Physical Education in schools concerns the involvement of children in sports as well as fitness activities, sports, Health and Drug Education, gymnastics and some aspects of dance. Health & Drug Education assist in developing a healthy lifestyle and contribute throughout all activities associated with the Physical Education area.

This page looks at both Health and Drug Education. In Health Education it covers nutrition, a healthy diet and lifestyle, weight conditions, food groups and more. Drug Education covers drugs and their dangers, support groups including peer support and other resources.

A related page on Sports can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Another page providing assistance for general Physical Education can be accessed by this link or the one above.

Additional Physical Education Resources can be found on this page, while information on Nutrition, as part of Sports and Health Education, can be found here. Similar links are provided in both sections below.

This is a work in progress, with further additions planned as soon as time permits. These will include specific curriculum information.

Drug Education

Agencies and Help Groups

• Australian Centre for Addiction Research
  ‘Network of scientists, clinicians, academic professionals and officials engaged in promoting applied research aimed at prevention and clinical management of addictive behaviours’.
• Australian Drug Foundation
  Information on all drugs, legal or otherwise, and their effects.
• Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
  One of the strictest groups in the world. Provides information on drugs and sport.
• CounsellingOnline
  ‘A service where you chat online with a live, professional counsellor about an alcohol or drug related concern. This Free service is for anyone seeking help about their own drug use or the drug use of a family member, relative or friend’. Australia wide.
• DrugInfo Clearinghouse
  Australian Drug Foundation Group. Fact sheets on tobacco, alcohol, other specific drugs, toolkits, library, new & events, What’s New ?, more.
• Life Education Australia
  National drug and alcohol awareness program operating in Australian schools.
• Narconcon Victoria Drug Education Services
  Provides drug education and support to primary and secondary levels, through schools and the community. Email link, not a website.
• Narconon
  Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation. International organisation which provides information and a parent help centre.
• Narcotics Anonymous
  ‘Information about Narcotics Anonymous, meetings, events’. News, links, public information, literature, magazine.
• National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction
  Australian group. Provides links to other sites, publications, other resources.
• National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
  Provides and monitors information.
• New South Wales Office of Drug Policy
  Information through the following areas - Information and Resources, Treatment Services, Illicit Drugs and Law and Justice. Contacts for the Drug Summit, Help Lines, the Police Service.
• Quitnet
  Get help to quit smoking.

General Drug Resources

Check this Medical page for further information on medication and other drugs and assistance with giving up drugs.

