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Learning objective
Through research, students develop an understanding of the physical, emotional and social changes that occur as a result of pregnancy and birth. Students create a poster or movie to demonstrate their understanding.
Take home messages
Curriculum links
WA HPE Curriculum
Sub-strand: Personal identity and change
- Strategies to cope with and manage the impact of changes and transitions.
- Credible health information that can support people in a variety of situations.
Sub-strand: Healthy and active communities
- Health promotion initiatives which target relevant health, safety and wellbeing issues for young people and ways to manage them.
International technical guidance on sexuality education
Key concept 6.1 Sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology
- Women's bodies can release eggs during the menstrual cycle, and men's bodies may make and ejaculate sperm, both of which are needed for reproduction.
Key concept 6.2 Reproduction
- In order for a pregnancy to begin, criteria must be just right for sperm to join with an egg and implant in the uterus.
- There are common signs of pregnancy, which should be confirmed through pregnancy test that can be taken as soon as the menstrual period is missed or late.
Key concept 6.3 Puberty
- Puberty signals the changes in a person's reproductive capability.
Key concept 8.1 Pregnancy and pregnancy prevention
- It is important to understand the key features of pregnancy.
Materials
- Items to represent the size of a foetus as it develops - salt, pea, kidney bean, lime, avocado, rock melon, 30cm ruler, pillow (approx. 55cm for last trimester)
- Teaching Resource: Stages of pregnancy
- Teaching Resource: Pregnancy card sort [one set per group]
- Teaching Resource: Pregnancy card sort - teacher's answers
Before you get started
- It is important that the social and emotional readiness of pregnancy and birth is discussed throughout this activity. Students require the understanding that being pregnant and having a baby is a major life transition and can impact significantly on a person's existing lifestyle (physically, socially and emotionally).
- This activity is concerned with conception through sexual intercourse but it’s important to inform students that there are families where other methods such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) are better and more appropriate. It is also important to recognise that there are families where the young person is adopted or fostered and/or where the parents are of the same sex.
- The topic of pregnancy and birth may be an exciting and interesting topic for some, but be mindful that some students may feel embarrassed, uncomfortable or worried about how their bodies may change. Increase the comfort of students through introducing this topic with excitement and fun. Providing popcorn (or something similar) for students to share can reduce their anxiety levels.
- Students may have questions that they feel uncomfortable to ask. Providing a question box for students to place their questions in anonymously will ensure their questions are answered in a safe environment.
- The WA Department of Health has developed a free resource for parents: Talk Soon. Talk Often. A Guide for Parents Talking to their Kids About Sex. It is recommended that teachers communicate to parents and explain the topics that will be covered such as healthy relationships, puberty, hygiene, emotions, resilience, etc. and that you are not teaching their child to have 'sex'.
- Puberty kits: The use of a puberty kit can be a useful tool in the classroom. Check with your school's public health nurse to see if there are any kits readily available or that can be made up to use.
- If you are using an educational video, students can often be distracted if the videos are obviously out of date, as evidenced by the clothes, hairstyles and quality of the video, although this could be used to add humour to the experience. Ensure that any multimedia used is current, relevant, appropriate and sufficient time is allocated for a discussion afterwards.
- Many teachers ask the question of whether or not they should separate the boys and the girls for such classes. Research shows that there is no significant difference for either strategy. Read the Before you start: Co-ed or segregated page.
- Consider providing students with a copy of the Puberty booklet and Relationships, Sex and Other Stuff to take home and read.
- Read Educator note: Unplanned pregnacy for further content information related to this activity.
Learning activities
Group agreement
5 min
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.
- Revise or create the class group agreement.
Reproductive system revision
15 mins
- Revise the names and functions of the reproductive systems so students are familiar with the body parts discussed as part of the lesson. You may wish to repeat an activity from either Reproductive systems (Year 5) and Reproductive systems revision (Year 6).
Pregnancy knowledge check
15 mins
- Using the KWL template, ask students to complete the first two columns on their own: What they Know and what they Want to know about pregnancy and birth.
- Show students the items that represent the size of the foetus as it develops (listed in materials) without explaining the reason why you are showing them.
- Ask students to suggest reasons that the objects have been shown.
- Show students the Teaching Resource: Stages of pregnancy (projected on a screen and/or handouts).
- Go through each image and relate each stage back to a relevant object (e.g. at 4 weeks a foetus is the size of a grain of salt). Emphasise that even though the foetus is small, vital changes are happening. The foetus is vulnerable to alcohol and other drugs even during the first weeks.
Pregnancy sort cards
15 mins
- In pairs or small groups, students sort Teaching Resource: Pregnancy card sort into 3 groups:
- Increases chances of having a healthy baby;
- Decreases chances of having a healthy baby; and
- Unsure
- Ask one group to read out their Unsure pile first, and ask other groups were they also placed that card and discuss where it goes, clearing up any misinformation. Go through every group's Unsure pile until they have all been correctly allocated.
- Read out the list of cards that go into the Increases and Decreases pile and again correct and explain why these cards go into their respective pile. Refer to the Teacher Resource: Pregnancy card sort - teachers answers for answers.
- Say:
"There is a lot to think about when you are pregnant, as you have to look after yourself and the pregnancy. There are lots of things someone who is pregnant shouldn't do or avoid. There are some things someone who is pregnant should do more of or focus on, including looking after themselves."
Pregnancy poster
50 mins
- Have students form small groups, See Teaching strategy: Grouping strategies if you wish to assign random groups.
- Ask students research the social and emotional impact of being pregnant and having a baby, e.g. may have to give up study/work, loneliness while caring for the baby at home, feeling worried about looking after a baby. Ensure the students have a clear understanding of the concepts social and emotional first.
- From their research, students are to create a poster, PowerPoint, video or social media post that highlights the social and emotional impacts of being pregnant and giving birth to a baby. The project could be titled 'Strengths, skills and support I would need to be a parent'.
Teaching tip: This can be a short task, in which you ask the students to focus on one message or support someone will need when pregnant or after they have given birth. This can also be a longer, assessment task where you give students more time to work on their resource and provide them with a range of topics they can chose from (not just pregnancy).
3-2-1 Reflection
Resource presentation
50 mins
- Students present their resource to the rest of the class and allow time for questions.
- Ask students complete the 'what I have Learnt' component of their KWL chart.
- Say:
"Being pregnant and having a baby is a lifelong commitment and requires a lifestyle change for all people involved. You have to think and put a lot of energy into caring for another human being, and that is very rewarding for a lot of people - but it is also A LOT of work."
Health promoting schools
Background teacher note: Health promoting schools framework.
Partnerships
Family
- Talk Soon. Talk Often: a guide for parents talking to their kids about sex is a free hardcopy resource that can be bulk ordered by schools and website. Send a copy home to parents prior to starting your RSE program. The booklet offers ages and stage related information on puberty (and other topics) so that parents can reinforce the topics covered in class. (How to order hard copies.) Provide the link to parents on school websites and social media.
- Order copies of Puberty and Relationships, sex and other stuff to be sent home for parents. Provide the link to parents on school websites and social media.
School staff
- Invite the school nurse to your class to answer some of the question box questions. This serves two purposes - they may be able to answer some of the questions you are unsure of and helps to build a relationship between the students and the nurse.
Curriculum
Education
- Ensure healthy eating and making safer choices regarding alcohol and other drugs are spoken about as part of the health and physical education curriculum.
