Learning activities for students BEFORE they receive their HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine.
Students use videos and an activity sheet to explore: what HPV is; what it does; how it can be prevented; why it is important to prevent it; what happens on vaccination day; and the importance of parent/carer consent. Students discuss feelings about vaccinations and strategies to help any concerns. Includes an optional activity where students develop health promotion resources.
HPE: Contributing to healthy and active communities
International technical guidance on sexuality education
Key concept 8.3 (9-12 year olds):
Teaching tip: A group agreement must be established before any Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) program begins to ensure a safe learning environment. Read Essential Tool: Establishing a group agreement for tips on how to create one and what to include.
Say:
“Many of you will be aware that the School Based Immunisation Program will be at the school soon. Who can tell me what this is all about?”
Take answers
“Most of you will have had immunisations (vaccinations, needles, jabs, shots) in the past as babies and young children. Some of you may have had the flu shot last year and be intending to get it this year as well. It is really important to keep your vaccinations up to date. Some of your vaccinations need boosters (a follow-up) to remind the body to continue working to prevent a disease. One of the injections this year for you is a booster for Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping cough) and is called dTpa. You would have had the first lot of injections when you were a baby and a preschooler.
The other vaccination that we will be discussing in detail today is for HPV."
Ask:
❓ Who knows what HPV stands for and what it is?
Take answers.
(Human papillomavirus)
Whole Class
Say:"We are going to be watching videos that will help you complete the HPV vaccination activity sheet. I will be stopping the videos at various points to allow you time to answer each question."
Explain: the video mentions 2 doses/needles of the vaccine - it is now only a single dose.
From 6 February 2023, healthy young people aged 12-13 years will only need one dose of the Gardasil®9 vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. This change follows the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advice that a single dose gives excellent protection that is comparable to protection from two doses.
All three:
OR
7. Use the HPV Vaccination video teacher answer sheet to assist students to work through the activity sheet. Stop and discuss answers to the questions after each video.
Say:
"About nine in ten people who have ever been sexually active will have HPV at some point in their lives. People of all genders and sexual identities can get HPV. There is no treatment or cure for HPV. That’s why it’s so important to have the HPV vaccination. The HPV vaccine used in Australia is called Gardasil ®9. It protects you against the most common types of HPV that can cause disease. Having the HPV vaccination at a young age can help protect you against most HPV-related cancers and illnesses in the future."
Whole Class
8. ❓ What were the forms/pieces of paper that you could see in the video about school immunisation day?
(Consent forms)
9. Say:
"These are extremely important forms - you cannot have a vaccination without them. Getting your parent/carer to sign the consent form is a really important part of this program."
Show an example of the consent form (electronic, printed or the VaccinateWA online form).
10. ❓ What does 'consent' mean?
(Agree to; say yet to; give permission for something)
11. Say:
"Your parent of carer must fill in the Consent form and sign it to say that they give permission for you to have the vaccination. They can do this online using the VaccinateWA website. If they are unable to access the online system, they can ask the school for a copy of the form or print it from the website. You have to return the completed print form to school within a week so that the Immunisation team know that they can give you the vaccination."
12. Inform students about communication that their parent or carer will receive from the school with information about the school-based immunisation program and consent forms.
Whole Class
12. Place 4 pieces of butchers paper or card up around the room with the following questions on them:
13. Give students 5 minutes to write their answers to each of the questions around the room.
Teaching tip: If someone has written an answer they already agree with or were going to write themselves, they can place a tick next to the answer (this helps to give an indication of how many students are feeling the same way in the class without being too identifying)
14. Ask for 4 volunteers to read aloud the answers from each of the graffiti sheets. Acknowledge any feelings of concern and explain that we are going to brainstorm some ways to help alleviate feelings of concern next. Address any misconceptions.
Teaching tip: Some students may not feel comfortable writing answers about their own feelings (i.e. How do I feel about vaccines?) so questions have been written 'a step removed'.
❓ Why do you think schools are chosen as the place to receive vaccinations?
(Most people of the best age for vaccinations go to schools so it is easy to access large numbers of the target group.)
