around them, such as other players, music, or changes in the ground.

Your child will be able to throw, catch, and hold onto different objects while understanding where they are and how they're moving compared to other people, equipment, and boundaries. They will also learn to use basic movement techniques, like adjusting their force or body position, to play sports effectively.

Your child will understand that most movements, like jumping, have three parts: getting ready (preparation), doing the movement (execution), and finishing it (follow-through). They will use this understanding to improve how they move in different physical activities.

Your child will understand the different parts of various physical activities, like how to move, the rules of games, and how to play fairly and politely. They will use this understanding when they participate in different activities both inside and outside.

Your child will be able to describe and compare different types of physical activities, such as individual sports or team sports like net/wall games (e.g., volleyball) or striking/fielding games (e.g., baseball). They will also understand how to use effective strategies when playing these different activities.

Your child will be able to use different strategies and tactics during physical activities to improve their chances of success, like practicing parts of a dance separately or working with teammates to cover space in a game.

Your child will be able to understand the good things and bad things that can come from using computers and other digital devices, both for themselves and others. They will also learn how to protect themselves from potential dangers like privacy issues, mental health effects, and online predators.

Your child will understand how mental health issues and substance use are connected, and how cannabis use can affect a developing brain. They will also learn about resources at school and in the community that can help with mental health concerns related to substance use and addiction.

Your child will learn why it's important for partners to openly discuss and agree on decisions about sexual activity, including waiting until they are older, understanding consent (which means clearly agreeing to participate), and knowing the legal age for consent. They will also understand the importance of clear communication in any healthy relationship.

Your child will learn about infections that can be passed through sexual contact or blood, and understand what signs and symptoms to look for.

Your child will learn how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), blood-borne infections (BBIs), and unplanned pregnancies by understanding the importance of waiting until they are older for sexual activity and consistently using protection like condoms.

Your child will understand the difference between mental health (your overall well-being) and mental illness (a diagnosed health condition), and be able to recognize signs of mental health problems.

Your child will learn how to make healthier food choices by understanding how different foods can either help prevent or contribute to common health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and allergies.

Your child will learn to understand the harm that bullying, abuse, exploitation, or harassment can cause to themselves and others, including when it's based on someone's identity or involves pressure related to online activities. They will also learn how to prevent or deal with these situations, like reporting incidents or seeking help.

Your child will learn how focusing too much on body image or sports performance can lead to unhealthy eating or substance use, and how to make good choices for their body.

Your child will learn to understand how physical, emotional, social, and thinking factors play a role when making decisions about sexual health. This includes understanding things like sexually transmitted infections, contraception, pregnancy, and how personal identity and relationships affect these choices.

Your child will understand what influences people's food choices, such as personal preferences, cultural practices, or food costs, and learn how to encourage healthier eating.

Your child will be able to understand how using substances or having addictions, like too much screen time or drug use, can affect their own life and the people around them. This includes understanding the risks and consequences for their health, relationships, and future.

Your child will learn how the physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty can affect their relationships with family and friends, and how these changes relate to sexual health. They will also understand the increased risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and/or pregnancy when sexual activity begins.