8th Grade

Human Development/Sexual Health

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Each lesson is clearly labeled so you can easily identify which topics/lessons are being taught. This will also help you easily identify which topics you may want to discuss with your students at home, using these slides as a springboard for discussions. Use this as a guide to determine if there are any lessons/topics you would prefer to opt-out of and cover at home with your student as a family.

Why Human Sexuality?

FLASH lessons prepare students to:

• Abstain from sex until they are ready
• Basic Understanding of Human Sexuality - and how it relates to you
• Communicate with their families about sexual health
• Make decisions that minimize risk to their sexual health
• Seek medical care in order to take care of their reproductive health

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Why Human Sexuality?

Welcome to our sexual health education unit. We will be covering the following topics:

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• Reproductive Systems and Pregnancy
• Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation
• Dating and healthy relationships
• Saying no to sex until you are ready
• Birth Control Methods
• STDs, including HIV

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Feeling Comfortable we should all feel comfortable learning about our Human Sexuality

• Ask questions! In class, after class, at home… to your counselors... any question is a good question.
• Pass if a question or activity feels too private.
• Protect other people’s feelings and protect your own and other people's privacy.
• Listen respectfully when other people are speaking.
• Encourage other people to do the same.

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1. APPLE - Respect - Trust - Honest

Lesson One: Female and Male Reproductive Systems and Pregnancy

Students will be able to:

1. Describe basic reproductive organs and their functions for females and males.
2. Describe conception and its relationship to the menstrual cycle.
3. Describe the signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:

Let’s start here with the ovary (1). As you can see, there are two ovaries. What do they do?

• Egg cells are released from the ovaries about once a month after puberty. That’s called ovulation.
• The ovaries also make the hormone estrogen.

Did you know, a person with ovaries is born with all the egg cells they will ever have.

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After ovulation, the egg cell travels down the fallopian tube (2) toward the uterus.

• If the egg meets a sperm cell while it is in the fallopian tube and they join together, that is called fertilization.
• If the fertilized egg lives, it will begin dividing into many cells.
• The fertilized egg will try to attach to the wall of the uterus, which is called implantation.
• If the fertilized egg is able to implant, that is the beginning of a pregnancy.
• This process of fertilization and implantation is called conception.

This is the uterus (3). It is where a pregnancy would grow if a person was pregnant, and it is where period blood comes from.

• Each month the uterus prepares for pregnancy, just in case it happens.
• It prepares by building up a lining of blood along its walls.
• About 14 days after ovulation, if conception did not happen, this lining of blood leaves the body, passing through the cervix and out through the vagina.
• That’s called menstruation, or having a period.

Menstruation, ovulation, and thickening of the uterine lining, are the events that make up the menstrual cycle.

The Menstrual Cycle

The cervix (4) is the name for the bottom part of the uterus. You can also think of it as the back wall of the vagina.

• The vagina stops where the cervix begins.
• You will notice that the cervix has a small opening. This opening is just big enough for sperm to swim through and for period blood to come out of.
• When someone gives birth to a baby through the vagina, the cervix opens up much bigger to allow the baby out.

This is the vagina (5). It is where period blood comes out.

• When we talk about vaginal sex, we are talking about a penis going in the vagina.
• When a person gives birth to a baby, the baby either comes out here through the vagina,
• or a doctor makes a cut through the abdomen and uterus to deliver the baby via an operation called a cesarean section.

The labia (6) are folds of skin that cover and protect the vagina and clitoris.

The clitoris (7) is a small organ just above the opening of the urethra. It is made of the same kind of special tissue, called erectile tissue. The penis is also made of erectile tissue.

• The clitoris can become erect because it was touched, because a person is sexually aroused, or sometimes for no particular reason.

You can see several parts that are in this same area of the body, but aren’t part of the reproductive system.

• The bladder (8), which stores urine, or pee, and the
• urethra (9), which is the tube through which urine leaves the body.

The anus (10) is where feces, or poop, comes out of the body.

This is the last slide on the Female Reproductive System.

Are there any questions about the female reproductive system?

PREGNANCY:

Does anyone know what some symptoms are that might let someone know that they are pregnant?

• A common symptom is missing a period.
• Other symptoms include swollen breasts
• feeling very tired
• feeling sick to the stomach
• needing to urinate more often

Of course, anyone who had vaginal sex without using a condom or other birth control could be pregnant, even if they didn’t have any symptoms.

