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K–12 Standards

Grade 5

Other Maryland Health sets

Mental and Emotional Health: Functional knowledge about mental and emotional health enables students to recognize the importance of mental well-being, manage emotions effectively, build resilience, and address challenges. All instruction related to mental and emotional health should come with a content warning for students and include instruction on how to seek help for mental and emotional health support. Mental and emotional health education helps students cultivate positive relationships, reduce stigma, and foster a sense of safety in schools and communities. Grounded in trauma-informed practices and public health approaches, this standard aligns with Maryland Education Articles §§7-401, 7-443, and 7-501—7-506, which emphasize student well-being and behavioral health supports.MD1a

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    Emotions, Feelings, and Relationships

    1. 1

      Explain how to build upon strengths and assets to support health and well-being.MD1.5.1

    2. 2

      Describe health-promoting behaviors for the dimensions of wellness.MD1.5.2

    3. 3

      Explain what it means to be emotionally self-aware.MD1a.5.3

    4. 4

      Evaluate appropriate ways to express emotions.MD1a.5.4

    5. 5

      Describe the value of others’ talents and strengths.MD1a.5.5

    6. 6

      Describe the characteristics that may harm relationships among friends and family.MD1a.5.6

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    Self and Social Awareness

    1. 7

      Demonstrate respectful ways to show empathy to others.MD1a.5.7

    2. 8

      Describe how to recognize and build on personal strengths.MD1a.5.8

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    Body Image

    1. 9

      Explain how peers, media, family, society, and culture influence ideas about the body.MD1a.5.9

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    Seeking Help

    1. 10

      Explain how a trusted adult can support you or someone else with difficult emotions or situations.MD1a.5.10

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    Mental Health Challenges

    1. 11

      Differentiate between positive and negative ways of dealing with stress and anxiety.MD1a.5.11

    2. 12

      Apply coping strategies that support the health and well-being of an individual experiencing feelings of grief and loss.MD1a.5.12

    3. 13

      Identify long-lasting troublesome feelings or depression and how they affect one’s health and well-being.MD1a.5.13

    4. 14

      Identify signs and symptoms that indicate someone should seek help for long-lasting, troublesome feelings or depression.MD1a.5.14

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    Suicide Prevention

    1. 15

      Demonstrate the importance of telling a trusted adult if someone is in danger of hurting themselves or others.MD1a.5.15

Substance Use and Misuse: Functional knowledge around substance use and misuse empowers students to understand the short-and long-term impacts of substance use on the brain and body and to be able to take health-promoting actions related to substance use prevention. This standard supports prevention and early intervention efforts outlined in Maryland Education Article §§7-411 and 7-413, which require instruction on drug addiction and controlled dangerous substances. By addressing risk and protective factors, including media influences, community norms, and access to support services, students develop the health literacy necessary to navigate their environments and reduce the likelihood of use and misuse.MD1b

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    Other Drugs

    1. 1

      Analyze the effects of alcohol and nicotine on one’s health and well-being.MD1b.5.1

    2. 2

      Analyze the effects of cannabis on one’s health and well-being.MD1b.5.2

    3. 3

      Analyze the effects of heroin and opioids, including the lethal effects of fentanyl, on one’s health and well-being.MD1b.5.3

Family Life and Human Sexuality: Family life and human sexuality instruction provide students with age-appropriate, scientifically based, and medically accurate information about relationships, consent, treating others with dignity and respect, and sexual and reproductive health. It also helps students gain the functional knowledge that they need to apply health-related skills to their sexual and reproductive health. It supports bodily autonomy and the ability to delay pregnancy and reduce the likelihood of sexually transmitted infections. In Maryland, this component is governed by Education Article §7-445, which mandates instruction that reflects the values of equity, inclusivity, and informed choice. Furthermore, the Code of Maryland Regulation (COMAR) 13A.04.18.01 requires local education agencies to establish policies, guidelines, and/or procedures for student opt-out regarding instruction related to family life and human sexuality objectives. Additionally, the indicators related to puberty must be taught, beginning in grade four, by a licensed teacher with a health education endorsement or one who has received specialized training.MD1c

