High School Alternative Family Life Curriculum Course

This comprehensive high school curriculum prepares students to build healthy relationships, make responsible decisions aligned with their values, and advocate for themselves and their communities by exploring relationship dynamics, developing self-esteem and assertive communication, and recognizing toxic patterns. Students learn structured problem-solving approaches to resist peer pressure and risky behaviors, understand how drugs and alcohol impair judgment, and recognize that consent—which can be withdrawn at any time—is foundational to safety. The curriculum develops critical media literacy skills by analyzing how media perpetuates stereotypes about gender and beauty while shaping unrealistic expectations and strengthens family relationships by addressing family crises and investigating health disparities affecting socially disadvantaged populations. Through goal-setting and personal advocacy activities, students project their futures, identify obstacles and strategies for success, and learn to access community resources while fostering self-awareness and civic responsibility to advocate for equity and positive change.

Question 1: How do I build and maintain healthy relationships, make responsible decisions aligned with my values, and develop the self-esteem and communication skills needed to advocate for myself and navigate the complex social dynamics of adolescence?

Question 2: How do I recognize and resist media influence, make informed decisions about risky behaviors and substances, and understand my responsibility to advocate for equity and health in my community?

Back to Curriculum Family Landing

These foundational lessons develop students' capacity for healthy relationships and self-advocacy through understanding relationship dynamics, building self-esteem, and practicing assertive communication. Students begin with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, understanding that all humans have basic needs (physiological, safety, emotional, esteem, self-actualization) that drive behavior and relationship formation. Students complete the "Defining Toxic Relationships" activity, matching toxic relationship types to behaviors and understanding that healthy friendships emphasize strong points, contribute to positive family relationships, and encourage personal growth and exploring friendship structures.

Students recognize that friendship circles change over time and that certain experiences (trust, shared values, loyalty) are prerequisites for close friendships. The curriculum emphasizes self-esteem and self-confidence as interconnected concepts influenced by family, community, culture, friends, and media, and teaches that students can actively develop these qualities. Finally, the lessons emphasize that assertive communication—standing up for oneself while respecting others' rights—is vital to health and personal growth.

This critical portion equips students with skills to make responsible decisions, resist peer pressure, and critically analyze media messages. Students learn a structured problem-solving approach. They practice with realistic scenarios—attending parties where drugs are present, needing spending money—understanding that self-awareness (knowing one's character, feelings, and values) is essential to making decisions that don't conflict with personal values. The curriculum emphasizes that drugs and alcohol affect the brain's decision-making abilities, teaching specific substances and their effects on judgment, inhibitions, and memory. Students understand consent as permission that can be implicit or explicit and can be withdrawn at any time—and that those under the influence, who feel coerced, or who have certain intellectual disabilities cannot give consent.

The curriculum then addresses peer pressure and power differential situations where one person has more authority or knowledge than another. Students learn that every individual is self-empowered to make decisions based on their needs, preferences, and values, and that refusal strategies are ways to stay true to values and establish boundaries. The curriculum shifts to media literacy, with students analyzing how media influences health behaviors and decision-making through stereotypes, false expectations, and cyber harassment. Students examine pros and cons of different social media, discuss how media shapes views on relationships, and work through scenarios. Students complete "Myth or Fact" worksheets about media, consent, and online dating. 

This final portion strengthens family connections, builds critical media analysis skills, and develops students' capacity to advocate for health equity. Students explore family relationships and their impact on social, mental/emotional, and physical health, discussing roles and responsibilities of family members, what "family" means, and how family provides communication skills, support, security, food, clothing, shelter, and models of healthy behavior.

The curriculum addresses family changes and crises, discussing divorce, separation, custody arrangements, and family violence, and emphasizing the importance of strengthening relationships and seeking support through family counseling, mediation, or crisis centers. Students then critically deconstruct media images and messages about bodies and gender roles. They examine advertisements, magazine images, and social media, analyzing what products are sold, who is portrayed, what ideals are promoted, and whether these ideals are realistic. The curriculum emphasizes that media perpetuates stereotypes about gender roles and beauty, and that students can challenge these images by viewing media critically and recognizing unrealistic standards.

Finally, students investigate health disparities—preventable differences in disease, injury, and opportunities experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. Students learn that health disparities are unfair and preventable, and that everyone deserves access to health resources. The curriculum closes with goal-setting and personal advocacy, where students project themselves twenty years into the future and develop long-term plans for personal health and success. They identify obstacles (time, money, family support) and strategies to overcome them (seeking resources, persistence, delayed gratification), and present plans to peers. The curriculum encourages students to access community resources, advocate for themselves and families, and contribute to positive change in their communities.