After a person is pregnant it is important they take steps to have a healthy pregnancy.This includes

• visiting the doctor right away
• no smoking
• no drinking alcohol or doing other drugs

• An egg cell might meet a sperm cell in the fallopian tube because a couple had vaginal sex without using a condom or other birth control.
• Other times, a person may have used donated sperm to create a pregnancy.

Most months, the egg cell will not meet any sperm cells. In that case, the egg cell will simply disintegrate.

If a couple was having vaginal sex, but did not want to become pregnant, they could use a condom or the woman could use a hormonal birth control method.

Birth control stops ovulation, which means there would be no egg available to fertilize. There is a chance that condoms (13% failure rate) and other forms of birth control can fail.

Any questions?

MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:

Let’s start here with the testicles (1). As you can see there are two testicles.

• The testicles are where sperm are made, beginning in puberty.
• They also make the hormone testosterone.
• Does anyone remember the parts from the female reproductive system that are similar to the testicles?

There are two of them, they make hormones, and they store the egg cells.

The testicles are similar to the ovaries.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM:

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-The testicles are inside of a muscular sac of skin called the scrotum (2).

-The testicles need to be at a certain temperature to make sperm.

-The scrotum pulls the testicles up closer to the body to keep them warm, or moves the testicles away from the body to cool them off, in order to keep them the right temperature.

After sperm cells are made in the testicles they move into this part here, called the epididymis (3).

• It is a really long, tightly coiled up tube where the sperm stay for 2 to 3 months while they finish maturing.
• Sperm stay in the testicles and epididymis until a person ejaculates.
• Ejaculation is when semen is released from the penis. This only happens when the penis has an erection.

Remember, the penis is made of erectile tissue, like the clitoris. It can become erect when it is touched, or if the person is feeling sexually aroused, or sometimes for no particular reason.

When a person ejaculates, sperm travel from the epididymis up into these tubes called the vas deferens (4).

• You may notice that the vas deferens connects up with the testicles much like the fallopian tubes connect with the ovaries.
• The fluid that is released when a person ejaculates is called semen.
• Semen has sperm in it, but it is also made up of other fluid that helps the sperm to live.
• The fluid is made by the
• seminal vesicles (5)
• and the prostate gland (6).

The semen leaves the body through the urethra (7). This is the same tube that carries urine from the bladder (8) out of the body, although only one of these fluids can leave the body at a time.

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• The urethra is inside of the penis (9).

Just before semen is ejaculated, a fluid from the Cowper’s glands (10) is released.

• This fluid protects the sperm from the acidic environment left in the urethra from the urine, so they can leave the body unharmed.
• If a couple did not want to get pregnant or transmit an STD, a person could wear a condom on the penis while having sex. The condom would keep the semen out of the other person’s body.

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Continue to review the parts in this way for the following: (1) testicle, (2) scrotum, (3) epididymis, (4) vas deferens, (5) seminal vesicles, (6) prostate gland, (7) urethra, (8) bladder, (9) penis, (10) Cowper’s glands.

There is one part listed here that wasn’t shown in the front view of this body. You may remember it from the other side view picture, though. It isn’t part of the reproductive system.

The anus (11), where feces, or poop, leaves the body.

Are there any questions about the male reproductive system before we move on?

• Everyone has a sexual orientation and a gender identity.
• A person knows their gender identity because they feel like a boy, a girl, both, neither or somewhere in between, not because of their body parts.
• People of all sexual orientations and gender identities need to know how to prevent pregnancy and STDs, either for themselves or to help a friend.

Lesson Two: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions

Sexual Orientation: Who a person is attracted to

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Lesbian A woman who is attracted to women.

Gay A man who is attracted to men.

Bisexual A person who is attracted to both men and women.

Straight A man who is attracted to women, or a woman who

is attracted to men.

Queer A broad term that can include gay, lesbian and bisexual

people, as well as others who do not identify as straight.

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Definitions

Gender Identity: How a person identifies their gender

Female A person who identifies as a woman.

Male A person who identifies as a man.

Transgender When a person’s gender identity doesn’t match the sex

Trans (male or female) the doctor said they were when were born.

Cisgender When a person’s gender matches the sex (male or female)

the doctor said they were when they were born.

Gender Queer Usually means a person doesn’t feel exactly like a boy or

Gender Fluid a girl, at least not all the time.

