Always Changing and Growing up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJcKH0oBjgs
Always Changing and Growing Up has Co-Ed Puberty Education is a fantastic video for both middle school age boys and girls presented by P&G School Programs and published on YouTube on February 17th, 2016. This co-ed video is part of a series that also has both male specific and female specific videos available which are very well done. I found this YouTube video charming, informative, and comprehensive making it perfect for a co-ed classroom sexual health education discussion. The video’s use of middle school aged actors, fast passed yet simple graphics, and a very straight forward, no-need-to-be-embarrassed tone, makes me believe this approach could be very effective in a sexual health education discussion with middle school students.
Curriculum Implementation: Although the topic of sexual health is very sensitive, addressing it in a manner that suggest complete normalcy will decrease the anxiety around the subject for students and create a space that will encourage open and honest dialoged where students feel comfortable and safe asking questions. This video could be shown straight through as well as in pieces. Facilitation of class wide discussions and small group discussions could be easily implemented as well as an array of writing exercise formats: journaling, letters writing, short story/personal narrative. Though admittedly a stretch, if the achievement of normalcy surrounding sexual health was achieved, I can envision an interesting and engaging scientific application here too. Students for example could swab their underarms and grow their own bacteria on petri dishes. As the scientific experiment expands a conversation could be had about daily hygiene and deodorants for changing bodies.
HBO 3: Engage in behavior that prevent or reduce sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) including HIV infection.
HBO 4: Engage in behaviors that prevent or reduce unintended pregnancy.
HBO 8: Utilize appropriate health services to promote sexual health.
NHES 1: Core Concepts
- Describe basic male and female reproductive body parts and their function.
- Describe the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during puberty.
- Explain how puberty and development can vary considerably and still be normal.
- Describe the benefits of healthy family relationships.
- Describe the benefits of healthy peer relationships.