Consumer Health Minute: K-12 Health Education Resources

Posted by Carolyn Martin on September 10th, 2026 Posted in: Consumer Health Minute, K-12
Tags: k-12 education, teacher resources

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How to enhance and supplement your education resources for K-12 students? The resources featured in this post relate to health, an important educational component for students but also for school staff to use in curriculum and to enhance their own knowledge. Parents and guardians will appreciate freely available resources to support their children or children in their care. These are just a few of several resources available.

STEM Teaching Resources, includes an extensive list of a variety of educational resources provided by the institutes and centers within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NIH grantees, including Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) recipients. You can scroll down through the list or click on categories such as:

• Being a Scientist
• The Brain and Mental Health
• Genetics
• Scientific Tools and Methods

KidsHealth in the Classroom, offers educators free health-related lesson plans for PreK through 12th grade. Each Teacher’s Guide includes discussion questions, classroom activities and extensions, printable handouts, and quizzes and answer keys — all aligned to National Health Education Standards. This resource is part of the KidsHealth.org website that offers excellent health information for kids, teens, and parents.

Exhibition Program Educational Resources, Several of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) History of Medicine online exhibits include educational resources such as lesson plans, online activities, and additional resources. You can use the link provided or scroll through the list of exhibits to view the full online content.

Learning and Teaching about the Environment, This EPA website provides K-12 students and educators with access to quality homework resources, lesson plans and project ideas for learning and teaching about the environment.  Environmental education (EE) is a multi-disciplinary approach to learning about environmental issues that enhances knowledge, builds critical thinking skills, and helps students make informed and responsible decisions.

Nutrition Resources for Schools, this USDA’s School section includes resources for elementary and secondary nutrition education as well as after-school and summer activities.

Science and Nature Learning Resources, The Smithsonian Learning Lab has gathered a range of educational resources to empower learners to reach their full potential and contribute to the advancement of science and the broader society. To achieve these objectives, the Smithsonian employs a range of resources and media tailored to different grade levels, such as inquiry-based learning and hands-on investigations.

Also, don’t forget, your state library, school system and public library system may also have print and online resources to a variety of educational materials.