The State Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt Health Textbooks
The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) will vote in November to approve Health textbooks, now called Instructional Materials (IMs). IMs are based on the Health curriculum standards, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) (See the new Health TEKS for School Year 2022-2023 at https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/HealthTEKS-Ch115_adopted-11-2020.pdf). The Instructional Materials must comply with at least 50% of the TEKS and be suitable for the ages and grade level. TEKS are often referred to as the “floor” not the “ceiling”, therefore, publishers can add topics that are not in the TEKS.
ACTION TO TAKE
- Review the IMs at http://tea4avcastro.tea.state.tx.us/imet/agreement.html. Answer the Agreement and click “Confirm.”
Login Credentials to review the Publishers Proposed Materials
| Human Kinetics, Grades 6–8 Username: N/A Password: N/A LessonBee, Grades 7–8 Username: texasreview Password: Les@123 QuaverEd, Grades K–5 Username:QuaverHealthTEA2 Password: review2022 | Goodheart-Wilcox Grades 6, 7-8 6 – Username: healthgr6#review7-8 Username: healthgr7#review Password: txreview#2022! Goodheart-Wilcox Health I &II Health I – Username: hshealth1#review Health II – Username: hshealth2#review Password: txreview#2022! |
- Contact SBOE Members. Send comments regarding the IMs to SBOE members.
Keven Ellis, Chair, ellisSBOE@gmail.com
Pam Little, Vice Chair pam.little@tea.texas.gov
Pat Hardy, District 11 pat.hardy.1109@gmail.com
Tom Maynard, District 10, tom@maynardfortexas.com
Audrey Young, District 8 audrey.young@tea.texas.gov
Will Hickman, District 6 will.hickman@tea.texas.gov
Jay Johnson, District 15 jay.johnson@tea.texas.gov
Sue Melton-Malone, District 14 smelton51@gmail.com
https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education/sboe-board-members/sboe-members
- Provide testimony at the SBOE Meeting.
November 10-12, 2021 – Register to testify beginning* at 8 a.m. on Wednesday through 5pm on Friday at https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education/sboe-meetings/public-testimony-registration
*Many are expected to register, and the SBOE may limit total time to testify.
November 16-18, 2021 – Testify at the State Board of Education meeting, 1701 North Congress, Austin. Testimony will be limited to a total of 2 minutes (not 2 mins on each publisher).
Note: you can choose not to testify, but your presence at the SBOE meeting would be helpful. Agenda and Livestream will be posted here https://tea.texas.gov/node/358496
Download printable version here
| Extended List of Examples |
Human Kinetics, Grades 6–8
- Reproductive & Sexual Health Supplement, Lesson 2 Reproductive System: Teens as Parents “It is important to take a pregnancy test at the earliest signs that you might be pregnant. If you or your partner has discovered they are pregnant, it is important to know your options. You can keep the baby and become a teen parent, give the baby up for adoption, or end the pregnancy through an abortion. All these options involve very difficult decisions to be made and come with an emotional impact. This decision should be made with both partners and family member or a healthcare provider.”
LessonBee, Grades 7–8
- Uses of the Reproductive System: 1.52 A Guide TO: “Getting Over the Bump” If you are pregnant, options given to students “Backline 1-888-493-0092, PPNOW– SMS to 774636 (PPINFO), Jane’s Due Process– 1-866-999-5263, If you choose adoption: Texas Youth Hotline, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Texas Adoption Center 512-893-743…., Dating violence: National Teen Violence Helpline 1-866-331-9474… Texas Advisory Project-1800-374-4674, Parental Support Programs: Healthy Texas Women Program, CHIP Perinatal Coverage, Nurse-Family Partnership, WIC Nutrition Program, Early Childhood Intervention”
- Uses of the Reproductive System: 1.54 “Option 3: Terminate Pregnancy. This is the most emotionally draining decision to make for a teen mom. If you think abortion is right for you, it’s important to talk with a trusted adult or medical professional to evaluate your situation. Learn more: https://aclutx.org/en/know-your-rights/abortion-in-texas”
QuaverEd, Grades K–5
- Kindergarten: Introducing My Health, My Responsibility; Health Tracker Introduction “The Health Tracker allows students to check in and monitor their health progress over a number of different areas of health and allows the teacher to check individuals and class progress. It also allows the teacher to set their own individual, class, and school goals designed specifically for their situation.” – DATA TRACKING!!
- Kindergarten: Introducing Head Lice and Grade 1: Head Lice – FIVE days of Head Lice in each grade!!!
- Grade 1: What are Vaccines? Vaccination Tag “1. Select 1-2 students to be Vaccines. All remaining students will be Germs. 2. Vaccines attempt to tag the Germs while staying within the boundaries of the play area. 3. When a Germ is tagged they become a Vaccine. 4. Play continues until no Germs remain.” – Vaccines
- Grade 2: Healthy Helper (Lyrics) “Lately I’ve been feeling blue, I’m not sure what I should do, Can’t get through this alone, “You need a counselor to talk with you.””
