NHES
National Health Education Standards
CDC · Grades 4–6
Core to HAHU's hunger-and-nutrition lessons. Students analyze how food insecurity affects health, evaluate community resources, and practice advocacy skills.
For Educators & Administrators
Standards
Alignment
Every lesson in Hunger Action Heroes Unite! is mapped to the national frameworks your district already uses, so adopting our curriculum doesn't add to your standards load, it strengthens it.
Built for real classrooms.
Hunger Action Heroes Unite! isn't a stand-alone enrichment program. It's a curriculum designed to plug directly into the standards-based teaching your teachers already do. The four Big Idea lessons, the five-session Project-Based Learning capstone, and the six Bonus extensions each pull from multiple frameworks, giving teachers documentation they can attach straight to a lesson plan or a district approval form.
For the full standards-by-lesson and lesson-by-standards breakdown, download the printable PDF. It's formatted 8.5 × 11 for sharing with curriculum leads, principals, and grant officers.
Who this is for
- Classroom teachers planning units around HAHU lessons
- Curriculum coordinators vetting supplemental programs
- District & school administrators approving new materials
- Grant officers & funders documenting program rigor
- Out-of-school-time leaders aligning to academic standards
7
Frameworks
11
Lessons
42+
Standards Hit
100%
Documented
Lessons × Frameworks
A one-look summary of which national standards each lesson draws on. See the PDF for specific codes (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1, NGSS 5-ESS3-1, etc.).
Primary alignment Partial / supporting Not addressed
| Lesson | NHESHealth | NGSSScience | CASELSEL | ELACCSS | MATHCCSS | NCSSSocial Studies | FIN-LITJumpStart |
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| The 4 Big Idea Lessons | |||||||
| 01The Hunger ProblemBig Idea · Lesson 1 |
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| 02Food Waste & the PlanetBig Idea · Lesson 2 |
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| 03The Food Rescue SystemBig Idea · Lesson 3 |
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| 04Heroes in ActionBig Idea · Lesson 4 |
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| Project-Based Learning · 5-Session Capstone | |||||||
| PBLBecome a Hunger Action HeroCouncil of Heroes Project |
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| The 6 Bonus Lessons · Cross-Curricular Extensions | |||||||
| B1Food Math & MeasurementAppendix B |
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| B2Garden to TableAppendix B |
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| B3Comic-Strip StorytellingAppendix B |
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| B4Community MappingAppendix B |
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| B5Budget the PantryAppendix B |
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| B6Voices & LettersAppendix B |
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NGSS
Next Generation Science Standards
Grades 4–6 · Earth & Life Science
Food waste, climate, and ecosystems anchor our science content. Students model food systems and analyze the environmental impact of waste.
CASEL
Social-Emotional Learning
CASEL 5 Competencies
The "Heroes" framing builds empathy, social awareness, and responsible decision-making. PBL sessions emphasize relationship skills and self-management.
ELA
CCSS English Language Arts
Reading · Writing · Speaking · Language
The strongest alignment in the curriculum. Comic-book reading, persuasive writing, collaborative discussion, and informational text analysis throughout.
MATH
CCSS Mathematics
Number, Measurement, Data
Bonus lessons and the PBL capstone bring math into food-rescue scenarios: measurement, ratios, data analysis, and operations with whole numbers and decimals.
NCSS
Social Studies Themes
National Council for the Social Studies
Civic engagement and community studies are central. Students examine local food systems, government roles, and individual action in a democratic society.
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Financial Literacy
JumpStart National Standards
Bonus lessons introduce budgeting, scarcity, and community economics through the lens of food access and household resource decisions.
PBL
Project-Based Learning
Gold Standard PBL · 5 Sessions
The capstone follows Buck Institute Gold Standard PBL design: authentic problem, sustained inquiry, student voice, critique & revision, and a public product.
1
Plan Your Unit
Use the Lessons × Frameworks matrix to choose lessons that map to standards you're already teaching this quarter. Each lesson is standalone, so pick and choose.
2
Document for Approval
Attach the printable PDF to district approval forms, grant applications, or principal sign-offs. Specific standard codes are listed by lesson on pages 7–11.
3
Teach & Track
Use the framework-by-framework view (pages 12–17) to log which standards you've hit across the unit, for end-of-year reporting or accreditation.
Get the full matrix.
An 18-page printable PDF with the complete standards-by-lesson breakdown, framework-by-framework index, and document colophon for citation. Free to download, no email required.
What grade levels is this for?
The primary alignment is for upper elementary and middle school (grades 4–6), and lessons are designed to adapt up or down for younger or older audiences. The PBL capstone scales comfortably through grade 8 with light modifications.
Do you align to my state's standards?
HAHU is mapped to the national frameworks listed above (CCSS, NGSS, NHES, CASEL, NCSS, and the JumpStart Financial Literacy Standards). Most state standards inherit directly from these frameworks, so the alignment carries over. If your district needs a state-specific mapping, reach out and we'll help you connect the dots.
How long does the full curriculum take to teach?
The 4 Big Idea lessons run approximately 45 minutes each. The PBL capstone is 5 sessions of 45–60 minutes. The 6 Bonus lessons are optional cross-curricular extensions.
Is this curriculum approved for use in public schools?
HAHU is a social enterprise of Feeding San Diego, a 501(c)(3) and Feeding America member. The curriculum is secular and evidence-based.
Can I get help presenting this to my administration?
Yes! We offer a free 20-minute virtual walkthrough for curriculum coordinators and principals. Email us to schedule.
