Grade 7, 8, 9 Health Physical Education (HPE)

The Fourth R is a skills-focused and relationship-based program for Grades 7, 8 and 9 Health Physical Education (HPE). Each grade level curriculum document includes units on:

  1. Personal Safety & Injury Prevention
  2. Substance Use, Addictions & Related Behaviours
  3. Human Development & Sexual Health
  4. Healthy Eating

This relationship-based approach is a program aimed at preventing the following adolescent violence and related risk behaviours:

  • Peer and dating violence
  • Substance misuse
  • Unhealthy sexual behaviour

Importantly, many of these behaviours overlap because they occur in the context of relationships. The Fourth R program addresses these adolescent risk behaviours by focusing on relationship goals and challenges that influence their decision-making.

Curriculum

Attention Health Education Teachers: The Grade 7, 8, and 9 Health Education resources have been thoughtfully updated.

These revisions were undertaken by experts specializing in equity and inclusion, ensuring the materials are sensitive and relevant across various dimensions such as economic status, cultural backgrounds, body image, resource accessibility, family structures, sexual orientation, geographical locations, gender identity, ethnicity, race, and religious beliefs.

Fourth R Grade 7 Health Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum

The Fourth R Grade 7 Health Physical Education Curriculum (HPE) includes 27 comprehensive teacher-friendly lesson plans. Each lesson is 40-45 minutes in length and includes learning strategies, activities, assessment tools and innovative methods for teaching healthy living concepts. The Fourth R units and lessons are taught in sequence, building upon the skills presented in earlier lessons. Curriculum expectations are matched to the individual lessons in the front of each Fourth R document. This will assist teachers when creating learning goals and when co-constructing success criteria with students.

View our Webinar to learn more about the 2023 Grade 7/8 HPE Curriculum updates!

Fourth R Grade 8 Health Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum

The Fourth R Grade 8 Health Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum includes 28 comprehensive teacher-friendly lesson plans. Each lesson is 35-40 minutes in length and includes learning strategies, activities, assessment tools and innovative methods for teaching healthy living concepts. The Fourth R units and lessons are taught in sequence, building upon the skills presented in earlier lessons. Curriculum expectations are matched to the individual lessons in the front of each Fourth R document. This will assist teachers when creating learning goals and when co-constructing success criteria with students.

View our Webinar to learn more about the 2023 Grade 7/8 HPE Curriculum updates!

Fourth R Grade 9 Health Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum

The Fourth R Grade 9 Health Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum includes 26 comprehensive teacher-friendly lesson plans. Each lesson is 70 minutes in length and includes learning strategies, activities, assessment tools and innovative methods for teaching healthy living concepts. The Fourth R units and lessons are taught in sequence, building upon the skills presented in earlier lessons. Curriculum expectations are matched to the individual lessons in the front of each Fourth R document. This will assist teachers when creating learning goals and when co-constructing success criteria with students.

All Grade levels also include access to the Skills for Effective Relationships video resource. The Fourth R has worked with students to create current and relevant video clips to demonstrate examples of skills to students. The video clips are age/grade appropriate for students and help youth learn and practice healthy relationship skills such as assertive communication and conflict resolution skills.

View our Webinar to learn more about the 2023 Grade 9 HPE Curriculum updates!

Opportunities to Develop Skills

Practising skills is an integral part of all units. Students learn specific relationships skills through numerous opportunities for practice. These skills include: assertive communication, delay/refusal/negotiation skills, how to use active listening, how to show support to a friend, and how to seek help from an adult as well as providing opportunities to practice coping skills and stress management techniques.

The Fourth R was designed to be taught by classroom teachers. It was updated in 2015 to reflect the newest changes in the curriculum and to be relevant to the experiences of today’s youth. Mental health and wellbeing are also integrated throughout all units of study.

Editions

  • English (Public and Catholic)
  • French (Public and Catholic)
  • Spanish
  • Indigenous Informed (Grade 9 only)
  • Hutterite-Informed - in development

Please Note: The Fourth R program has adapted curricula to offer a Catholic perspective that is consistent with Catholic teaching and beliefs. These programs include scripture passages that support the learnings in each unit, as well as prayers that enable youth to ask for guidance and support from God. An abstinence focus is provided for the Healthy Growth and Development units.

Also available are editions specific to these provinces/states/countries:

  • Ontario
  • British Columbia
  • Alberta
  • Northwest Territories
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan
  • Nova Scotia
  • New Brunswick
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Yukon
  • Nunavut
  • Alaska
  • USA
  • Canada

CASEL Designation

CASEL Promising Program

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Designated by CASEL as a recommended program for social and emotional learning.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional learning (CASEL) has been reviewing evidence-based SEL programs since 2003. The program meets CASEL’s Promising Programs and is included in the CASEL Guide to Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs.

The program met or exceeded most of CASEL’s criteria for high-quality SEL programming

To purchase any of the above curriculum editions