Your FREE Praxis 5857 Flashcards 2026 – 200+ Cards

A behavior-change theory holding that people act on health when they sense susceptibility to a threat, perceive its severity, weigh the benefits against barriers, respond to cues to action, and feel self-efficacy.

Behavior change moves through precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and sometimes relapse; instruction should meet learners at their current stage.

A framework showing health behavior is shaped by nested levels — individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy — so effective programs intervene at multiple levels.

A planning framework: PRECEDE assesses needs and predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors before an intervention; PROCEED guides implementation and evaluation afterward.

A CDC/ASCD framework that aligns ten components of school health around the child, emphasizing collaboration among schools, families, and the community to support the whole student.

An approach that teaches functional knowledge plus transferable skills — decision making, communication, refusal, goal setting, advocacy — rather than facts alone, so students can act on health.

Eight standards defining what students should know and do in health: core concepts, analyzing influences, accessing information, communication, decision making, goal setting, self-management, and advocacy.

The capacity to obtain, understand, evaluate, and use health information and services to make sound health decisions — a central goal of health education.

A systematic process of gathering data on a population's health status, risks, and priorities to identify gaps and guide what a health program should address.

A CDC monitoring system that surveys adolescents on priority health-risk behaviors, providing data educators use for needs assessment and program planning.

Information from credible, evidence-based authorities such as the CDC, NIH, WHO, AMA, SHAPE America, and peer-reviewed journals, rather than commercial or unverified sources.

A curriculum plan specifying which health topics and skills are taught (scope) and the order and grade levels in which they are taught (sequence).

A specific, observable statement of what students will do, often written with an action verb and criterion, so mastery can be assessed (e.g., 'list four signs of stress').

Essential, usable facts and concepts directly tied to healthy behaviors and skills, distinguished from extraneous detail that does not change health decisions.

The skill of examining how internal and external factors — family, peers, culture, media, technology — affect personal health behaviors and choices.

Communication strategies (say no clearly, give a reason, suggest an alternative, leave) that help students resist pressure to engage in risky behaviors.

A structured process — define the problem, explore options, identify consequences, decide and act, and evaluate — taught so students make deliberate health choices.

Teaching students to set realistic, measurable health goals, plan steps, track progress, and adjust, supporting long-term behavior change (NHES Standard 6).

The skill of taking a clear, supported position to promote health and encourage others, such as campaigning for tobacco-free policies or healthy school choices.

A teacher-centered method delivering content through explicit explanation, modeling, and guided practice — efficient for introducing new health concepts.

A method where students work in structured small groups toward shared goals, building social and communication skills while learning health content.

An inquiry method in which the teacher poses questions and tasks that lead students to construct concepts themselves rather than being told the answer.

The practice of analyzing one's own instruction and student outcomes to refine future lessons; a hallmark of effective professional practice.

A professional, including teachers, legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to authorities — a core legal and ethical duty in health education.

Instruction promoting core ethical values — respect, responsibility, honesty — often integrated with health education to support positive decision making.

Ongoing learning — workshops, courses, professional organizations like SHAPE America — through which educators stay current and improve practice.

Infection-control practices that treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, important for health teachers covering safety and first aid.

A person's belief in their ability to perform a behavior; a key construct in health behavior theory because confidence strongly predicts action.

Internal or external triggers — symptoms, reminders, media campaigns — that prompt a person to take a health action, a component of the Health Belief Model.

An integrated approach connecting health education, services, environment, and family/community involvement; the predecessor framework to the WSCC model.

An objective describing an observable student performance and the conditions and criteria for success, used to make learning measurable in health lessons.

Designing lessons and assessments so they explicitly target identified standards (such as the NHES), ensuring instruction measures intended outcomes.

The skill of locating and judging the credibility of health information, products, and services from reliable sources.

The skill of using verbal and nonverbal communication — including I-messages and active listening — to enhance health and avoid or reduce risk.

The skill of practicing health-enhancing behaviors and avoiding or reducing health risks in one's daily life.

The standard requiring students to comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

The role of connecting students and families to school and community health resources and services, bridging classroom learning and support systems.

