Balancing academic achievement and student wellness alongside competing instructional demands is a constant challenge. The good news: health education doesn’t compete with ELA instruction; it strengthens it.

The Michigan Model for Health™ and Michigan ELA Standards Alignment Guide shows exactly where literacy standards are naturally embedded within health instruction. The result is a practical resource that helps schools maximize instructional time while supporting multiple content areas.

Health Education is Rich with Literacy Opportunities

Effective health education asks students to do much more than memorize facts. Students are expected to:

• Read informational and narrative texts
• Listen and participate in collaborative discussions
• Communicate ideas clearly through speaking and writing
• Build academic vocabulary
• Analyze situations, make claims, and support their thinking with evidence

These are the same literacy skills students practice every day in English Language Arts.

When teachers intentionally recognize these connections, a single health lesson can support both health education outcomes and Michigan ELA standards—without adding another lesson to the schedule.

Making the Most of Existing Instructional Time

A common concern with cross-curricular instruction is that it requires creating entirely new lessons. The Michigan Model for Health curriculum already provides meaningful opportunities for students to read, write, speak, listen, and build language skills. The alignment guide simply highlights where those connections exist, helping teachers leverage time already built into the school day.

That means teachers can confidently document literacy standards while delivering essential health instruction in social and emotional learning, nutrition and physical activity, personal safety, healthy relationships, and decision-making skills.

Instead of adding another initiative, schools can make better use of the instruction they’re already providing.

A Win for Teachers and Curriculum Leaders

Cross-curricular alignment creates clear benefits at every level of school leadership:

• Classroom Teachers: Maximize limited instructional time while giving students authentic opportunities to practice reading, writing, and speaking skills in real-world contexts.
• Curriculum Leaders: Simplify standards documentation, foster cross-curricular collaboration between ELA and health teams, and support whole-child education initiatives.

Integrated instruction demonstrates that health education is a vital pillar of a well-rounded academic program that directly supports core academic success.

Health Education in Action: Literacy at Every Grade Level

Whether students are identifying emotions in preschool, practicing conflict resolution in elementary school, analyzing media influences in middle school, or creating health advocacy campaigns in high school, they’re doing the work of literacy. They are reading closely, discussing ideas, analyzing information, writing with purpose, and communicating their thinking. 

What does this look like in practice? Throughout the Michigan Model for Health curriculum, students engage in authentic literacy tasks that strengthen reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while learning essential health concepts. Here are a few examples across grade levels:

Grades K–2: Solving Problems with Words

As students learn conflict resolution and the use of “I-statements,” they can read short social scenarios and identify the problem, each character’s perspective, and possible solutions. After discussing the scenario with a partner, students write or draw how they would respond respectfully. They’re practicing reading comprehension, collaborative discussions, perspective-taking, and opinion writing while developing healthy communication skills.

Grades 3–5: Understanding Bullying and Assertive Communication

A lesson on bullying and teasing can include reading multiple perspectives from a conflict between classmates. Students identify how each person’s experiences influence their actions, participate in structured discussions, and write recommendations for how the situation could be resolved using assertive communication. These literacy activities naturally reinforce perspective-taking, collaborative conversations, and evidence-based writing.

Grades 6–8: Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy

As students learn about digital citizenship and cyberbullying prevention, they can analyze online messages, social media posts, or text conversations to determine the author’s purpose, audience, and the impact of word choice. Students discuss how digital communication can be misunderstood and develop guidelines for responsible online behavior. They’re strengthening media literacy, critical reading, speaking and listening, and argumentative writing while building safe online habits.

Grades 9–12: Health Advocacy Projects

High school students may collaborate to research a community health issue, evaluate reliable sources, analyze how media and other influences shape public opinion, and present a health advocacy campaign to their classmates. Throughout the project, students conduct research, synthesize information from multiple texts, write for authentic audiences, and speak, listen, and present—all while applying the Michigan Model’s essential health skills.

These examples represent just a small sample of the literacy opportunities embedded throughout the Michigan Model for Health curriculum. When health education is viewed through a literacy lens, it becomes clear that students are practicing essential reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while building the knowledge and decision-making abilities they need for lifelong health.

Support from Kent ISD

At Kent ISD, we are committed to helping districts lead learning and implement high-quality health education with confidence.

• Free Implementation & Training: Available for all districts using or adopting the Michigan Model for Health curriculum.
• Affordable Pricing: Districts can access a two-year Michigan Model for Health license for just $169, an investment that supports both student wellness and academic success.

Ready to Explore?

If you’re looking for ways to meet literacy expectations without adding more to teachers’ plates, the Michigan Model for Health and ELA Alignment Guide is a great place to start.

When health and literacy work together, everyone benefits:

• Students build stronger communication and critical thinking skills.
• Educators teach more efficiently.
• Districts make the most of every instructional minute.

Take the Next Step

Want to dive deeper into cross-curricular health instruction or explore professional learning options for your district? Contact Health Education Consultant Sarah Ghent at SarahGhent@kentisd.org to learn more about the topics in this post and how Kent ISD can support your team.

This blog post was written by Sarah Ghent, Health Education Consultant for Kent ISD, and edited by Amanda Walma, T&L Marketing and Communications for Kent ISD.