Question to Ponder…#1:

�1. How does someone know their sexual orientation or their gender identity?

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Answer:

A person knows their sexual orientation based on who they feel romantically attracted to.

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A person knows their gender identity based on if they feel like a boy, a girl, both, neither, or somewhere in between.

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

1. How does someone know their sexual orientation or their gender identity?

Question to Ponder…#2:

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2. How old are people when they know their sexual orientation or gender identity?

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Answer

People often know who they are romantically attracted to by middle or high school.

They often know if they feel like a boy, a girl, both, neither or somewhere in between by elementary school.

However, every person is different and some will know at younger or older ages.

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

2. How old are people when they know their sexual orientation or gender identity?

Question to Ponder…#3:

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3. If a boy acts like a girl or a girl acts like a boy, does that mean they are gay?

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Answer

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

3. If a boy acts like a girl or a girl acts like a boy, does that mean they are gay?

There is no one way for boys or girls to act, although there are certain stereotypes about what behavior is masculine and what behavior is feminine.

A person’s sexual orientation is based on who they are attracted to, not how they act, or what sorts of things they are interested in.

Question to Ponder…#3:

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4. What if I don’t know someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity?

What should I call them?

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

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Answer

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Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

4. What if I don’t know someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity? What should I call them?

Every person has the right to name their own identity.

It is polite to ask someone how they identify their sexual orientation and gender identity, and what words they would like you to use when talking to them.

It is important to respectfully use the words and pronouns people have asked others to use.

Resources for the LGBTQ Community

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GLBT National Help Center 1-888-843-4564

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Peer support provided through the GLBT National Hotline and the GLBT National Youth Talkline.

Provides online peer counseling, runs a moderated trans teen online talk group, and maintains a collection of resources across the U.S., searchable by zip code and by topic.

Lesson 2: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Lesson Three:

The Rules of Dating�

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Lesson Three

The Rules of Dating

Sexual assault and abuse�www.rainn.org/public-policy/laws-in-your-state�

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United States Laws on Relationships and Sex

1. A person has to be at least 18 years old to get married in most states.

2. A person can get married to someone of any gender.

3. If two people have sex or engage in sexual touch, they both have to give consent to each other, which means permission.

• If a person who is drunk or high gives consent to have sex, it does not legally count as consent in most states.
• The person they have sex with will get in trouble. It is never allowed to have sex with a person who is passed out, asleep or unconscious, even if the person gave consent in the past.
• Consent needs to be freely given each time.

Lesson Three

The Rules of Dating

Sexual assault and abuse�www.rainn.org/public-policy/laws-in-your-state�

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United States Laws on Relationships and Sex�

4. A person can legally give their permission to have sex at age 16, 17 or 18, depending on their state. The laws for people who are younger than this and who choose to have sex or engage in sexual touch are different depending on the state they live in.�

5. Anyone who is in a position of power, like a teacher, coach or boss, cannot have sexual contact with a youth or student they supervise, no matter how they met.

Washington State Laws on Relationships and Sex��1. A person has to be at least 18 years old to get married.

2. A person can get married to someone of any gender.

3. If two people have sex or engage in sexual touch, they have to both give consent to each other, which means permission.

• If a person who is drunk or high gives consent to have sex, it does not legally count as consent.
• The person they have sex with will get in trouble. It is never allowed to have sex with a person who is passed out, asleep or unconscious, even if the person consented to sex in the past.
• Consent needs to be freely given each time.

Lesson Three: The Rules of Dating

Washington State Laws on Relationships and Sex��4. At age 16, a person can legally give their permission to have sex.

5. If someone under the age of 16 chooses to have sex or engage in sexual touch, they can only legally consent to someone who is close in age.

• The only way a person can make sure they are following the law is to never sexually touch or get in a relationship with someone who is more than 2 years younger than them.
• If an older and a younger person have sex, the older person is the one breaking the law, and will be in trouble.

6. Anyone who is in a position of power, such as a teacher, coach or boss, cannot have sexual contact with a youth or student they supervise, no matter how they met.

7. Healthy relationships are not violent, but are based on mutual respect. Healthy relationships do not include physical or mental abuse.

Lesson Three: The Rules of Dating

CONSENT IS EVERYTHING

Domestic/Family Violence- Help Is Available:

Crystal Judson Family Justice System

If you, or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center is here to help. You’ll find all the professional support and resources you need under one roof. ��Professionals from a wide variety of social service and government agencies have joined together to work at the Center to offer help and support to clients as they determine their next steps.

