In health class, we spent most of January and February covering developmentally appropriate sex education. Before you glaze over by how long this is, I want to share some interesting LAUNDRY facts I learned recently. These have been a game changer for me personally and I look forward to washing the P.E. pinnies with improved cleaning power! Click that link for pro-tips from Zachary Pozniak, a professional dry cleaner, on removing odor from clothes with what I call "perma-stink" (if you know, you know!). 3rd through 6th graders watched Taking Care of Your Body During Puberty which covers the importance of changing and washing clothes.
Below, I share links to many of the other videos we viewed. Yes, it's a lot of videos, and rest assured, we also learned through read-a-louds, class and small group discussion, self reflection and group activities.
Kindergartners learned that families can be all shapes and sizes and the importance of respecting families that are different from our own. 1st and 2nd graders practiced how they would stand up for someone who is being made fun up because of their gender, for example if a boy is being picked on for playing with a doll, or a girl is told she shouldn't play with trucks. K-2 learned the anatomically correct names for private parts and why it is important to keep them private. We watched and discussed lessons 1-6 of the "Protect Yourself Rules" videos that can be viewed here. These lessons focus on sexual abuse prevention, as is required by Act 1, a a Vermont law to protect youth.
3rd through 4th grade also covered sexual abuse prevention with the "Protect Yourself Rules" videos (lessons 1-5) that can be viewed here. Additional lessons in 3rd through 4th grade focused on many of the social, emotional and physical changes that happen during puberty. As part of these lessons, we watched a series of videos (Am I Normal? Puberty Explained, Is this Normal? Puberty in People with Penises Explained, and Is this Normal? Puberty in People with Vaginas Explained.)
At Waitsfield, I had the opportunity to show the video "Period Symptoms and Self Care" to the 3rd and 4th grade girls after many questions came up around menstruation. I encourage you to check it out with your child if they didn't have a chance to view it.
5th and 6th graders spent time considering how relationships may change as they get older, including romantic relationships. Concepts of personal safety (Act 1), healthy relationships, reproduction, consent, abstinence, contraceptives, and sexually transmitted diseases were introduced through the following videos (viewed here and here) from amaze.org.
Be Well and Launder On,
Mrs. Zaino
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