A program shown through research to produce intended health outcomes; selecting one improves the likelihood instruction changes behavior.

A communication technique that states feelings and needs from one's own perspective ('I feel… when…') to express concerns without blame.

The ethical and sometimes legal duty to protect sensitive student health information, balanced against mandated-reporting obligations.

Interrelated aspects of wellness — physical, mental/emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and environmental — that together define total health.

An illness caused by a pathogen (bacteria, virus, fungus, parasite) that can spread from person to person, animal, or environment, such as influenza or strep throat.

A disease not spread by infection — including lifestyle, hereditary, and congenital conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many cancers.

The sequence — pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, susceptible host — that must be intact for disease to spread.

The body's resistance to a pathogen, either innate (nonspecific defenses) or acquired through infection or vaccination, which primes the immune system.

The USDA food-group guide divided into fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy, used to teach balanced meal planning and portion proportions.

Nutrients the body needs in large amounts for energy and structure — carbohydrates, proteins, and fats — supplying about 4, 4, and 9 calories per gram, respectively.

Vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts that support metabolism, immunity, and other body functions but do not supply energy.

A macronutrient and the body's main energy source, found as simple sugars and complex starches and fiber; supplies about 4 calories per gram.

Indigestible plant carbohydrate that supports digestion, promotes satiety, and helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol.

The body's physical and mental response to a demand or threat; chronic stress harms health, making stress-management skills a key health topic.

Strategies such as deep breathing, physical activity, time management, social support, and relaxation that reduce the harmful effects of stress.

A state of psychological well-being marked by the ability to handle stress, form relationships, and adapt to change; includes recognizing warning signs of disorders.

A mood disorder marked by persistent sadness, loss of interest, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, and hopelessness; warrants referral to support resources.

The harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, which can lead to dependence and disease.

A drug class, including alcohol, that slows central nervous system activity, reducing heart rate, breathing, and reaction time.

A drug class, including caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines, that speeds up central nervous system activity, raising heart rate and alertness.

A chronic condition of compulsive substance use or behavior despite harmful consequences, involving tolerance, dependence, and often withdrawal.

An infection spread mainly through sexual contact, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, or HIV; prevention and testing are core sexual-health content.

Refraining from a behavior, especially sexual activity or substance use; the only fully effective way to prevent pregnancy and STIs.

The developmental period when the body matures sexually under hormonal changes, producing physical and emotional changes addressed in growth-and-development units.

A connection built on respect, trust, honesty, and good communication, free of coercion or abuse; a focus of social-health instruction.

Immediate, temporary care given to an injured or ill person before professional help arrives, including wound care, splinting, and treating shock.

An emergency technique combining chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain circulation and oxygen when the heart or breathing stops.

A portable device that analyzes heart rhythm and delivers an electric shock to restore normal rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest.

First-aid protocol for soft-tissue injuries: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, used to reduce swelling and pain.

A first-aid technique of upward abdominal thrusts used to dislodge an object blocking the airway of a choking, conscious person.

The area of health education that teaches evaluating health products, services, advertising claims, and providers to make informed purchasing decisions.

The promotion of unproven or fraudulent health products or services; recognizing it is part of consumer-health literacy.

The branch of health concerned with how air, water, soil, noise, and built surroundings affect human well-being and disease risk.

The health status and resources of a population and the organized efforts — public health agencies, programs, advocacy — to protect and improve it.

Action taken before disease or injury occurs to stop it, such as vaccination, healthy eating, and safety education.

Early detection and prompt treatment to slow or stop a disease's progression, such as screenings and self-exams.

Management of an established disease to limit complications and restore function, such as rehabilitation and ongoing treatment.

A weight-to-height ratio, $\text{BMI} = \dfrac{\text{mass (kg)}}{\text{height (m)}^2}$, used as a screening indicator of weight status, not a direct measure of body fat.

Maintaining adequate body water for temperature regulation, joint lubrication, and nutrient transport; dehydration impairs performance and health.

A unit of food energy; energy balance — calories consumed versus expended — determines weight gain, loss, or maintenance.

