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Learning objective
Students investigate the body care products required when reaching puberty. They develop an understanding of why they are used, how they should be used and how advertising can influence our purchases.
Take home messages
Curriculum links
WA Curriculum
HPE: Personal identity and change
- Strategies and resources to understand and manage the physical, mental/emotional, and social changes and transitions associated with puberty
International technical guidance on sexuality education
Key concept 6.1 Sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology (9-12 years)
- Everyone's body has parts involved in one's sexual health and reproduction, and it is common for children to have questions about them.
Key concept 6.3 Puberty (9-12 years)
- Puberty signals changes in a person's reproductive capability.
- During puberty, hygiene is important to keep one's sexual and reproductive anatomy clean and health.
- Menstruation is a normal and natural part of a girls' physical development and should not be treated with secrecy and stigma.
Materials
- Examples of products related to puberty, i.e. pads, tampons, bra, shaver, antiperspirant deodorant, body spray, perfume
- Internet access
- Magazines with a focus on teens, lifestyle (e.g. Dolly)
- A3 card [one per student]
Before you get started
- The topic of puberty may be an exciting and interesting topic for some. Be mindful that some students may feel embarrassed, uncomfortable or worried learning how their bodies are going to be changing. Increase the comfort of students through introducing this topic with excitement and fun. Providing popcorn (or something similar) for students to share can be a fun way to 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'.
- If you are using an educational video, students can often be distracted if the videos are obviously out of date, as evidenced by the clothes, hairstyles and quality of the video, although this could be used to add humour to the experience.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. You may choose to separate your class by gender, keep them all together or mix strategies by separating your class for certain activities. If you do choose to separate the sexes, ensure that both groups receive the same information. It is just as important for students to learn about their changing bodies as it is for them to learn what the other sex is going through in order to promote compassion. Remember when making this decision that all students need to overcome any potential discomfort in order to be able to effectively communicate sexual matters in relationships when they are older. Read the Co-ed or segregated? page for some further information.
- Consider providing students with a copy of the Puberty booklet to take home and read.
- Refer to the Guide: Puberty for further content information related to this activity. You can also review The practical guide to love, sex and relationships, Topic 1: Puberty.
Learning activities
Group Agreement
5 minutes
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.
Whole Class
35 minutes
This activity introduces hygiene products (e.g. deodorant) that are new and important to young people at this stage in their development. It also educates young people on the power of advertising, specifically how the media can be used to persuade young people to purchase on the basis of body image rather than practicality.
- Show students a range of hygiene products (i.e. deodorant, shaver, body spray, tampons, etc.).
- In pairs, using the teaching strategy think-pair-share, students describe the purpose of these hygiene products.
- How are these items intended to be used?
- Why are they used?
- How do you feel about the possibility of using some or all of these products in the near future?
- Which items would you describe as essential and which items are a luxury?
- Ask:
- Why is personal hygiene important when you reach puberty?
- What are the main reasons we need to keep clean? (to be pleasant to be with and to avoid the spread of disease)
- Who can you talk to about getting some of the items that you decided were essential if you don’t have them already?
- What hygiene measures are particularly related to menstruation? (e.g. changing pads and tampons every three or four hours, not flushing down the toilet, not wearing pads in a swimming pool, changing tampons after swimming)
- Review the physical, social and emotional changes associated with puberty and the implications they can have in regard to personal hygiene (refer to Year 6 Learning Activity: Managing change and transition).
- View the body spray ad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEl7AQI9X8I&feature=youtu.be) [0:30min]
- Use the teaching strategy think-pair-share to define the key messages of the body spray advert.
- Ask:
- What aspects of the ad do you find interesting? Why?
- What is the underlying message being conveyed in this ad?
- Does this ad make you want to purchase the product? Why/why not?
- View the antiperspirant deodorant ad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e6WcdM4C2U&feature=youtu.be) [0:30min] and repeat questions above.
- Facilitate discussion about how the advertising companies use sex and body image to sell body care products by comparing both ads:
- What are the different images being portrayed in both advertisements?
- Why do you think the advertisers of the Impulse Diaries have chosen this scenario to sell their product?
- Which product are you most likely to buy? Why?
- How do these ads appeal to certain genders?
- Discuss the differences between antiperspirant deodorant and body spray. For example, antiperspirant deodorant reduces sweat and odour, it is longer lasting and is applied to underarms. Body spray is a fragrance, it has a short-term effect and can be applied all over the body.
Independent or Small Group
15 minutes
This activity extends students' understanding of the impact media has on purchasing hygiene products by providing students the opportunity to examine and evaluate magazine advertisements of other hygiene products.
- Using the brainstorm teaching strategy, students develop a list of essential items that need to go into a boy’s and girl’s puberty kit (e.g. deodorant, hot water bottle, menstrual pads, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, clean underwear). Use a T-chart to record the feedback.
- Reach agreement as a class and have students write the list appropriate to their gender in their workbooks.
- Using the magazines and A3 card, students choose one item and cut out advertisements they find on this product (e.g. different brands or varieties of razors or tampons).
- Students write:
- the purpose of the item
- why they might buy one brand of product over another
- any questions they would like to ask about the product before they make the purchase.
3-2-1 Reflection
5 minutes
- Discuss how the students may have formed beliefs regarding particular products and whether they are accurate or influenced by marketing and advertising.
- Discuss the usefulness of the extra features (e.g. wings on menstrual pads or gel strips on razors) or the purpose of bright colours and attractive packaging.
- Ask:
- What does it mean if you have lots of questions about a product?
- How can you obtain accurate and unbiased information about a product?
- Should you buy an item without getting your questions answered?
- Should you buy a product just because your friends buy it?
- Answer any questions students have and clarify any misconceptions.
- Discuss if a product is essential or a luxury, and how the pressure to buy certain items can add stress to families.
Health promoting schools
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Education
- Seek support from the school nurse if you are feeling unsure about teaching about puberty or to answer questions you do not feel confident to answer.
Environment
- Address bully or comments about students who have already begun puberty and their bodies.
Partnership
- Provide a copy of the Puberty booklet to parents to help continue the discussion at home.
