Grades 7 and 8

BrightBites

BrightBites.ca is a trusted, evidence-based website created by Ontario Dietitians in Public Health. It’s designed to help educators create a positive, inclusive school environment where students can develop healthy relationships with food and their bodies.

Explore:

  • Curriculum-aligned activities for Grades K–12
  • Ideas and tools to create supportive school food environments
  • Practical guides for navigating sensitive situations with care 

BrightBites empowers you to talk positively about food, promote body inclusivity, and respect the roles of families, educators, and students in eating. Whether you're planning a lesson or leading a school initiative, BrightBites is here to support you.

Watch our “Welcome to BrightBites!” video to learn more about this resource and download this one-page overview of BrightBites to share with your school community! 

  • Grade 7 
    • D2.1 - Eating patterns and health problems
    • D3.1 - Personal, external factors in food choices    
  • Grade 8
    •  D2.1 - Personal eating behaviours
    •  D3.1 - Promoting healthy eating    

Food is Science

Food is Science is a hands-on tool for teaching science through food. It includes experiential, evidence-based resources to help educators understand and teach new food literacy learning in Ontario’s Science and Technology Curriculum.  

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7 
    • D3.1 - Personal, external factors in food choices    
  • Grade 8
    • D3.1 - Promoting healthy eating   

*Lesson plans outline curriculum connections for science & technology, language, and mathematics. 

Growing Chefs! in Ontario Lesson Plans

Curriculum-linked lesson plans, activities & resources for teachers and homeschoolers. These new Growing Chefs! Lesson Plans are designed to offer safe ways to continue learning about food while teachers and students are navigating at home and in school adjusted learning structures while aiding students in meeting Learning Expectations cited in the Ontario Elementary School Curriculum.  

Subjects include:  Exploring food, food systems, value of food and taste like a chef. 

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7
    • D2.1 - Eating patterns and health problems
    • D3.1 - Personal, external factors in food choices
  • Grade 8
    • D2.1 - Personal eating behaviours
    • D3.1 - Promoting healthy eating

Media Smarts: Food Marketing

The Media Smarts Food Marketing lesson plans and resources were created for teachers to educate students on understanding food advertising and how this may influence their food choices.


Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7
    • D3.1 - Personal, external factors in food choices 

Looking for more?

Additional resources that are not grade-specific but still appropriate for this grade can be found in the Additional Resources section.

Sexual Health (Grade 7)

This module is to be used along with the facilitator guide and provides the educator with a lesson on a variety of sexual health topics including consent, pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted and/or blood borne infections (STBBIs), and online safety​.  

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • D1.1 - Personal Safety and Injury Prevention 
  • D1.3 - Delaying sexual activity 
  • D1.4 - Sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) 
  • D1.5 - STBBIs and pregnancy prevention 
  • D2.4 - Sexual health and decision making 

Sexual Health (Grade 8)

This module is to be used along with the facilitator guide and provides the educator with a lesson on a variety of health topics including gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, self-concept, consent, pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted and/or blood borne infections (STBBIs), and online safety​.

  • D1.4 - Decisions about sexual activity; supports
  • D1.5 - Gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, self-concept 
  • D2.3 - Decision making considerations and skills
  • D3.3 - Relationships and intimacy

Frequently Asked Questions by Students

A list of frequently asked questions by students on human development and sexual health related topics compiled by Public Health Nurses. Answers include definitions, detailed explanations, and prevention messaging.

You will find questions and evidence-based answers on:

  • General topics related to puberty and sexual health
  • Menstrual cycle, erections and ejaculation
  • Gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation
  • Sex, pregnancy and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs)
  • Birth control and barrier methods

Frequently Asked Questions by Educators

A list of frequently asked questions by educators related to teaching on human development and sexual health. You will find questions and answers that include information on :

  • Using inclusive language
  • Where to refer students and parents for more information
  • How to order free condoms

The Condom Game

The Condom Game is an engaging classroom activity that includes the steps for correctly putting on a condom which students need to place in the correct order. 
  • D1.5 - STBBIs and pregnancy prevention

Ophea - Always Changing 

Always Changing and Growing Up: Grades 7 & 8 Leader’s Guide provides curriculum-based lesson plans and themed activities addressing the physical, nutritional and emotional health of adolescents as well as valuable health, hygiene and body care content.  