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    Family Relationships

    1. 1

      Explain the importance of talking with parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults about relationships, puberty, and health.MD1c.5.1

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    Dignity and Respect

    1. 2

      Demonstrate ways to treat people of all gender identities and expressions with dignity and respect.MD1c.5.2

    2. 3

      Explain that everyone has a sexual orientation that is based on one’s feelings of romantic and/or physical attractions towards others.MD1c.5.3

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    Boundaries and Consent

    1. 4

      Explain the importance of discussing relationships with parents and other trusted adults.MD1c.5.4

    2. 5

      Analyze the relationship between consent and personal boundaries.MD1c.5.5

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    Puberty and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Development

    1. 6

      Summarize that the onset and progression of puberty varies considerably.MD1c.5.6

    2. 7

      Describe human reproductive systems, including medically accurate names for internal and external genitalia and their functions.MD1c.5.7

    3. 8

      Describe how puberty prepares human bodies for the potential to reproduce.MD1c.5.8

    4. 9

      Explain the relationship between sexual intercourse and human reproduction.MD1c.5.9

Safety and Violence Prevention: This component develops students’ capacity to recognize, prevent, and respond to unsafe situations, including bullying, harassment, violence, and abuse. Students learn to apply functional knowledge related to physical safety, technology safety, safety around others, discrimination and violence prevention, and upstander intervention. Aligned with Maryland Education Articles §§7-411.1, 7-439, 7-445, and 7-501—7-506, this area supports the creation of safe and supportive school environments. By combining the functional knowledge of safety and violence prevention with health-related skills, students are empowered to foster a culture of nonviolence and mutual respect in their communities.MD1d

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    Physical Safety

    1. 1

      Summarize safety rules for the home, vehicles, and community.MD1d.5.1

    2. 2

      Demonstrate strategies for helping someone who is injured or suddenly ill.MD1d.5.2

    3. 3

      Identify ways to protect vision and hearing from injury.MD1d.5.3

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    Technology Safety

    1. 4

      Demonstrate ways to engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.MD1d.5.4

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    Trusted Adults

    1. 5

      Demonstrate verbal and nonverbal ways to ask trusted adults for help, including how to report unsafe, scary, or harmful situations in the home, school, or community.MD1d.5.5

    2. 6

      Identify sources of support that a student can go to if they or someone they know is being abused or assaulted.MD1d.5.6

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    Safety around People

    1. 7

      Demonstrate how to respond if someone is making you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or disrespected.MD1d.5.7

    2. 8

      Identify strategies to respond to behaviors that constitute sexual mistreatment, coercion, harassment, abuse, rape, assault, and exploitation.MD1d.5.8

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    Relationships, Boundaries, and Consent

    1. 9

      Explain the importance of discussing relationships with parents and other trusted adults.MD1d.5.9

    2. 10

      Analyze the relationship between consent and personal boundaries.MD1d.5.10

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    Teasing, Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination, and Violence

    1. 11

      Explain why it is wrong to tease or bully others based on personal characteristics.MD1d.5.11

    2. 12

      Explain why teasing, bullying, excluding, or discriminating against others is harmful.MD1d.5.12

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    Upstanders and Compassion for Survivors of Abuse

    1. 13

      Explain that sexual mistreatment, coercion, harassment, abuse, assault, and exploitation are never the fault of the victim.MD1d.5.13

Nutrition: Understanding the role of nutrition in overall health equips students with the knowledge and skills to support physical growth, cognitive development, and disease prevention. Instruction in this area promotes health literacy around nutrient density, eating patterns, food claims and marketing, and food access, and the social and environmental factors influencing nutrition. Maryland Education Article §7-501 emphasizes student wellness, including nutrition standards in schools. Functional knowledge of nutrition prepares students to evaluate food value, access nutrition-related resources, and advocate for equitable access to nutrient-dense foods in their homes, schools, and communities.MD1e

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    Foods, Beverages, and Water

    1. 1

      Analyze a school lunch for its nutrient value.MD1e.5.1

    2. 2

      Analyze why including a variety of foods is important for maintaining overall health and energy.MD1e.5.2