Saturated fats (often solid, from animal sources) raise heart-disease risk when excessive; unsaturated fats (often liquid, from plants and fish) are healthier alternatives.

An organized effort using accurate information and a clear position to influence policies or peers toward healthier choices, such as tobacco-free schools.

Strategies addressing repeated, intentional aggression — including bystander intervention and reporting — to protect students' social and emotional health.

A process of managing disagreements constructively through communication, negotiation, and compromise rather than aggression or avoidance.

Self-care practices such as handwashing, dental care, and bathing that prevent illness and support physical and social health.

Administering a vaccine to stimulate immunity against a specific pathogen, a key primary-prevention tool against communicable disease.

A noncommunicable condition passed through genes, such as sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis, distinct from infectious or lifestyle disease.

A noncommunicable condition strongly linked to behavior — such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity — and largely preventable through healthy choices.

Adequate, regular sleep that supports immune function, mood, memory, and growth; insufficient sleep is a recognized health-risk factor for youth.

The capacity to recover and adapt positively in the face of stress or adversity, a protective factor for mental and emotional health.

Protective factors (support, skills, supervision) lower the chance of harm, while risk factors raise it; programs strengthen one and reduce the other.

Use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes that delivers nicotine and toxins, causing addiction and increasing risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

Recognizing warning signs, responding supportively, and connecting at-risk youth to trusted adults and crisis resources as part of mental-health education.

The progressive, age-related change in movement ability over the lifespan, generally proceeding from reflexive to fundamental to specialized skills.

The relatively permanent improvement in movement skill that results from practice and experience, distinct from temporary performance changes.

Fitts and Posner's cognitive (understanding the task), associative (refining), and autonomous (automatic, fluent) stages of skill acquisition.

Fundamental movements that transport the body through space — walking, running, hopping, jumping, skipping, galloping, sliding, and leaping.

Stability movements performed in place, such as bending, twisting, turning, swaying, stretching, and balancing.

Movements that control an object with the body or an implement — throwing, catching, kicking, striking, dribbling, and trapping.

The body, space, effort, and relationship awareness (Laban framework) that describe how a movement is performed, such as level, direction, force, and pathway.

Fundamental movement skills (throwing, catching, dribbling, striking) developed across activities and combined into games and sports as competence grows.

Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition — the components tied to overall health.

Agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed — the components tied to athletic performance rather than general health.

Guidelines for designing exercise programs: Frequency (how often), Intensity (how hard), Time (how long), and Type (which activity).

To improve fitness, the body must be challenged beyond its accustomed workload, prompting adaptation in strength, endurance, or flexibility.

Gradually increasing the demand of exercise over time so the body continues to adapt safely without injury or overtraining.

Training adaptations are specific to the type of exercise performed, so practice should match the targeted skill or fitness component.

Fitness gains are lost when training stops or decreases — the 'use it or lose it' principle of conditioning.

The oxygen-using pathway that supplies sustained energy for prolonged, lower-intensity activity such as distance running.

The oxygen-independent pathways — the ATP-PC (phosphagen) and glycolytic systems — that fuel short, high-intensity bursts of effort.

An anaerobic energy system providing immediate, high-power energy for about ten seconds, used in sprints and jumps.

Acute increases in heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output during activity that deliver more oxygen-rich blood to working muscles.

The range, typically 60–85% of maximum heart rate, in which aerobic exercise effectively improves cardiorespiratory fitness.

A common age-based estimate, $\text{HR}_{\max} \approx 220 - \text{age}$, used to set target training intensities.

Voluntary, striated muscle attached to bone that produces movement by contracting and pulling on the skeleton across joints.

Involuntary, striated muscle found only in the heart, contracting rhythmically and continuously to pump blood.

Involuntary, nonstriated muscle lining internal organs and blood vessels, controlling functions such as digestion and blood-vessel diameter.

The agonist (prime mover) produces a movement while the antagonist opposes or controls it, working in coordinated pairs such as biceps and triceps.

The study of how mechanical forces and principles act on and within the body to produce efficient, safe human movement.

