Students will be able to identify at least two major body systems (e.g., circulatory, skeletal, digestive) and describe one way to contribute to their well-being.
Understanding our bodies empowers us to make healthy choices and feel our best every day. This lesson helps students build foundational knowledge about their own health.
Audience
2nd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and a hands-on activity.
Materials
Body Basics Slide Deck, Well-being Web Activity Sheet, Pencils, and Crayons/Markers
Explain that just like our body parts work together, many things work together to make us feel good (our well-being).
Guide students to draw or write ideas in their web about how they can contribute to their well-being (e.g., eat healthy, play outside, get enough sleep, read a book, help a friend).
Ask students to quickly share one new thing they learned or one way they will try to contribute to their well-being this week.
Slide Deck
Body Basics: Feel Good!
Discover how your amazing body works and how you can help it feel its best!
Welcome students. Introduce the exciting journey into understanding their bodies.
What Makes You Go?
What keeps your heart beating? What helps you run and play? What makes your brain think?
Lead the warm-up discussion as outlined in the lesson plan. Encourage various answers.
Our Amazing Body Systems
Your body has many incredible teams working together! Let's meet a few!
Transition to introducing body systems.
The Skeleton Crew: Bones!
Your bones give you shape and help you move. They protect your insides! Think of your bones like the frame of a house.
Explain the skeletal system simply. Ask students to feel their bones.
The Pumping Heart: Blood Flow!
Your heart pumps blood all over your body, carrying important stuff everywhere! Think of your heart as a powerful pump and blood as delivery trucks.
Explain the circulatory system. Ask students to feel their pulse.
Food Fuel: Digestion!
Your tummy and other parts turn food into energy for playing and learning! Think of your digestive system as a food factory.
Explain the digestive system. Ask about their favorite healthy foods.
Your Well-being Web
What can you do to keep your body systems happy and healthy? (Activity Time!)
Introduce the "Well-being Web Activity." Explain that taking care of their bodies helps all these systems work well.
Share Your Ideas!
What's one thing you do to feel good and stay healthy?
Facilitate sharing of the well-being webs.
Feel Good Fives!
What's one new way you'll help your body feel good this week?
Lead the cool-down reflection.
Warm Up
Body Basics Warm Up: What Makes You Go?
Hello, Super Scientists!
Let's start our day by thinking about our amazing bodies!
Question: What makes your body move? What keeps your heart beating and your brain thinking all day long?
Think about it for a moment, then be ready to share your ideas with a partner or the class!
(Teacher Note: Encourage all answers, even silly ones. Guide them toward understanding that different parts of their body do different jobs.)
Worksheet
My Well-being Web
Name: _________________________
Your body is amazing, and it needs you to help it feel its best! Think about all the things that make you feel happy, healthy, and strong.
Draw or write ideas in each circle about how you can take care of your well-being.
Center Circle: ME (Draw a picture of yourself or write your name here!)
Outer Circles (Ideas):
Eating yummy, healthy foods
Playing outside
Getting enough sleep
Drinking water
Helping others
Reading a good book
Spending time with family
Being kind to yourself
Asking for help when you need it
(Teacher Note: Provide a simple visual of a blank web with a center circle and 4-6 connecting circles for students to fill in. Students can draw or write their ideas in these circles.)
Cool Down
Feel Good Fives!
Great job learning about your amazing body today!
Before we go, take just one minute to think:
Question: What is ONE new way you will help your body feel good and stay healthy this week?
(Teacher Note: Ask a few students to share their ideas aloud as an exit ticket. Reinforce that even small actions can make a big difference for their well-being.)