- Grade 3: Healthy Coping Skills, Reflections and Other Thoughts (Breathing, meditation exercise)“think of the answer inside of your brain… Let’s take a deep breath through our nose and let it out through our mouths. In. And out. Good. Now we are ready to reflect… Let’s take one more deep breath through our nose and out through our mouth.” – MEDITATION
- Grade 4: Refusal Skills “Sensitivity Note: This lesson contains information that could potentially be triggering or uncomfortable to students who have had adverse experiences related to the theme. If you are aware of a student in your classroom to whom this may apply, inform them of today’s topic and offer them an alternative placement for today’s lesson if desired, such as another teacher’s classroom.”
- Grade 5: Importance of Reading Medication Labels “1. Five students are selected as Pharmacists with the remaining students split equally into two teams. 2. Each team must complete a prescription by collecting each of the five parts. Each piece is awarded after the successful completion of each station.”
- Special Topics: Puberty and My Reproductive System: Myth Buster exercise “Babies grow in the uterus. (Fact: The uterus is a flexible muscle that stretches as a baby grows. Babies do not grow in a belly or stomach. (Bonus points if students recognize that fetuses grow in the uterus and are only called babies once they are born!))”
- Instructional Guides, Using the Health Tracker “Journal screens are placed once in every four lessons and match the theme of the lesson… The teacher can amend, save, and set the due date for this journal activity… QuaverHealth•PE has made it possible for the teacher to chat with the students. This function allows teachers to read student entries and respond to them in a private, safe, and confidential space.” – JOURNALING and CONFIDENTIAL TEACHER CHAT
Goodheart-Wilcox Grades 6, 7-8
- p. 444 “After studying this lesson, you will be able to… describe different types of air pollution and their effects… assess causes of water pollution and ways to keep water safe… identify types of chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment… explain how to handle chemicals safely… recognize the health dangers of noise pollution and how to avoid them.”
- P. 517 “Risk Factors for Violent Behavior. Family risk factors. “Authoritarian parenting style (one that demands strict obedience), Discipline for breaking rules that is either too harsh, lenient, or inconsistent, Poor supervision of children, Low level of involvement and emotional attachment in family, Low level of family education and income, Use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs in the family, Criminal record, Violent behavior in the family, Access to weapons”
- p. 529 “Signs of Intimate Partner Violence. It could be intimate partner violence if your partner… gets upset when you spend time with others; does not take responsibility for actions; blames you or uses emotions to manipulate you; gets angry easily, gets violent, or tries to scare you during conflicts; puts you down and does not listen to your concerns; pressures you or does not respect your boundaries.”
- p. 535 “Learning about abuse is often very difficult. Perhaps you have seen abuse in your own family or that of a close friend. Perhaps you have never witnessed it. Either way, information about abuse can be shocking and hard to process. On a separate piece of paper, summarize what you believe are the five most important facts from this lesson. Talk about your summary with a classmate and discuss the similarities and differences between the facts you chose. Although it is never fun, talking about abuse can make people more likely to speak up and reach out for help. If you had concerns that someone was being abused, what would you do?”
- p. 542 “Search online for a reliable article about an act of violence that influenced your community. Read the article and identify the risk factors that led to violence and the type of violence. With a partner, describe how the violence affected the person who experienced violence, the person who behaved violently, and the community. Share this summary with the class and lead a discussion about what could have prevented the violence and what the benefits would be of avoiding the violence.”
- p. 555 “It can be uncomfortable to talk about reproduction, especially when using words you do not use in “normal conversation.” The best way to become more comfortable talking about human development is through practice. Using appropriate vocabulary and maturity, explain how life begins to a classmate. Start with ovulation and end with the birth of the baby. As you describe this process, your classmate should listen carefully, take notes, and ask questions when something does not make sense or whenever appropriate.”
- p. 583 “Do you know how to get testing for STIs?” “Do you know what resources offer testing for HIV?” “Are you aware of how PrEP and PEP reduce risk for HIV transmission?”
- p. 589 “Two of the most effective methods for preventing STIs include sexual abstinence and the use of condoms.”
- p. 593 “Interview an important, trusted adult in your life about that person’s knowledge of sexually transmitted infections. Be sure to prepare quality, in-depth questions in advance. Compare the person’s answers to the information provided in the text. Did your trusted adult provide accurate information? Would you consider this person a good resource for sexual health information? How did you feel talking with this person about STIs? Why did you feel that way? What other questions do you have now about STIs?”
- p. 603 “In groups, review this chapter and do additional research about community resources available to support sexual health, such as testing and treatment for STIs or county, state, and federal resources for prevalence data. Then, create a public service announcement (PSA) to encourage teens to abstain from risky sexual behaviors. In your PSA, encourage abstinence, educate others on ways to prevent STIs and HIV, and include resources to support sexual health. Indicate which of these resources are available to minors in certain circumstances. Also identify the importance of parents or other trusted adults as resources for support. Share your video with the teacher.”