Bones act as levers and joints as fulcrums; first-, second-, and third-class levers describe the arrangement of force, fulcrum, and resistance.

The point where a body's mass is balanced; a lower, well-positioned center of gravity over the base of support improves stability.

The area beneath an object or body that bears its weight; a wider base increases balance and stability.

The biomechanical principle that maximum force results from using body segments in the correct sequence and timing, as in a powerful throw or kick.

A turning or rotational force produced when a force is applied at a distance from an axis, important in joint movement and striking actions.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, explaining how pushing against the ground propels running and jumping.

The principle that motor control develops from the center of the body outward — trunk before arms, arms before fingers.

The principle that motor control develops from head to toe, with head and neck control preceding control of the trunk and legs.

Systems of rules, routines, signals, and protocols that maximize safety and learning while minimizing off-task time in the gym or activity space.

Strategies that increase academic learning time in physical education — quick transitions, sufficient equipment, small groups — so students spend more time actively practicing.

Engagement driven by internal rewards such as enjoyment, mastery, or personal challenge, which fosters lasting participation in physical activity.

Engagement driven by external rewards or pressures such as grades, praise, or prizes, useful for prompting effort but less durable than intrinsic motivation.

Designing instruction and modifying activities so students of all abilities, including those with disabilities, participate meaningfully alongside peers.

A legally required plan specifying goals, services, and accommodations for a student with a disability, which PE teachers must follow.

A specially designed program that modifies activities, equipment, and instruction to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

A modification to activity, equipment, rules, or environment that lets a student with a disability participate without lowering essential learning outcomes.

A structured approach using clear expectations, reinforcement, and consequences to teach and maintain appropriate behavior in the activity setting.

Strengthening desired behaviors by following them with rewards or recognition, increasing the likelihood they recur.

Connecting physical education content with other subjects — counting in math, body systems in science — to deepen learning in both areas.

Tools such as heart-rate monitors, pedometers, accelerometers, apps, and video analysis used to track activity, give feedback, and motivate students.

A device that measures real-time heart rate, letting students train within target intensity zones and see effort objectively.

A device that counts steps, used to set activity goals and provide feedback on daily movement.

Recording and reviewing movement to provide visual feedback that helps students and teachers refine skill technique.

Systematically examining one's teaching decisions and their effects to continually improve instruction and student outcomes.

The legal duty to actively oversee students; failure to provide adequate, planned supervision can constitute negligence.

Failure to exercise the care a reasonable educator would, breaching a duty and causing foreseeable harm — a key legal concern in PE safety.

A teacher's legal obligation to protect students from foreseeable harm through proper planning, instruction, supervision, and a safe environment.

An activity space free of hazards, with appropriate equipment, spacing, and rules, that protects students physically and emotionally.

Organizing facilities, equipment distribution, and student arrangement to maximize safe, active participation and minimize wait time.

Established procedures — entry, attendance, equipment retrieval, signals for stop and start — that reduce confusion and increase activity time.

A consistent cue (whistle, raised hand, music off) that quickly gains student attention and stops activity for safety or instruction.

Methods for forming pairs and teams — random, ability, or interest based — chosen to balance participation, equity, and learning goals.

Sharing goals, progress, and resources with parents and guardians to reinforce healthy behaviors and support student learning beyond class.

Working with classroom teachers, counselors, nurses, and specialists to coordinate support for students' health and learning.

A written, rehearsed procedure for responding to injuries or crises during activity, defining roles, communication, and access to help.

Instruction that respects and incorporates students' diverse backgrounds, fostering belonging and equitable participation in activity.

Task orientation defines success by personal improvement, while ego orientation defines it by outperforming others; a task climate supports motivation.

A motivation theory holding that autonomy, competence, and relatedness drive intrinsic motivation and sustained engagement in activity.

Designing experiences that build enjoyment, competence, and self-management so students stay active beyond school.

Proactively structuring activities and responding to aggression to keep the physical-activity setting emotionally safe and inclusive.

Managing the flow of a lesson so transitions are brief and pacing keeps students engaged and physically active throughout.

Providing physical support and sequencing skills from easy to hard so students attempt challenging movements without undue risk.