  • D1 - Demonstrate an understanding of factors that contribute to healthy development 
  • D2 - Demonstrate the ability to apply health knowledge and social-emotional learning skills to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate actions relating to their personal health and well-being 
  • D3 - Demonstrate the ability to make connections that relate to health and well-being – how their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being.  

Videos: Barrier Method Demonstrations

These 2-4 minute video demonstrations from  Teaching Sexual Health are designed to assist teachers who would like to show barrier method demonstrations to their students.  

Using an External Condom

 

Using a Dental Dam

Using an Internal Condom

 

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019): Grade 7: 

  • D1.5 - STBBIs and pregnancy prevention 

Video: Understanding Consent 

This 3-minute video on consent from Teaching Sexual Health is designed to assist educators who would like to explain consent to their students.
  
Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7:  

    • D1.3 - Delaying sexual activity (the concept of consent, the legal age of consent, and how consent is communicated) 

    • D2.4 - Sexual health and decision making 

  • Grade 8:  

    • D1.4 - Decisions about sexual activity; supports

    • D2.3 - Decision making considerations and skills

Looking for more?  

Additional resources that are not grade-specific but still appropriate for this grade can be found in the Additional Resources section.

Water Safety Toolkit

Ottawa Public Health has developed a Water Safety Toolkit, a comprehensive resource to help educators teach water safety and drowning prevention to youth. Designed for flexibility, this toolkit includes:

  • A student module with engaging activities 
  • A facilitator guide to support lesson delivery 
  • Ready-to-use social media posts and newsletter inserts 
  • Fact sheets for students and parents 

These tools can be used in classrooms, assemblies, or extracurricular programs to build awareness and promote safe behaviours around water.  

Educator resources

School-wide resources

Parent Resources

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7 - D2 - Demonstrate the ability to apply health knowledge and social-emotional learning skills to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate actions relating to their personal health and well-being (overall expectation) 

  • Grade 8 - D2.2–Assessing situations for potential danger 

Youth Connections Ottawa

Youth Connections Ottawa (YCO) is a peer-to-peer program which aims to contribute to positive mental health and substance use health of Ottawa youth. YCO aims to meaningfully engage youth to enhance their knowledge of mental health and increase positive behaviours and strategies for wellbeing.

YCO uses a peer-to-peer approach, where peer leaders are supported by adult allies to learn about mental health and substance use health and then encouraged to develop activities, events and initiatives for their peers. This program recognizes that youth are often more receptive to messaging that comes from their peers. These peer leaders have their own knowledge based on lived and living experience and can help ensure that the program is delivered in a way other youth can relate to.

The YCO program has been designed so that it can be easily customized to the needs of Ottawa’s many diverse communities.  

YouthNet

YouthNet/RéseauAdo (YNRA), is a for youth, by youth mental health promotion and intervention organization that offers workshops to students in grade 7-12 with a focus on mental health literacy.

In-person workshops include: 

  • Wellness 101: We all have mental health so let's learn about what that is. The goals for this workshop is for youth to understand what mental health is, understand the stigma associated to mental health and to learn about what to do if one notices changes to their mental health and where to go to ask for help. 
  • StressLess: We all experience stress at some point in our lives. Wouldn't it be great if we learned some coping strategies to help us manage our most stressful days? This workshop takes you through what stress is, how to locate stress and how to manage stress all while doing fun activities. 
  • How to Help a Friend: Friends are a huge protective factor in our lives so what happens when our friends ask us to support them? This workshop helps you navigate that in a healthy and safe way. We do not want you to become a mini-psychologist, but rather, we hope that you will learn about the different resources in and around Ottawa and learn how to best support that friend in need. 
  • Growing Together: Human beings are complex. It can be a lot to get to know yourself and meet your own needs much less figure out how to socialize, connect with and support others! This workshop helps youth connect us all together, those that make us different, and how to navigate those differences. Participants will learn about concepts including basic social and emotional needs, neurodiversity, and empathy, and discuss resources to better support ourselves and one another. 

