Injury Prevention and Safety
Grade 9 - 12
Overview
High school students are potentially engaging in various activities that make them more prone to injuries and accidents such as driving and organized sports and activities. Some teens are involved in romantic relationships making them more at-risk for bullying, abuse, harassment, or violence. Others are at risk for gang involvement. Most high school students use some form of technology and spend time online, making them susceptible to electronic aggression such as cyber bullying, cyber harassment, and cyber stalking. High school health education teachers and administrators can play a key role in supporting students to learn and apply the skills necessary for injury prevention and safety in person and online.
Information and Resources
Eric Paredes Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act - CDE
The California Department of Education provides information on sudden cardiac arrest prevention including fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and free training courses.
California Interscholastic Federation - Concussions
The California Interscholastic Federation provides information and resources on concussions and school procedures.
California Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention (CalGRIP)
The California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) Program provided grant funding to cities that committed to using a local collaborative approach to support prevention, intervention and/or suppression activities.
2025 Guidelines for CPR and ECC - American Heart Association
The American Heart Association provides information and updates on CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines.
Harm Reduction Coalition
Harm Reduction Coalition is a national advocacy and capacity-building organization that promotes the health and dignity of individuals and communities impacted by drug use.
DanceSafe
DanceSafe is a public health organization promoting health and safety within the nightlife and electronic music community. DanceSafe has two fundamental operating principles: harm reduction and peer-based, popular education.
Healthy People 2030
Healthy People 2030 sets data-driven national objectives to improve health and well-being over the next decade.
California Department of Motor Vehicles
The California Department of Motor Vehicles provides information, driving skills, and test preparation for teen drivers.
Driver Education Resources - CDE
California Department of Education list of text, video and electronic resources available to driver training instructors for use in the classroom.
Curriculum and Lessons
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center
Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change to prevent childhood bullying, so that all youth are safe and supported in their schools, communities, and online.
Everything You Need to Teach Digital Citizenship and Well-Being - Common Sense Media
Help students take ownership of their digital lives. All students need digital citizenship skills to participate fully in their communities and make smart choices online and in life.
Sandy Hook Promise: Start With Hello and Say Something Programs
Sandy Hook Promise’s Know the Signs programs effectively teach youth and adults how to prevent school violence, shootings, and other harmful acts.
Donate Life California High School Education program - Organ Donation Lesson Plans
The Donate Life California High School Education Program offers a series of 7 lessons, student worksheets, and resources on Organ Donation.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NHTSA offers materials for numerous traffic safety campaigns, including drunk driving, car seats, vehicle safety, distracted driving, and motorcycles.
Partnerships
Partnering with the Family
- Working with their family members, guardians, or caretakers, students identify and support changes in the home related to possible safety issues. Using select items or sections from the CDC’s Healthy Housing Manual, students assess the health and safety of their home and environment.
- From this assessment, students and their families, guardians, or caretakers can create a personal or family safety plan. Note teachers should be prepared to provide an alternative assignment based on their students’ living situations.
Partnering with your School
- Students encourage their peers to be safe by creating a school-wide student safety club for school-based advocacy and awareness.
- The goal of the student safety club is to promote student safety and wellbeing
Partnering with your Community
- Students analyze information and services concerning safety and violence prevention by developing a collective list of activities they are interested in or careers they may aspire to and draft invitation letters to contacts at local agencies.
- Invite guest speakers such as an emergency physician, someone from the cyber-crimes unit of a police department, an environmental health specialist, health inspector, an emergency room nurse, or someone from the local news station who can speak about how the media covers accidents or injuries.
- Students analyze community resources for disaster preparedness and identify and support changes in the community.
- Students are encouraged to obtain their First Aid/CPR, lifeguard, or babysitting safety certifications and provided with information on local sources for certification.
- Students investigate service learning and volunteer opportunities with nonprofits specializing in injury and disaster preparedness such as the American Red Cross.