Disease Prevention and Control: Knowledge of disease prevention and control enables students to adopt behaviors that minimize the risk of chronic and infectious diseases. Topics such as oral health, sun safety, chronic and infectious diseases, and public health strategies are foundational to lifelong health and community disease prevention and well-being. This component is supported by Maryland Education Articles §§7-413 and 7-501–7-506, which address school health services, health education, and student wellness policies. By understanding the functional knowledge around disease prevention, students become informed participants in public health efforts and responsible stewards of personal and collective health.MD1f

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    Chronic and Infectious Disease

    1. 1

      Describe the difference between infectious and chronic diseases.MD1f.5.1

    2. 2

      Describe ways that common infectious diseases are transmitted.MD1f.5.2

    3. 3

      Describe the importance of seeking help and treatment for common chronic and infectious diseases.MD1f.5.3

    4. 4

      Explain how universal precautions are effective ways to prevent many infectious diseases.MD1f.5.4

Analyze Influences: Health and well-being are affected by many diverse influences within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on identifying and evaluating internal and external factors influencing health practices and behaviors. Influences on health and well-being may include, but are not limited to, family, peers, communities, media, culture, technology, schools, personal values/beliefs, school-based policies, social determinants of health, perceived and social norms, and the environment. This standard recognizes that the factors affecting health behaviors and outcomes, such as social determinants of health, are complex and impact people and communities differently. It also supports the individual’s ability to identify and use skills to recognize the types of influences, analyze the role of influences across various wellness dimensions, and manage influences on health and well-being in digital and in-person settings. This skill contributes to a better understanding of the connections between individual health, community health, and health disparities, which can strengthen the use of other health skills, such as accessing information and advocacy.MD2

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    Analyze Influences: Health and well-being are affected by many diverse influences within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on identifying and evaluating internal and external factors influencing health practices and behaviors. Influences on health and well-being may include, but are not limited to, family, peers, communities, media, culture, technology, schools, personal values/beliefs, school-based policies, social determinants of health, perceived and social norms, and the environment. This standard recognizes that the factors affecting health behaviors and outcomes, such as social determinants of health, are complex and impact people and communities differently. It also supports the individual’s ability to identify and use skills to recognize the types of influences, analyze the role of influences across various wellness dimensions, and manage influences on health and well-being in digital and in-person settings. This skill contributes to a better understanding of the connections between individual health, community health, and health disparities, which can strengthen the use of other health skills, such as accessing information and advocacy.MD2

Explain how various influences affect the health and well-being of self.MD2.5.1

  • 1

    Explain how various influences affect the health and well-being of self.MD2.5.1

Explain how various influences affect the health and well-being of people and communities in positive and negative ways.MD2.5.2

  • 2

    Explain how various influences affect the health and well-being of people and communities in positive and negative ways.MD2.5.2

Apply strategies and resources to manage influences that impact health and well-being.MD2.5.3

  • 3

    Apply strategies and resources to manage influences that impact health and well-being.MD2.5.3

Access Valid and Reliable Resources: Access to valid and reliable health information, products, services, and other resources is essential to promoting health and well-being, and preventing, detecting, managing, and treating health issues and conditions. Access to valid and reliable information, products, services, and other resources promotes health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on identifying, accessing, and evaluating valid and reliable resources, including managing misinformation and disinformation, within digital and in-person settings. Media and technology play a significant and increasing role in the way individuals learn about and connect with themselves, others, and the world. This standard engages students in critical thinking around media messages and resources, including how they are accessed, evaluated, and used to support health and well-being.MD3

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    Access Valid and Reliable Resources: Access to valid and reliable health information, products, services, and other resources is essential to promoting health and well-being, and preventing, detecting, managing, and treating health issues and conditions. Access to valid and reliable information, products, services, and other resources promotes health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on identifying, accessing, and evaluating valid and reliable resources, including managing misinformation and disinformation, within digital and in-person settings. Media and technology play a significant and increasing role in the way individuals learn about and connect with themselves, others, and the world. This standard engages students in critical thinking around media messages and resources, including how they are accessed, evaluated, and used to support health and well-being.MD3

Determine which trusted individuals are appropriate resources to support health and well-being in various situations.MD3.5.1