❓ What are the best part/worst parts about getting the HPV vaccine?
(Worst part: the needle; being sick/scared in front of peers; having a sore arm; having to remember to bring in the Consent form; etc.
Best part: being protected from cancers and genital warts; feeling safe that I am protected from getting HPV; feeling good that I will be protecting my future sexual partner/s from getting HPV; getting the vaccination for free; missing class to get the vaccination; not having to go the doctors/clinic to get the vaccination; etc).
❓ How might someone feel about vaccines?
(Students may answer a range of feelings: nervous, scared, fine, happy, relieved, not bothered, indifferent, OK, scared about the needle but happy to have protection against HPV/cancer/genital warts, glad that they will be safe from some cancers, etc.)
It is important to acknowledge all feelings as valid and reassure students who might be feeling nervous or scared.
❓ Why might some people be nervous about receiving the HPV vaccine?
(Possible answers: they don't like needles; they are afraid of fainting/getting sick/being nervous in front of their peers; afraid the needle will hurt)
Identify the most common concerns and ask students to suggest strategies to help with the concerns. For example:
NB: This is often the most fear of students. Be aware that students may not feel comfortable writing this down on the graffiti wall so it may need to be one that you add as an example
Strategies to help: staff to arrange for students who are feeling this way to go for their vaccination together; school community health nurse to visit the class prior to vaccination day to answer any concerns/questions; arrange for students to have a buddy system so that they can be with at least one friend; etc
Reassure students that while they may have a slightly sore arm or may feel sick because they are nervous about having a needle, the vaccination itself is extremely unliklely to make them ill.
Strategies to help: school community health nurse to visit the class prior ot vaccination day to answer any questions or concerns; eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school on the day of vaccinations; talk to your parents/GP to see if you have ever had any side effects from vaccinations before; etc
Reassure students that the needle normally feels like a small scratch and the nurses try to be as gentle as possible.
Strategies to help: arrange for a buddy to come with you to help keep you calm; calming breathing techniques; let the vaccination nurse know so that they can reassure you and help keep you calm
Some students may offer answers that are to do with misconceptions about vaccinations which should be addressed, for example:
15. Ask students to silently reflect on their own answers to the questions to these questions.
Independent or Small Group
This activity provides students with an opportunity to research trustworthy websites and health promotion resources with key messages about HPV vaccination that are important for young people.
1. Have students form small groups or work independently.
2. Explain:
"Health promotion resources, like posters or social media content, are a great way to share important health information with different groups of people (target group). It's important for health promotion resources to include short, sharp, accurate key messages that will connect with the target group. Groups are going to create health promotion resources to share information HPV vaccination with other young people."
2. Provide students with links to reputable websites for research:
3. Ask groups to develop a health promotion resource with at least 5 key messages. Resources could include a poster, Instagram post (tiles), TikTok video or another format that will appeal to young people.
4. Each group to share their poster with the whole class.
5. Allow students to ask presenters questions or clarify points if required.
16. ❓ What is the most important piece of information you are going to share with your parents/carers after this lesson? (Final question on HPV vaccine activity sheet)
17. Ask for volunteers to share answers.
Teaching tip: It is important to ask for volunteers to answer questions on sensitive topics such as this as some students will not feel comfortable sharing their answers to a whole group. See group agreement: right to pass.
18. Question box: Give out some small scrap pieces of paper and allow students time to write any questions they have for the question box. To ensure confidentiality, ask all students to write something on the scrap paper at the same time (even if the just draw a smiley face or scribble) and place it in the question box.
Teaching tip: This strategy can also be used to allow students to write any concerns they have about the vaccinations. Offer the students the opportunity to write their name on the paper if they wish to have their concern addressed individually/privately. You may wish to engage with the school community health nurse or psychologist to help allay any concerns.
19. Remind students that Get the Facts has a completely confidential 'Ask a question' service that they may wish to use. All questions are answered by a qualified health professional within a week.
Background teacher note: Health promoting schools framework.
Partnerships with parents
Partnerships with school staff