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7:
    • D1.2 - Mental health, support
    • D1.6 - Mental health, mental illness
  • Grade 8:
    • D2.4 - Routines and habits for mental health
    • D3.4 - Societal views, impact of stigma

YouthNet - Youth Mental Health E-Learning Hub

The Youth Mental Health E-Learning Hub: An interactive website for Ottawa Youth (Ages 13-20) to learn about mental health, find community resources, and connect with each other.

Wayfinder

The School Mental Health Ontario Wayfinder provides a clear framework for mental health learning in the classroom from kindergarten to grade 12. It includes a digital guide of lessons and activities by grade level with easy-to-follow instructions and ready-to-use communication materials to foster home-school connections. By using the Wayfinder, educators can have confidence that their approach is aligned with the Ontario curriculum, based on the latest mental health evidence and is identity-affirming and culturally responsive.  

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019): 

* The curriculum expectations are listed within each lesson plan. 

Looking for more?  

Additional resources that are not grade-specific but still appropriate for this grade can be found in the Additional Resources section.

Vaping 

This module is to be used along with the facilitator guide and provides the teacher or educator with a lesson that covers multiple areas related to vaping and its use, including youth marketing tactics and potential health risks. Recovery, harm reduction and stigma are also discussed. 

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Expectations (2019):

  • Grade 7:
    • D1.2 - Mental health, substances, support
    • D3.2 - Implications of substance use, addictions, and related behaviours
  • Grade 8:
    • D1.3 - Warning signs, consequences

Interactive Learning Guide

This guide includes interactive activities designed to support teachers in engaging students in meaningful discussions and learning about substance use health. These activities complement the substance use health modules developed by Ottawa Public Health found on School Health Online.   

Youth Education Modules - Focusing on commercial tobacco, e-cigarettes, cannabis and the Smoke-Free Ontario Act

This Olearn course for students covers: Commercial tobacco, vapour products and cannabis; health effects of smoking and vaping; information on resources and services related to mental health, addictions and substance use health as well as the federal, provincial (SFOA) and municipal smoke-free and vapour-free regulations. This course also includes a certificate of completion and will take approximately 45-60 minutes to complete.

Youth Connections Ottawa

Youth Connections Ottawa (YCO) is a peer-to-peer program which aims to contribute to positive mental health and substance use health of Ottawa youth. YCO aims to meaningfully engage youth to enhance their knowledge of mental health and increase positive behaviours and strategies for wellbeing.

YCO uses a peer-to-peer approach, where peer leaders are supported by adult allies to learn about mental health and substance use health and then encouraged to develop activities, events and initiatives for their peers. This program recognizes that youth are often more receptive to messaging that comes from their peers. These peer leaders have their own knowledge based on lived and living experience and can help ensure that the program is delivered in a way other youth can relate to.

The YCO program has been designed so that it can be easily customized to the needs of Ottawa’s many diverse communities. 

Nicotine Pouches Factsheet

Nicotine pouches are smokeless, spit-free products that deliver nicotine and are sometimes used as an alternative to smoking or vaping. While often marketed as “tobacco-free,” they can still cause oral health issues. This factsheet explains what’s approved in Canada, outlines potential harms, and offers practical guidance to support informed harm-reduction conversations.

Vaping: What's Really in That Cloud?

This quick-reference factsheet provides key information about vaping, including health risks, signs of vaping, and strategies to support informed decision-making. It’s designed to promote awareness and encourage conversations about vaping with youth.

Substance Use Health Infographic (OSDUHS 2023)

The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) has been conducted every 2 years since 1977 by the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). CAMH administered the survey to Ontario students in grades 7-12 during the 2022-2023 school year, and OPH’s Epidemiology team analyzed the local data. 

Overall, the 2023 survey results showed small improvements in self-reported mental health and in students reporting feeling close to people at their school, but the results also highlighted areas of concern, including results on substance use, particularly opioids, stigma related to substance use, and thoughts of suicide. The data showcases that there is a vital need for continued and enhanced promotion, prevention and early intervention efforts, including stigma reduction, youth engagement and access to treatment.

This infographic, shows some of the key OSDUHS findings for youth in Ottawa. For more detailed OSDUHS results from 2023 or previous years, please visit our Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health (MHASUH) Community Dashboard. 

Looking for more?  

Additional resources that are not grade-specific but still appropriate for this grade can be found in the Additional Resources section.

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