® always changing ® fifth grade puberty education program INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE EDPGM-10903-3_EducatorsGuide_2012_FA.indd 1 11/8/12 11:50 AM 28 years Contents. OF PUBERTY EDUCATION Always Changing®. Teaching Materials ............................3 Dear Educator: Educators and Thank you for choosing the Always Changing® Program as Classroom Activities for ................... Fifth-Grade Puberty Education Program. students can also find part of your puberty education curriculum. The Always Changing® Program has been a trusted curriculum source for puberty Teaching Puberty ..............................4 more information at If you’re teaching puberty education for the first time, the education among school nurses and health educators for over 25 years. It has been Overview of Growth and experience of health educators who have used Always taught to millions of students nationwide. The look of the program has been Development at Puberty ................5 Changing may be useful. updated, but the information and educational goal remain the same — to teach preteens about their changing bodies and the beginning stages of puberty. Here’s their advice: Female Stages of Development ..6 This program is provided as a free educational service by the Always® brand of feminine Inform your school administration of your plans and review protection products. Overview of the Female the Always Changing Program with them, including the Reproductive System ......................7 student take-home materials. Program content is based on national research and consultation with school nurses, health educators, parents, fifth-grade students and medical professionals. It is designed to provide fifth-grade students with a broad overview Explaining Menstruation .................8 Inform parents of the date(s) you will be teaching the program. of the beginning stages of puberty. Program materials include: Follow your school’s policy for obtaining parents’ written Choosing Feminine permission. (A sample letter to parents is on page 27.) Protection Products .........................9 Choose the classroom activities (pages 4-5) that will be most Toxic Shock Syndrome .................. 12 effective for your students. Make arrangements with your colleagues if all or part of the program will be taught to boys Menstrual Calendar ........................ 13 and girls separately. Male Stages of Development ..... 15 Gather teaching materials, arrange for a VCR or DVD player, make copies of the tests and create a question box as appropriate Overview of the Male for your lesson plan. Reproductive System .................... 16 Plan how much time you will need for each activity or section. Puberty Experiences for Boys .... 17 Be sure to leave time for discussion and questions. Inform students in advance. Perspiration and Body Odor ....... 18 Instructor’s Materials Female Student Materials Male Student Materials We care deeply about the health of students and their families, • Instructor’s Guide • Guidebook for girls about • Guidebook for boys about Commonly Asked Questions ...... 19 and we are grateful to you for inviting us into your classroom. • Live-action video or DVD with growing up growing up Educator feedback is an essential part of our ongoing efforts to girls-only, boys-only, and co-ed • Parents’ postcard Video Discussion Guide ............... 22 improve our programs. We welcome your questions or comments. segments • Calendar (usage information below and on ® Reproducible Pre- and Sincerely, page 22) • Always Pantiliner samples Post-Tests .......................................... 23 • Conversation Cards Sample Permission Letter to Parents ...........................................27 Velvet Gogol Bennet Other Resources ............................. 28 Always Changing Program Procter & Gamble Always Changing video. Below is what you should see in the lower right corner of your video screen: Learning objectives. This program is designed to be used either in co-ed or single-sex classes. Using the complete Always Changing® Program will help students identify: • The physical and emotional changes they experience during puberty and acknowledge these changes as a Section Length: Section Length: Section Length: 20:40 minutes 18:02 minutes 31:52 minutes normal part of growth and development. Contains: Contains: Contains: • That personal hygiene is each individual’s responsibility. • Hygiene • Hygiene • Hygiene • The physiology of their bodies and the correct terminology for parts of the reproductive system. • Female Growth • Male Growth • Female and & Development & Development Male Growth • The menstrual cycle, what to expect during a period, and how to manage periods while continuing with & Development normal activities. Instructor’s Guide Instructor’s Guide 2 ® ® 3 EDPGM-10903-3_EducatorsGuide_2012_FA.indd 2-3 11/8/12 11:50 AM Program organization. ® The Always Changing Program is designed to be adaptable to each instructor’s individual needs and preferences. Writing Assignment It is appropriate for co-ed classes, but it can also be