- p. 614 “Partners have the responsibility to respect each other’s decisions about sexual activity. If one partner does not want to engage in sexual activity, the other partner should not do or say anything that applies pressure. Partners should accept each other’s decisions and avoid pressuring each other.”
- p. 621 “Many people who experienced sexual assault find it helpful to receive counseling. Some people find support by talking to others who have been through this trauma. A school nurse, doctor, or local crisis center can provide information about counselors and local support groups.”
- p. 622 “At a party, you escape with your partner to a quiet room. You ask if your partner wants to have sex. Your partner hesitates and then says “no.””
- p. 624 “The best way to learn the facts about birth control is to talk to a healthcare professional. These trained specialists will be able to discuss different methods honestly and objectively. A family doctor or school nurse can also answer some of these questions. When using other sources of information, such as a healthcare website, always assess each source’s credibility (Figure 19.21). It is important to have accurate information about birth control.”
- p. 636 “Name two government organizations that provide resources for adolescents who are pregnant or are parents.”
Goodheart-Wilcox Health I &II
- p. 113 “biological sex – label assigned at birth based on physical factors such as hormones, chromosomes, and genitalia”
- p. 115 “Gender describes the characteristics a society associates with a biological sex. For example, many societies associate certain traits with femininity (such as with girls and women) and masculinity (such as with boys and men). The societal perception of feminine or masculine traits as the whole of a person’s identity is unrealistic. This is because people typically have some masculine and some feminine traits.”
- p. 115 “gender – behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits and roles society associates with a biological sex”
- p. 115 “Social identity influences how people feel about themselves. Some social identities make people feel good and build confidence. People who hold social identities that are stigmatized, or seen negatively by some people, may feel worse about themselves.”
- p. 119 “You can also take online or in-person self-assessments to identify components of your identity, including personality traits, interests, and strengths.”
- p. 119 “As you gather advice from others, do not stop paying attention to your own feelings and thoughts. Sometimes the advice you get from others may conflict with your own sense of who you are. If this happens, talk to an adult you trust about figuring out what feels right to you.”
- p. 120 “Advocate for Health Using a library or online resources, find a recently published article about cultural or gender stereotypes. After reading the article, write a fully developed paper or record a podcast about your opinion on the topic. Whether you agree or disagree with different parts of the article, state your opinion clearly and support it with detailed reasons. Be sure to cite specific examples and details from the article. Do you think the article correctly identifies norms in the US? perceptions of norms? In your paper or podcast, discuss how teens can resist stereotypes to enhance their own health and the health of others.”
- p. 469 “Lately, some of your friends who are dating have started talking about becoming sexually active. They say that everyone in a serious dating relationship has sex.”
- p. 495 “As healthy romantic relationships deepen, they grow to include commitment. Sometimes commitment means promising to be exclusive, or romantically involved only with your dating partner. Commitment also means that you agree to try to maintain a relationship over time and work through conflict. The type of romantic relationship affects the level of commitment that is appropriate. For example, a long-term relationship or marriage involves more commitment than a new dating relationship.”
- p. 506 “Healthy dating relationships should include honest communication about physical intimacy, including sexual activity.”
- p. 509 “Partner with two of your classmates to form a group of three. Then, in your group, write scripts based on the three situations that follow. In each script, one person should write about the person feeling pressure, one person should write about the individual exerting the pressure, and the third person should separately write down any key phrases used to refuse sexual activity.
- p. 509 Imagine you are meeting your dating partner of three months at your friend’s house for a party. Even though your friend’s parents are home, your dating partner arrives at the party drunk. Your dating partner asks you to have sex, and when you say no, offers you a drink. Your dating partner suggests going to another party where a friend’s parents are not home. What do you say?
- p. 509 You are over at your crush’s house with some friends playing games, and everything seems to be going well. After a few hours, your friends leave, but your crush asks you to stay and watch a movie. During the movie, your crush starts trying to kiss you and touch you sexually. What do you do?
- p. 509 You just started dating someone you have been friends with for a while. You and your partner seem to be on the same page about most issues, but you have not talked about sex. On your last date, you and your partner got closer than you wanted. You call your partner because you want to make your boundaries clear. How do you start the conversation?”
- p. 512 “Write a story about a teen who did not have a plan for remaining sexually abstinent and ended up having sex.”
- p. 610 After studying this lesson, you will be able to summarize how ecosystems affect the natural environment; identify resources in the natural environment; explain how human activities, population, and economy impact communities and the environment; and identify global environmental issues.”
- p. 688 “With a partner, consider the pros and cons of talking with a trusted adult to get STI/STD testing and treatment.”
- p. 768 “Do you think three-person IVF opens the door to manipulation of genes for the unborn? Why or why not? What are some of the ethical issues associated with genetic manipulation and engineering?”
- p. 769 “Using Genetics to Create a Creature” – promotes mating of multiple species such as bestiality
Speak Up! 