Health Education Counsultation for schools, churches, and community organizations
Puberty: The Wonder Years
by Wendy L. Sellers, RN, MA, CPC
Puberty Education Curriculum for students in upper elementary and early middle school
Puberty: The Wonder Years 2010 includes puberty education lessons for three consecutive years of instruction for upper elementary and early middle school students. Puberty: The Wonder Years focuses on:
Ø Promoting appreciation and respect for the amazing changes experienced by self and others.
Ø Equipping young people to postpone sexual intercourse.
Designed for the school setting, Puberty: The Wonder Years also includes activities that involve parents and other family members with their children. It encourages children to talk with their parents about their family values and develops health skills children need to behave in a manner that is consistent with those values:
Ø Communication
Ø Limit setting
Ø Refusal
Ø Getting help
Ø Making friends
Ø Analyzing media messages
Ø Distinguishing between reliable and unreliable sources of information
Puberty: The Wonder Years is a useful curriculum for filling the gap created by the scarcity of sexuality education resources for upper elementary and early middle school-aged students. Guided by the characteristics of effective sex and HIV education programs outlined in Emerging Answers 2007, by Dr. Douglas Kirby, the lessons teach the skills needed to promote respect and postpone sexual activity. Teaching these lessons over three years provides a solid foundation for subsequent implementation of “Programs That Work” for HIV prevention at higher grades. All lessons are aligned to the National Health Education Standards.
More information:
- Teaching-Learning Goals
- Student Learning Objectives
- Recommended Video List 2010
- Teacher Manual Outline
- Pamphlet
- Why Provide Puberty Education?
- Research Basis
Puberty: The Wonder Years was first published in March 2002 and has been revised three times since then. The 2010 edition includes the following new features:
Ø Rubrics have been added to each tier to measure student skill development.
Ø Tier A includes a new Lesson 2 on animal reproduction, increased emphasis on respect in Lesson 4, and addition of menstruation to Lesson 6.
Ø Tier C includes more emphasis on respect in Lesson 5.
Ø An optional lesson on condoms and contraception and evaluation of sources of information has been added due to requests from schools.
Ø All student worksheets, slide masters, and Family Partnership Fliers are provided on a CD.
Ø Colorful PowerPoint slides are provided on a CD.
Ø Media, statistics, and websites have been updated.
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