taught effectively to girls-only or boys-only classes. Some Each student writes a short essay. Topics instructors choose to distribute the students’ guides as take-home materials at the end of the program; others use might include: Students will apply information from them as classroom texts throughout the program. Choose the format and specific activities you prefer to make • The most important change he/she has 1 full class the lesson, as well as develop writing your puberty lessons and reminders interesting, informative and effective for your students. noticed in his/her own life. period and vocabulary skills. • The most important new responsibility he/ Program Activity Learning Objective Materials Lesson Time she has assumed in the last few months. • A similar topic relevant to your students. Pre-Test (girls and boys) Answers Instructor and students will assess the level of current knowledge the Repro masters 15 minutes to Post-Test (girls and boys) Answers Girls: 1 T, 2 F, 3 T, 4 T, 5 F, 6 F, 7 F, 8 T, 9 B, 10 D Instructor and students will students already have about the on pages 23, 25 complete Girls: 1 F, 2 T, 3 T, 4 F, 5 F, 6 T, 7 T, 8 T, 9 C, understand how much knowledge Repro masters 15 minutes to Boys: 1 T, 2 F, 3 T, 4 F, 5 T, 6 F, 7 F, 8 T, 9 E, 10 B subject of puberty. 10 A the students have gained from on page 24, 26 complete Boys: 1 T, 2 F, 3 F, 4 T, 5 F, 6 F, 7 D, 8 T, 9 T, the puberty lesson. Students will develop a base of 10 D knowledge about the puberty experience. The Video Discussion Video Discussion Video and Video Discussion Guide Guide will help the instructor Guide on page 22 lead students through the topics raised in the video. Reproductive Systems • Photocopy the diagrams onto transparencies Students will be able to identify and Overview of growth and development at puberty. 20 minutes for for use on the overhead. explain the major components of Repro masters Centuries of cultural and religious traditions have led us to treat puberty as everything from a reason for instruction and the male and female reproductive on pages 7, 16 • Review diagrams, pronounce vocabulary discussion celebration to a cause for shame. Although it is a complex time of change — emotionally, physically, socially and words, and discuss physical changes at systems. intellectually — today, puberty is commonly seen as a positive transition. Helping students understand puberty. the physical and emotional changes taking place will contribute to their development of a positive and informed Distribute Take-Home Kits approach to adolescence. • Explain sample kit to girls. Refer to the Puberty begins (usually between the ages of 8 and 13) when the pituitary gland sends a signal to the brain to chart in the Girl’s Guide that explains how begin producing a hormone; in girls, it’s estrogen produced by the ovaries; in boys, it’s testosterone produced in to choose the right product for comfort, Girls will be able to accurately the testicles. protection and discretion. discuss the feminine protection Pages 9-11 5 minutes • Consider allowing girls to take their kits samples and how they work. This sets in motion physical and emotional changes that lead to sexual maturity. to their lockers before they go to the next class. If your class is co-ed, you might let the boys leave before distributing the girls’ kits. Emotional changes at puberty. Menstrual Calendar The wide emotional swings that girls and boys experience in puberty are caused by these hormones. As an • Students complete and discuss a few educator, helping them know what to expect can lessen the ups and downs of growing up. Explain and emphasize “example months” to help understand the menstrual calendar. the following changes: • Using the calendar on page 14 of this • Mood swings. Normally caused by changing hormone levels, mood swings are part of puberty for both boys Instructor’s Guide, have each student 20 minutes and girls. For girls that have started menstruation, this may be most noticeable around day 15 of their cycle (see Students will be able to explain the complete January, February and March Repro master on to complete reasons for and process of keeping a page 8 on premenstrual phase as a discussion guide). on her calendar. page 14 example and menstrual calendar. Ask and discuss: discussion • Change in self-confidence. A growing body — whether it’s ahead of their peers, behind or keeping pace — can What does each symbol in the example be a major concern for preteens. Increased awkwardness and embarrassment about their bodies are common. mean? Stressing that it’s good to be an individual, physically and emotionally, can help preteens cope with all these How many days are there in each menstrual changes. It might also be a good time to remind your students that everyone goes through this. It’s completely cycle? normal. When is the next period/menstrual cycle likely to begin? • Emotional instability. Thanks again to hormones, preteens often become more emotional and react more strongly than they did when they were younger, regardless of whether it’s a school or peer-related issue.