Planning the use of facilities, equipment, time, and personnel to deliver effective, active instruction within real constraints.

Using feedback and a mastery climate that praises improvement and effort to build students' confidence and willingness to keep trying.

Offering tiered tasks, equipment options, and roles so every student is appropriately challenged and successfully engaged.

Teaching respect for rules, opponents, and officials, fostering an affective climate of integrity and cooperation in games.

Showing correct technique so students form an accurate mental picture before practicing, a key tool for motivation and skill clarity.

Protecting student information collected by fitness devices and apps, following school policy and laws when using health technology.

Providing enough equipment and stations so each student has frequent practice opportunities rather than waiting in lines.

Communicating with students in respectful, encouraging, ability-appropriate ways that support participation and motivation for all.

A collaborative group of educators who meet regularly to share practice, analyze student data, and improve instruction together.

Instruments such as journals, video review, and checklists that help teachers evaluate and improve their instructional decisions.

The match between a task's demands and a learner's physical, cognitive, and emotional maturity, guiding when a skill should be introduced.

Open skills are performed in a changing, unpredictable environment (a soccer pass), while closed skills occur in a stable, predictable one (a free throw).

Varying the conditions or contexts of practice to build adaptable movement skills, especially valuable for open skills.

The ability of a joint to move through its full range; improved by stretching, it supports performance and reduces injury risk.

Strength is the maximal force a muscle can exert in one effort; endurance is the ability to sustain repeated contractions over time.

The proportion of fat mass to fat-free mass in the body, a health-related fitness component influenced by diet and activity.

A gradual increase in activity to prepare the body for exercise and a gradual decrease afterward to aid recovery and reduce injury risk.

The body's sense of the position and movement of its parts, allowing coordinated, balanced movement without relying on sight.

The biomechanical technique of dissipating impact over greater time and area — bending the knees to land — to reduce injury.

Three learning domains in physical education: thinking (cognitive), feelings and values (affective), and physical skills (psychomotor).

Designing lessons that match students' age, maturity, and skill level so tasks are challenging yet attainable and safe.

Five standards defining a physically literate person: competent mover, applies concepts, achieves health-enhancing fitness, responsible behavior, and values activity.

The ability, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life — the overarching goal of the SHAPE America PE standards.

A continuum of instructional styles from teacher-centered (command, practice) to student-centered (guided discovery, problem solving, divergent production).

A teacher-directed style in which the instructor makes all decisions and students respond on cue — efficient for safety-critical or new tasks.

A tactical model that uses modified games to teach decision making and strategy before isolated technique, making play meaningful.

An organizational format with multiple activity stations students rotate through, increasing practice time and allowing differentiated tasks.

Sequencing tasks from simple to complex so students build competence step by step before combining skills in game contexts.

Short, focused words or phrases highlighting the key technical points of a skill, helping students attend to what matters most.

External information about performance provided by the teacher (knowledge of results or performance) that supplements a learner's own senses.

Ongoing checks during learning — observation, exit slips, peer checks — that inform teaching and give students feedback while there is time to improve.

Evaluation at the end of a unit or course that measures cumulative achievement against standards, such as a final skills test.

Evaluating students performing real, meaningful tasks — playing a game, designing a fitness plan — rather than answering decontextualized items.

A scoring tool listing performance criteria and levels of quality, making assessment of skills and projects consistent and transparent.

A criterion-referenced health-related fitness assessment using Healthy Fitness Zones to report whether students meet standards for good health.

A progressive, multistage shuttle-run assessment of aerobic capacity used within FitnessGram to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness.

Measuring performance against a fixed standard (such as a Healthy Fitness Zone) rather than ranking students against one another.

Comparing a student's performance to that of a peer group or norm, indicating relative standing rather than mastery of a standard.

Strategies in which students evaluate their own or classmates' performance against criteria, building reflection and understanding of quality.

The degree to which an assessment measures what it is intended to measure — a key quality of a sound test.

The consistency of an assessment in producing similar results under similar conditions across time, raters, or items.

Analyzing assessment results to identify needs and adjust planning, content, and teaching strategies so instruction targets student gaps.