Call Us

Helpline: 253-798-4166�Toll Free: 800-764-2420�TDD: 253-798-4620�Business Line: 253-798-4310�Fax: 253-798-4320

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Visit The Center

Address�718 Court E�Tacoma, WA 98402��

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https://www.familyjusticecenter.us/

To work in partnership with survivors, professionals, and community to break down barriers, advocate for equitable practices which promote safety and access for ALL survivors and create a haven where needs are met, children are protected, violence stops, families begin to heal and thrive, and hope is realized.

Middle School FLASH, 2nd edition

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Part 1: Warm Up

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Describe one characteristic of a healthy dating relationship.

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Write 2 sentences to explain why you think this quality is important.

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Lesson Three: The Rules of Dating

Rules of Dating

• Rules need to be completely fair.
• Rules should promote respect and fairness between the people who are dating.
• The rules can’t cause harm to anyone.

You should: Talk to one another with respect.

Talk to others about your boyfriend/girlfriend in a respectful way.

Show respect when being affectionate to your dating partner.

Handle disagreements in a respectful manner.

Respect one another when one partner says, “No”.

Respect is shown in ALL areas including but not limited to mental, emotional, social and physical well-being.

Lesson Three: The Rules of Dating

Part 3: Creating Rules for Dating

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The rules should cover many topics and situations, such as:

• How people talk to each other.
• How people talk to others about their boyfriend or girlfriend.
• How people show physical affection to their boyfriend or girlfriend.
• How people make decisions on what they are going to do.
• How people handle disagreements.
• How people handle someone telling them no.

Lesson Three: The Rules of Dating

Lesson 4

Abstinence

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Lesson Four: Abstinence

Facts about Abstinence/STD’s

• Abstinence is choosing not to have any type of sexual contact.

• Most high school and hopefully all Middle School students are abstinent.

• Choosing abstinence means a person does not have to worry about pregnancy or STDs.

• People of every sexual orientation and gender identity choose abstinence.

• People can choose abstinence at any point in their lives, whether or not they have had sex before.

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Lesson Five: Birth Control Methods

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Lesson Five: Birth Control Methods

• The IUD is excellent at preventing pregnancy
• The IUD prevents pregnancy for 5 to 10 years, depending on the type of IUD.
• IUDs are very safe
• An IUD is a small T-shaped object that stays in the uterus. The IUD folds into a small tube that goes through the vagina and into the uterus. It is placed into the uterus by a doctor.

• The implant is the most effective method of birth control.
• The implant prevents pregnancy for up to 3 years.
• It is very safe.
• The implant is a soft tube that goes under the skin of a woman’s upper arm. It only takes a few minutes for the doctor to insert or remove the implant. Stitches are not needed, just a band-aid.
• The implant has a hormone in it, similar to a hormone that occurs naturally in the body. The hormone is slowly released out of the tube and into the body.
• The implant works by making it hard for sperm to get into the uterus and by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
• The implant does NOT protect against STDs or HIV

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• Condoms are very good at preventing pregnancy, STDs and HIV.
• Condoms are one of the easiest birth control methods to get. Condoms are sold at many drug stores, gas stations and clinics.
• A condom is a very thin, very strong glove worn over the penis to catch semen.
• A condom is used by unrolling it over an erect penis, leaving the tip of the condom hanging off the end of the penis.
• A person should squeeze the tip of the condom to push out any air.
• When semen leaves the penis, it is caught in the condom.
• When the penis is pulled out of the partner’s body, the condom must be held onto the base of the penis, so it won’t slip off and spill semen into the other person.
• The condom is used only once and then thrown away.
• Using a condom together with another birth control method gives even more protection against pregnancy.
• Condoms come in vinyl and polyurethane if a person is allergic to vinyl.

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• Dental dams do protect against STDs and HIV, but not pregnancy.
• A dental dam is a very thin, latex square to use during oral sex.
• The dental dam is used only once and then thrown away.

Dental Dam

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• EC is a pill women take to prevent pregnancy after sex.
• EC is also known as the “morning after pill” and “emergency contraception.”
• EC is much more effective the sooner it is taken. It can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 5 days after intercourse.
• Most kinds of EC are made of a hormone similar to one that occurs naturally in the body.
• It prevents pregnancy by delaying or stopping the ovaries from releasing the egg.
• EC is very safe.
• EC will not harm a pregnancy (for example, if the person accidentally takes when already pregnant).
• Some brands of EC can be purchased by men or women at the drugstore without a doctor’s prescription.
• For more information about getting EC, go to www.not-2-late.com.
• EC does not protect against STDs or HIV.

