Quick answer: A strong healthy relationships curriculum for teens teaches students to recognize respect and warning signs, set and honor boundaries, communicate during conflict, practice consent, and know where to get help. It matters: in 2023, about 1 in 10 high school students who dated reported physical dating violence and about 1 in 17 reported sexual dating violence in the past year (OJJDP/CDC YRBS). Below are five lesson ideas you can adapt, plus trusted resources.
Healthy relationships education isn’t just about dating. It’s about friendship, family, teamwork and online life. Students who can name what respect looks like are better prepared to build it and to notice when it’s missing.
Why teach healthy relationships?
Dating violence is common
According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, among high school students who dated in the past year (OJJDP data snapshot):
- 10.4% experienced physical dating violence (11.4% of female students and 9.3% of male students).
- 5.9% experienced sexual dating violence (9.3% of female students and 2.9% of male students).
Prevention works best early
CDC’s Healthy Relationships Toolkit (formerly Dating Matters) focuses on ages 11 to 14, combining classroom lessons, parent programs and educator training, because building skills before dating starts is a key prevention strategy (CDC).
It’s part of national standards
The National Sex Education Standards include consent and healthy relationships among their core strands for grades K–12 (NSES, 2020). Research also links comprehensive programs to healthier relationships and lower dating and intimate partner violence (Goldfarb & Lieberman, 2021).
Five lesson ideas you can adapt
These activities work for grades 6–12 with age-appropriate adjustments. Always follow your district’s policies and preview materials with families when required.
Lesson 1: The relationship spectrum
Goal: Students describe healthy, unhealthy and abusive behaviors.
- Draw a line on the board labeled Healthy – Unhealthy – Abusive.
- Hand out scenario cards (for example, “checks your phone without asking,” “respects when you want time with friends,” “threatens to share a private photo”).
- Small groups place each card on the spectrum and explain why.
- Discuss: Which behaviors were hardest to place? Why?
Tip: Use friendship and family examples, not only dating, especially in middle school. love is respect offers a relationship spectrum resource you can use as a reference (love is respect).
Lesson 2: Boundaries 101
Goal: Students practice setting and respecting boundaries.
- Define boundaries: limits we set to feel safe and comfortable (physical, emotional and digital).
- Students write three boundaries they have (for example, “I don’t share my passwords”).
- In pairs, practice saying a boundary out loud and responding respectfully: “Thanks for telling me. I’ll respect that.”
- Debrief: How does it feel when someone respects your boundary? When they don’t?
Lesson 3: Consent in everyday life
Goal: Students understand consent as clear, freely given and reversible.
- Start with non-romantic examples: borrowing a phone, posting a group photo, a hug.
- Introduce key ideas: ask, listen, respect the answer, and know that people can change their minds.
- Role-play asking and responding to “no” with respect.
- Older students can discuss consent in relationships and how alcohol and pressure affect it.
For more, see our posts How to Explain Consent to a Child (and a Teen) and Consent Is Ongoing.
Lesson 4: Digital respect
Goal: Students recognize respectful and controlling behavior online.
- Brainstorm: What does respect look like in texting and on social media?
- Discuss red flags: demanding passwords, constant location tracking, pressure to send photos, sharing private messages.
- Students create a “digital respect agreement” for themselves or the class.
- Review how to block, report and save evidence, and which adults to tell.
Lesson 5: How to help a friend
Goal: Students know how to respond if a friend is in an unhealthy relationship.
- Read a short scenario about a friend who seems isolated and anxious.
- Groups list supportive things to say (“I’m here for you,” “It’s not your fault”) and things to avoid (blaming, ultimatums).
- Share help resources (see below) and identify trusted adults at school.
- Close by reinforcing: you don’t have to handle it alone.
Put these lessons in more classrooms
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Tips for teaching sensitive topics
- Set ground rules together: respect, no names or personal stories, the right to pass.
- Use an anonymous question box so every student can ask.
- Prepare for disclosures. Know your mandated reporting procedures and your counselor’s contact information before the lesson.
- Include every student. Use inclusive language and examples. See How to Support LGBTQ+ Students in Health Class.
- Engage families with a take-home summary and conversation starters.
How to check what students learned
Short, low-stakes checks help you see whether skills are sticking:
- Exit tickets: “Name one sign of a healthy relationship and one warning sign.”
- Scenario responses: students write what they would say to set a boundary or support a friend.
- Before-and-after surveys: ask students how confident they feel naming help resources at the start and end of the unit.
- Reflection journals: private entries students can choose to share.
Use what you learn to revisit topics students found confusing.
Where students can get help
Share these resources in class and post them in your room:
- love is respect: text LOVEIS to 22522, call 1-866-331-9474, or chat at loveisrespect.org (24/7, for teens and young adults) (love is respect).
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988.
- 911 in an emergency.
- A trusted adult: a counselor, nurse, teacher or family member.
Go deeper: training and full curricula
These lesson ideas are a starting point. Our Know Your Body, Know Your Rights program for grades 9–12 and Growing Up, Speaking Up program for grades 6–8 include healthy relationships and consent lessons, parent take-home guides and teacher support. Educators can also ask about our Educator & Counselor Training Institute on our programs page. Explore our programs and free resources, or contact us to bring a program to your school.
Frequently asked questions
What should a healthy relationships curriculum for teens cover?
Respect, communication, boundaries, consent, recognizing warning signs of unhealthy or abusive behavior, digital respect, and where to get help.
What age should healthy relationships lessons start?
Skills like respect, boundaries and asking permission can start in elementary school. CDC’s prevention model focuses on ages 11 to 14, before most teens start dating.
How common is teen dating violence?
In 2023, 10.4% of high school students who dated reported physical dating violence and 5.9% reported sexual dating violence in the past year, according to CDC survey data.
Where can teens get help with an unhealthy relationship?
Teens can text LOVEIS to 22522 or call 1-866-331-9474 to reach love is respect 24/7, talk to a trusted adult, or call 911 in an emergency.
Are these lessons free to use?
Yes. Teachers can adapt these lesson ideas for their classrooms, following district policies.
How should I respond to parent concerns about these lessons?
Share the lesson materials ahead of time, explain how they connect to safety and respect, describe your district’s opt-out process, and invite parents to keep the conversation going at home.
Sources
- OJJDP. Data Snapshot: Dating Violence Reported by High School Students, 2023. https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/publications/data-snapshot-dating-violence-reported-by-high-school-students-2023.pdf
- CDC. Dating Matters / Healthy Relationships Toolkit. https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/php/datingmatters/
- Future of Sex Education. National Sex Education Standards, 2nd ed. 2020. https://siecus.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/NSES-2020-2.pdf
- Goldfarb & Lieberman, J Adolesc Health 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.036
- love is respect. Get relationship help 24/7/365. https://www.loveisrespect.org/get-relationship-help-24-7-365/