Body Awareness & the Senses

Knowing one's body and how it senses the world, and noticing the signals the body sends (hunger, tiredness, excitement, calm).

K–12 objective ladder

• K D03.S1.K.01 Name the five senses and identify a body part used for each.
• 1 D03.S1.01.01 Identify and name basic body parts such as head, arms, legs, hands, and feet and tell a simple use for each.
• 1 D03.S1.01.02 Notice and name body signals such as hunger, thirst, and tiredness when they feel them.
• 2 D03.S1.02.01 Match each of the five senses to the body part that does the sensing and describe one thing each sense tells us.
• 2 D03.S1.02.02 Notice where a feeling shows up in the body, such as a fast heartbeat when excited, and name the feeling.
• 3 D03.S1.03.01 Describe how two senses can work together, such as taste and smell, to give a fuller picture of something.
• 3 D03.S1.03.02 Recognize early body signals of hunger, fullness, thirst, and tiredness and say one helpful response to each.
• 4 D03.S1.04.01 Describe how the body changes with activity and rest, such as heartbeat, breathing, and warmth, and why.
• 4 D03.S1.04.02 Notice and respect differences in how bodies sense and move, including people who use aids or assistive tools.
• 5 D03.S1.05.01 Explain the mind-body connection with a simple example, such as how worry can make a stomach feel tight.
• 5 D03.S1.05.02 Describe how bodies grow and change at different rates and that every pace is normal.
• 6 D03.S1.06.01 Describe the basic changes of puberty and that they happen at different times for different people.
• 6 D03.S1.06.02 Explain how emotions and body sensations connect, such as stress and tension, and name one way to release tension.
• 7 D03.S1.07.01 Notice and name internal body signals such as hunger, fatigue, and stress accurately in themselves.
• 7 D03.S1.07.02 Analyze how media images can shape how a person feels about their body and describe a healthy response.
• 8 D03.S1.08.01 Explain the basic role of the nervous system in sensing and responding, such as the fight, flight, or rest response.
• 8 D03.S1.08.02 Describe how stress affects the body over time and name healthy ways to help the body return to calm.
• 9 D03.S1.09.01 Explain the somatic basis of emotion and thought, using an example of how body state shapes mood and thinking.
• 9 D03.S1.09.02 Evaluate body-image messages from media and peers and articulate a body-positive or body-neutral view of their own body.
• 10 D03.S1.10.01 Analyze how chronic stress, sleep, and movement shape mood, thinking, and long-term health.
• 10 D03.S1.10.02 Explain how different cultures and times have understood the body-mind connection and assess what evidence supports each.
• 11 D03.S1.11.01 Use mind-body practices such as breathing, movement, and mindfulness deliberately to regulate their own state and explain why they work.
• 11 D03.S1.11.02 Analyze how disability, illness, and diverse bodies shape experience, and design practices that honor a wide range of bodies.
• 12 D03.S1.12.01 Integrate the body-mind connection into a personal framework for lifelong awareness and wellbeing, and explain it to others.
• 12 D03.S1.12.02 Articulate how to sustain their own and others' embodied health and dignity across a lifetime, including aging and change.

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