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• Depo is very effective at preventing pregnancy.
• The Depo shot, also known as Depo-Provera is given into a woman’s arm or hip every 3 months.
• It is made of a hormone similar to one that occurs naturally in the body.
• The shot prevents pregnancy by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
• The shot is very safe.
• The shot does not protect against STDs or HIV.
• A person needs to go to a doctor to get started on the Depo shot.

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• A woman takes the pill once a day to prevent pregnancy.
• It is made of hormones similar to the ones that occur naturally in a woman’s body.
• The pill prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
• Sometimes people take the pill to help with other health issues. For example, it helps prevent cancer of the ovaries and uterus, it makes bones stronger, it helps acne, and it makes period cramps better.
• The pill is very safe.
• The pill does not protect against STDs or HIV.
• A person needs to go to a doctor to get started on the pill.

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• The patch is very effective when used correctly.
• The patch is a small, thin, beige-colored patch that sticks to a woman’s skin.
• A person puts a new patch on once a week, for 3 weeks in a row, and then has 1 week without a patch.
• The patch has hormones similar to the ones that occur naturally in the body. The hormones are released into the body through the skin.
• The patch prevents pregnancy by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
• People can still take showers, swim, play sports, and go in hot tubs with the patch.
• The patch is very safe.
• The patch does not protect against STDs or HIV.
• A person needs to go to a doctor to get started on the patch.

Birth Control Methods - Continued

• The ring is very effective when used correctly.
• The ring, also known as the NuvaRing, is a soft, plastic, flexible ring, about 2 inches wide.
• A person puts the ring inside their own vagina, and it stays there for 3 weeks. It does not hurt.
• The ring has hormones inside it, similar to the ones that occur naturally in a person’s body.
• The ring prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
• The ring is very helpful for people with heavy or painful periods.
• The ring is very safe.
• It does not protect against STDs or HIV.
• A person needs to go to a doctor to get started on the ring.

Lesson 6: HIV/AIDS & other STD’s

What is HIV?

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS.
• It is only spread from person to person through body fluids.
• Once inside the body, the virus makes copies of itself and kills CD4 white blood cells. These cells are an important part of the body’s immune system. Over time, so many CD4 cells die that the immune system gets weak.
• HIV also causes chronic inflammation.
• Medication can help slow HIV’s impact on CD4 count and can decrease damage caused by chronic inflammation.

What is AIDS?

• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a collection of illnesses people get due to HIV after their immune system is severely damaged.
• Some of these illnesses are called opportunistic infections.
• People with normal immune systems can also get some of these illnesses, but with HIV they occur at a much higher rate.
• It also takes longer for a person with HIV to recover.
• These illnesses occur as a sign of later-stage HIV disease called AIDS.
• A person with HIV can also be diagnosed with AIDS when their CD4 count falls to 200 or below.
• HIV Antiretroviral drug Therapy (ART) can delay the onset of AIDS for many years. We don’t know how long yet, but it could be indefinitely.

How does someone get HIV?

• Sweat, saliva (spit), tears, urine, or mucous
• Hugging, touching, kissing
• Coughing or sneezing
• Mosquito bites
• Sharing household items*
• Toilets, swimming pools, or hot tubs
• Donating blood

*Public Health does not recommend sharing razors or toothbrushes because of possible blood transmission.

You cannot get HIV from:

STD’S = Sexually Transmitted Diseases

• An STD is an illness that people catch from having sex with someone who already has it.
• The most common way to get an STD is by having sex with someone who already has an STD.
• Some STDs, including HIV, are spread by sharing needles.

STD’S - continued

• Some STDs, including HIV, are spread from mother to baby, through pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
• Lots of teens and young adults have STDs—10 million new cases of STDs each year in the United States are acquired by people between the ages of 15 and 24.

Prevention of STDs

• People can prevent getting HIV and other STDs by not having sex.
• People can prevent getting HIV and other STDs by using a condom if they do have sex with a penis.
• People can prevent getting HIV and other STDs by not sharing needles.
• People can prevent getting the STD called Human Papillomavirus by getting the vaccine.