Puberty Talk
Health Connected's Puberty Talk curriculum is a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum designed to educate 5th and 6th grade students about sexuality, sexual health, and the changes that 10-13 year olds may face during puberty. This sequential, 5 session curriculum is intended to be delivered over the course of one week.
In 2021, Puberty Talk was completely revised to incorporate:
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Trauma-informed and healing-centered instructional practices
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New optional activities on healthy friendships and media representation
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Identity mapping and discussion of intersectionality and discrimination
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Re-imagined spectrum of puberty changes to acknowledge body/gender identity diversity
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Additional background information for instructors to help facilitate sensitive conversations (glossary of terms, answers to common questions, sample scripts)
Core components of the Puberty Talk curriculum include:
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Consists of 5 sessions intended to be taught for a minimum of 5 hours (over 1 week)
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Establishes a foundation and common language for communicating about sexual health with parents/trusted adults, peers, and future partners
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Helps students identify resources (e.g., parents/trusted adults, school personnel, health care providers)
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Incorporates parent/trusted adult interview homework assignment on puberty topics
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Encourages parent and trusted adult communication
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Gender inclusive language
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Variety of pedagogical approaches to maximize engagement for different learners
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Meets the stringent requirements of the California Healthy Youth Act (CA Education Code sections 51930-51939)
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Is aligned with the California Health Content Standards and California Health Framework