  • 1

    Determine which trusted individuals are appropriate resources to support health and well-being in various situations.MD3.5.1

Locate home, school, and community resources to support health and well-being.MD3.5.2

  • 2

    Locate home, school, and community resources to support health and well-being.MD3.5.2

Determine the validity and reliability of health information, products, services, and other resources.MD3.5.3

  • 3

    Determine the validity and reliability of health information, products, services, and other resources.MD3.5.3

Explain how misinformation and disinformation affect health and well-being.MD3.5.4

  • 4

    Explain how misinformation and disinformation affect health and well-being.MD3.5.4

Interpersonal Communication: Effective communication promotes health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on expressive and receptive communication in digital and in-person settings. Combined with perspective-taking, communication skills help to recognize and strengthen interpersonal interactions, create and maintain relationships, express and interpret messages, and manage conflict. Developing communication skills helps individuals to see how they communicate and the ways in which their communication affects those around them.MD4

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    Interpersonal Communication: Effective communication promotes health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard focuses on expressive and receptive communication in digital and in-person settings. Combined with perspective-taking, communication skills help to recognize and strengthen interpersonal interactions, create and maintain relationships, express and interpret messages, and manage conflict. Developing communication skills helps individuals to see how they communicate and the ways in which their communication affects those around them.MD4

Demonstrate effective communication skills to express thoughts, feelings, wants, and needs to support the health and well-being of self and others.MD4.5.1

  • 1

    Demonstrate effective communication skills to express thoughts, feelings, wants, and needs to support the health and well-being of self and others.MD4.5.1

Demonstrate active listening skills and strategies in a variety of situations.MD4.5.2

  • 2

    Demonstrate active listening skills and strategies in a variety of situations.MD4.5.2

Demonstrate how to ask for and offer assistance to support the health of self and others.MD4.5.3

  • 3

    Demonstrate how to ask for and offer assistance to support the health of self and others.MD4.5.3

Demonstrate boundary-setting skills to communicate and respect the boundaries of self and others.MD4.5.4

  • 4

    Demonstrate boundary-setting skills to communicate and respect the boundaries of self and others.MD4.5.4

Demonstrate refusal skills to use in a variety of situations.MD4.5.5

  • 5

    Demonstrate refusal skills to use in a variety of situations.MD4.5.5

Demonstrate strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve conflict.MD4.5.6

  • 6

    Demonstrate strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve conflict.MD4.5.6

Demonstrate effective ways to communicate with kindness and compassion.MD4.5.7

  • 7

    Demonstrate effective ways to communicate with kindness and compassion.MD4.5.7

Decision-Making: Effective decision-making is needed to identify, adopt, and maintain health-promoting behaviors. This standard includes skills and steps integral to the process of effective decision-making to support health and well-being. The decision-making process enables collaboration to improve the quality of life within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD5

  • 5

    Decision-Making: Effective decision-making is needed to identify, adopt, and maintain health-promoting behaviors. This standard includes skills and steps integral to the process of effective decision-making to support health and well-being. The decision-making process enables collaboration to improve the quality of life within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD5

Determine situations that require a thoughtful decision-making process to maintain or improve health and well-being.MD5.5.1

  • 1

    Determine situations that require a thoughtful decision-making process to maintain or improve health and well-being.MD5.5.1

Determine whether assistance or collaboration is needed in making a health-related decision.MD5.5.2

  • 2

    Determine whether assistance or collaboration is needed in making a health-related decision.MD5.5.2

Compare and contrast options and potential outcomes for a health-related decision.MD5.5.3

  • 3

    Compare and contrast options and potential outcomes for a health-related decision.MD5.5.3

Choose a health-promoting option when making a decision.MD5.5.4

  • 4

    Choose a health-promoting option when making a decision.MD5.5.4

Describe the outcomes and reflect on the results of a health-related decision on self and others.MD5.5.5

  • 5

    Describe the outcomes and reflect on the results of a health-related decision on self and others.MD5.5.5

Goal-Setting: Goal setting is a process to support short- and long-term health and well-being goals. In addition to achieving a goal, goal setting includes using practices, habits, and routines in daily life. This standard includes the processes needed to plan, reach, and reflect on health goals. Setting goals is a flexible process and considers personal and social factors affecting health and well-being. Goal setting supports aspirations and future planning for health and well-being within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD6