• Candy - Study Guide
  Enhance TV. ‘Candy is a moral tale about the destructiveness of heroin addiction - two attractive young people have their lives nearly destroyed by it. It acknowledges that addiction comes from pleasure, but does not make the life of addicts seem attractive. The destructive power of heroin is clearly shown. Candy could be used with senior students in: English; Media Studies; Drug education; Health and Human Relations; Values education classes. It is rated MA15+’.
• Don’t Turn a Night Out into a Nightmare
  Find details of this program linked to alcohol consumption and play The Game to see what consequences can be for decisions made. Australian government.
• Driving Under the Influence
  Thinkquest. Poses the problem, provides solutions, even what to say to friends who may not be as sensible as you. Indicates planning to avoid the situation is best.
• Drug Action Week
  ‘Drug Action Week [DAW] is a week of activities held nationally to raise awareness about alcohol and other drugs [AOD] issues in Australia’.
• Drug Info@Your Library
  Multiple sections covering an A-Z of Drugs, Parents & Carers, Young People, Indigenous People, Getting Help, Students & Teachers and Information for Public Libraries. State Library of NSW.
• DrugSearch
  UK developed. ‘DrugSearch is DrugScope’s online encyclopaedia of drugs and their history, effects and the law’. A related page from the same group is called D-world. ‘D-world - for everything you ever wanted to know about the world of drugs’.
• Links
  Tasmanian Department of Education. Australian and overseas links. Check their Other Resources. Part of a much larger portal, the National School Drug Education Project, Tasmania.
• Mouse Party
  ‘Take a look inside the brains of mice on drugs ! Every drug of abuse has its own unique molecular mechanism. You’ll learn how these various drugs disrupt the synapse to make the user feel “high” ’.
• NIDA for Teens
  The Science Behind Drug Abuse. Facts on Drugs, Ask a Doctor, glossary, brain responses to different drugs, take home activities, information for educators and parents as well as Teens. Links to related sites.
  Excellent !
• NIDA - Research Report Series.
  Prescription Drugs Abuse and Addiction. ‘Publication answers questions about the consequences of abusing commonly prescribed medications. In addition to offering information on what research has taught us about how medications affect the brain and body, it also discusses treatment options’.
• Of Substance
  ‘Covers the latest Australian news and research on alcohol, tobacco, other drugs. Essential reading for organisations and individuals who provide services to those affected by substance use’.
• Parenting Strategies : Preventing Adolescent Alcohol Misuse
  ‘Parents can have a big influence on their adolescent child’s decisions about drinking. It’s never too early or too late to learn some strategies to help protect your child from alcohol problems’.
• Positive Stories
  ‘The stories contained on this website offer real life examples of the [positive] impact of treatment in the community and the journey of those who are involved in the process’.
• REDI
  A drug information resource for Australian school communities. ‘As a member of the Australian school community, this site can help you identify and access relevant information on : effective drug education, managing drug use issues and managing drug-related incidents in schools’. From DEEWR.
• Somazone
  ‘Website developed by young people for young people. Provides fast, Free, anonymous access to quality assured information. Program of the Australian Drug Foundation’. Has Q & A section, stories, Fact Sheets, links, more.
• Take Action in Secondary Schools
  Canadian Program [Ontario]. ‘An educator’s guide to substance abuse prevention’. Resource Information, Substance Use & Abuse, Education & Instruction, Resources plus other sections more relative to the Canadian setting.

Specific Drugs and Their Dangers

• Alcohol and You
  Background to alcohol, alcohol’s effect on the organs, abuse, addiction. Enough for 2 lessons with all detail provided.
• Drugs of Abuse
  American DEA. Lists drugs of abuse under headings including narcotics, stimulants, depressants, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants, steroids. Other links. Wealth of information.
• Methamphetamine Treatment Evaluation Study
  National Drug and Alcohol Centre. Finding from a study in Sydney. More information from the Fact Sheets page. This also includes Fact Sheets on Ecstasy, Ice, Hallucinogens, Alcohol and more.
• OxyGen
  ‘OxyGen gives you the whole story about tobacco so you can make your own decisions about smoking. You’ll find hard facts about the tobacco industry, the truth about smoking myths, comebacks if you get pressured to smoke and lots more’.
• The Cool Spot
  ‘The young teen’ place for info on alcohol and resisting peer pressure’. Reality check, facts about alcohol, peer pressure, the right to resist, real life and too much, too soon, too risky.

Top of Page

Health Education

Check the Nutrition page for further information on nutrition.

Check the Medical Information 2 page for further information on Dieting.

Eating Disorders

• ABC Health & Wellbeing Fact File
  ‘Many of us are anxious about our weight, but for people with eating disorders, dieting becomes dysfunctional, even dangerous’. Background, specific conditions, treatment, prognosis, more. Australian ABC.
• Beat - Beating Eating Disorders
  Understanding eating disorders and how you can help. ‘In this section you will find useful information for anyone affected by an eating disorder. You may also wish to read our leaflets and information sheets in our publications section or visit our Help and Support pages’. There is even a special section for Young People. UK.
• Eating Disorders - Kid’s Health
  Multi-page article with further specific topics for Parents, Kids and Teens. Links to additional resources and other health areas. American site.
• HealthInsite
  Multiple links to resources about eating disorders from research articles to online videos. ‘Follow the links to find information about eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia and anorexia nervosa’. Australian.
• myDr.com.au
  Short section on eating disorders with an emphasis on anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Links to related information.
• The Butterfly Foundation
  ‘The Butterfly Foundation provides support for Australians experiencing eating disorders and negative body image issues and their carers through’ a range of activities and support actions.
• Videostreaming Presentations
  Includes videos and transcripts. Stress and emotional eating looks at eating disorders while Mindful Eating is also related.

