Lesson Title: Building Healthy Habits for Wellness
Once you get into a good wellness routine (your 10k steps a day, protein-forward diet, and 8-hours of sleep), aren’t you just kicking yourself for not starting earlier? Thinking of all the mental clarity, energy, and balance you could have had all this time?! I doubt this is a unique experience.
Well, you can help your students avoid the same by getting them started on building healthy habits early. And we’re not just talking about avoiding processed sugar (at least some is almost necessary for emotional health, we think!) or being able to run a 10-minute mile. We’re also talking breathing exercises and finding movement they genuinely look forward to.
In this engaging and interactive lesson, students will explore the building blocks of a healthier lifestyle—from nurturing their mental health to embracing and enjoying physical fitness. Through lively discussions, hands-on activities, and an interactive scavenger hunt, your K-12 students will not only learn the "why" behind healthy habits but also practice the "how."
This is your chance to equip them with practical tools and motivation to make lasting, positive changes in their lives.
Grade: 7 - 12
Subject: Health
Learning Objectives:
- By the end of this lesson, students will:
- Understand the importance of developing and maintaining healthy mental and physical health habits.
- Identify key strategies for supporting mental health, such as mindfulness and anxiety management.
- Explore physical health habits, including balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and sleep hygiene.
- Participate in a Goosechase Scavenger Hunt to apply their knowledge of healthy habits.
Materials:
- Mobile devices with the Goosechase app downloaded (one per team).
- Projector or smartboard
- Computers/tablets for research (if possible)
- Printed handouts or digital links
Preparation:
- Create an Experience on the Goosechase app with a series of Health-focussed Missions
- Develop Missions that require students to demonstrate their understanding of these habits, as well as how they plan on implementing these habits in their daily lives. Example Missions:
- Photo Mission: Take a picture of something you would use for mindfulness (e.g., a journal, yoga mat).
- Text Mission: Share one healthy breakfast idea you’d like to try.
- Video Mission: Record yourself doing a quick 30-second workout (e.g., jumping jacks, push-ups).
- Quiz Mission: What is the recommended amount of sleep for teens? (Answer: 8-10 hours)
- Photo Mission: Capture an example of a healthy snack (real or drawn).
- Creative Mission: Write a quick mantra or positive affirmation to boost mental health.
- Find example Missions in the Goosechase Templates below.
- Adapt the difficulty of the Missions based on the proficiency levels of your students to keep the activity inclusive and engaging for everyone.
- Prepare hints or resources that might help students solve the Missions if needed.
- Divide students into teams and assign each team a mobile device with the app, or have students complete the scavenger hunt individually.
- Run your Experience during one class period or for the entire week.
- App Set-Up
- Dedicate time to ensuring all students have the Goosechase app downloaded and joined to the Experience to avoid any tech issues.
Lesson Plan Outline:
- Introduction
- Begin with a class discussion:
- Ask students: "What does being healthy mean to you?"
- Write their answers on the board, categorizing them as mental or physical health.
- Explain the lesson objectives and how both mental and physical health are interconnected.
- Teach the importance of mental well-being and strategies to support it:
- Mindfulness practices (e.g., deep breathing, journaling)
- Managing stress with time management and seeking support
- Building connections with family, friends, and trusted adults
- Teach the importance of physical health essentials:
- Balanced nutrition and understanding food groups
- Importance of regular exercise (e.g., 30 minutes of activity per day)
- Sleep hygiene and benefits of 8-10 hours of sleep per night
- Pair students to brainstorm how they can integrate one new healthy habit into their daily routines. Have them share ideas with the class.
- Begin with a class discussion:
- Goosechase Scavenger Hunt
- Read through Missions with students, emphasizing the importance of evidence and analysis in their responses.
- Monitor progress and provide assistance as necessary.
- If working in teams, encourage them to strategize and collaborate to solve the Missions.
- Sit back and enjoy watching your students collaborate and demonstrate their learning.
- Debrief and Reflection
- Review the activity, discussing which Missions were the most challenging or fun.
- Highlight how small, consistent changes can lead to long-term health benefits.
- Encourage students to pick one habit they’ll commit to this week.
- Discuss how teams collaborated and solved problems together.
- Review any educational content covered through the Goosechase missions.
- Optionally, award prizes to the team(s) with the highest score.
Optional Post-Experience Activities:
- Create a PSA: Individually or in groups, students will design a public service announcement (poster, video, or digital slideshow) promoting the importance of a specific healthy habit. These can be presented in class or shared online. Documentation can be done through a physical journal or via photo/video missions in a secondary Goosechase Experience.
- Recipe Creation: Students will create and share a healthy meal or snack recipe. Encourage them to include photos or videos of the preparation process.
- Peer Interviews: Students will interview a family member or friend about their own healthy habits and write a report summarizing the insights they gained and how they might apply them.
Assessment
- Informal assessment through participation in the discussion and activity brainstorming.
- Monitor engagement and creativity during the Goosechase Scavenger Hunt.
- Formal assessment of students journals, PSA, Recipe, and Interviews.
Ready Made Experience Templates to Try
Healthy Living Challenge
Promote healthy living with nutrition, exercise, and wellness activities. This template is ideal for 4-H members and families to learn and adopt balanced lifestyle habits.
Kitchen Skills
This template is designed to engage high school students in practical, enjoyable learning experiences related to kitchen skills, nutrition, and budgeting.
Health and Wellness
A great Health or Physical Education class Experience for K-12 students to complete. Students complete these Missions to learn about their bodies and nutrition!
Want a copy of this lesson plan to use with your class?
What is Goosechase EDU?
Goosechase is an online platform that helps educators create and run interactive learning experiences in their classrooms and beyond. Sign up and try creating an Experience, or contact us to learn more about our school and district-wide solutions!