  • 6

    Goal-Setting: Goal setting is a process to support short- and long-term health and well-being goals. In addition to achieving a goal, goal setting includes using practices, habits, and routines in daily life. This standard includes the processes needed to plan, reach, and reflect on health goals. Setting goals is a flexible process and considers personal and social factors affecting health and well-being. Goal setting supports aspirations and future planning for health and well-being within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD6

Set a goal and explain how the goal supports health and well-being.MD6.5.1

  • 1

    Set a goal and explain how the goal supports health and well-being.MD6.5.1

Determine whether assistance or collaboration is needed in setting a goal that supports health and well-being.MD6.5.2

  • 2

    Determine whether assistance or collaboration is needed in setting a goal that supports health and well-being.MD6.5.2

Develop a plan that includes actions, resources, and progress-tracking toward attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.3

  • 3

    Develop a plan that includes actions, resources, and progress-tracking toward attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.3

Identify supports and barriers that affect progress toward attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.4

  • 4

    Identify supports and barriers that affect progress toward attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.4

Identify processes for tracking and reflecting on goals that work towards attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.5

  • 5

    Identify processes for tracking and reflecting on goals that work towards attaining a health-related goal.MD6.5.5

Practices and Behaviors: Developing health practices and behaviors can promote health and well-being over the lifespan and reduce risk to self and others. Practicing health behaviors is critical to incorporating health-promoting habits and routines into all dimensions of wellness. Due to the increasing influence of technology, it is crucial to develop and apply practices and behaviors that support media balance and digital wellness. This standard promotes individual and collective responsibility by encouraging the exploration and practice of skills and processes that support health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD7

  • 7

    Practices and Behaviors: Developing health practices and behaviors can promote health and well-being over the lifespan and reduce risk to self and others. Practicing health behaviors is critical to incorporating health-promoting habits and routines into all dimensions of wellness. Due to the increasing influence of technology, it is crucial to develop and apply practices and behaviors that support media balance and digital wellness. This standard promotes individual and collective responsibility by encouraging the exploration and practice of skills and processes that support health and well-being in individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts.MD7

Examine practices and behaviors that support the health and well-being of self.MD7.5.1

  • 1

    Examine practices and behaviors that support the health and well-being of self.MD7.5.1

Demonstrate personal practices and behaviors that support the health and well-being of self and how it impacts others.MD7.5.2

  • 2

    Demonstrate personal practices and behaviors that support the health and well-being of self and how it impacts others.MD7.5.2

Explain how personal practices and behaviors affect the health and well-being of self and others.MD7.5.3

  • 3

    Explain how personal practices and behaviors affect the health and well-being of self and others.MD7.5.3

Advocacy: Advocacy skills are critical for promoting health and well-being within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard helps learners develop and apply skills and strategies to increase agency and advocacy for themselves and others. Practicing advocacy helps students be informed, civic-minded members of their community who are inclusive of individual, cultural, historical, and other differences.MD8

  • 8

    Advocacy: Advocacy skills are critical for promoting health and well-being within individual, interpersonal, community, societal, and environmental contexts. This standard helps learners develop and apply skills and strategies to increase agency and advocacy for themselves and others. Practicing advocacy helps students be informed, civic-minded members of their community who are inclusive of individual, cultural, historical, and other differences.MD8

Recognize situations in which advocacy supports the health and well-being of self and others.MD8.5.1

  • 1

    Recognize situations in which advocacy supports the health and well-being of self and others.MD8.5.1

Explain how collaboration and communication support advocacy.MD8.5.2

  • 2

    Explain how collaboration and communication support advocacy.MD8.5.2

Identify advocacy skills and strategies to support health and well-being.MD8.5.3

  • 3

    Identify advocacy skills and strategies to support health and well-being.MD8.5.3

Demonstrate how to advocate for health and well-being.MD8.5.4

  • 4

    Demonstrate how to advocate for health and well-being.MD8.5.4

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 5
Where can I read the official document?
Maryland’s Comprehensive Health Education Framework

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