General Information

• BMI - Body Mass Index : BMI Calculator
  Calculator indicating underweight, normal, overweight, obese status. Simple to use. Also links to other Body Mass Index information.
• Kids Health
  Suitable information for children, interactive activities to create a better understanding.
• Health Education Materials
  From the Children’s Health Fund. Select from the range of areas in the main menu under this heading.
• Health Lesson Idea Menu
  ‘PE Central presents a large number of Health lesson ideas for you to use in your Health education program. These ideas are from teachers around the globe’. Ranges from About the Body to Stress Management.
• How Do You Measure Up ?
  ‘The Measure Up campaign is part of the Australian Better Health Initiative, a national program, supported by the Australian and state and territory governments, which aims to reduce the risk factors for chronic disease such as some cancers, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes’. Measuring, tips, getting active, what to eat, FAQs, resources, more.
• Lesson Plan Library
  ‘Some lesson plans include suggestions for adaptations for older or younger audiences’. Most are for Grade 6 up.
• PBS Teacher Source - Health & Fitness
  Lessons and activities at age/school levels and in topics. Links to similar resources.
• Student Factsheets
  Women’s Health Queensland Wide. ‘These factsheets have been developed in response to students’ most frequently asked questions. They reflect a range of topics examined by high school and tertiary students in Queensland institutions. The factsheets have been designed for student assignment purposes’.
• Topics A-Z, Kid’s Health
  Child and Youth Health, South Australia. Covers every aspect of health. A linked page from the same site covers General Health Topics including a specific group covering Indigenous people and sections on Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle.

Healthy Lifestyle

• Be Active
  ‘By visiting this site you’ve taken the first step to making physical activity a regular part of your lifestyle. This website is for everyone - from children to adults, the mature aged to those with a disability’. South Australian program but applicable everywhere. There is a special Be Active Tips for Children section.
• Five a Day
  Helps understand the value of having good foods [from the five major food groups] every day. Now has additional material.
• Go For Your Life
  ‘The “Weigh Up Your Lunchbox” interactive game is designed to be a fun way for kids [and adults too !] to see how different combinations of foods add up to make a healthy, or not so healthy, lunch’. Department of Human Services, Victoria.
• Healthy Diet Basics : Using a Food Pyramid
  ‘A food pyramid is one tool to help you eat better. Find out how to use a food pyramid to create a healthy diet’. Mayo Clinic.
• It’s Up to You
  Healthy eating information and activities. From BBC Northern Ireland.

Puberty ' The Teenage Years

• Kids’ Health : Teens
  For students in the teenage years. Provides help for health matters, the mind, sexual matters, other aspects of teenage life.
• Nearly Teens
  From Kid’s Health [CYH South Australia]. Has a series of topics from Acne to Zits that are specifically linked to the teen years.
• Parenting Through Puberty
  Covers Physical, Emotional and Social Changes plus resources. About.com.
• Pressure Point
  ‘Find the latest information on health issues affecting youth of today’. Sections on health care, sexual health, mental health, drugs & alcohol, lifestyle, more.
• Puberty - Changes in Thinking
  Changes to themselves, changing relationships, peer pressure, family conflict, FAQs, wanting to be grown up, more.
• Puberty [Female]
  What it is, stages, psychological changes, more. There is also a separate Puberty [Male] page with similar sections. Virtual Medical Centre.

Top of Page

© D & B Mann Webmasters. All rights reserved. Last updated - 16 March 2012.
Best viewed at a resolution of 1280 x 800 or greater. We use and recommend Mozilla Firefox as the preferred browser.