Vision
The overall goal of sexuality education at Friends School
is to promote sexual health. Friends School unites with the
goals of SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council
of the U.S.) to provide a comprehensive sexuality education
that has four primary goals:
1) To provide young people with accurate information about
human sexuality
2) To provide an opportunity for young people to question,
explore, and assess their sexual attitudes
3) To help young people develop interpersonal skills, including
communication, decision making, assertiveness, and peer refusal
skills, as well as the ability to create satisfying relationships
4) To help young people exercise responsibility regarding
sexual relationships, including addressing abstinence, how
to resist pressures to become prematurely involved in sexual
behaviors, and to encourage the use of contraception and other
sexual health measures.
Linkages
The Quaker belief that "there is that of God in every
person" is the foundation of our sexuality education
curriculum. Sexuality education, which focuses on family,
relationships and respect for diversity, is integral to the
overall curriculum. It takes place as part of formal studies,
such as units on families, health or the human body, and through
informal discussions. It includes examination of social issues
such as gender roles and stereotypes, the many forms families
take, personal boundaries and safety, and peer influence,
as well as the human life cycle, changes during puberty, and
reproduction. Information given to children is honest, accurate,
and age appropriate, and occurs in the context of values.
Emphasis is place on building and maintaining positive self-image
and on activities and discussions that help students clarify
their own values and learn to make decisions. Friends School
strives to ensure that the classroom atmosphere feels safe
so that children can discuss their questions openly, knowing
that they will be respected. Keeping families informed and
involved is a priority.
Young adolescents can learn to make good choices. They need
guidance, support, clear non-judgmental information, and values,
which they can make their own.
Strategies
In kindergarten through second grade, sexuality education
is embedded in the overall curriculum. Through the school’s
conflict resolution program students learn to respect their
own space, privacy, and bodies. Teachable moments occur regularly
are are responded to with individual conferences or class
discussions.
The third and Fourth grades use the F.L.A.S.H. curriculum
developed by the Department of Public Health of Seattle, Washington.
They also view the PBS video “What Kids Want to Know
About Sex.” Discussions and role plays are used as well.
The fifth and sixth graders also use the F.L.A.S.H. program.
Guest speakers and sexuality education consultants have taught
lessons to the seventh and eighth graders on topics determined
jointly by a faculty and parent committee.
Overview of Scope and Sequence
Kindergarten
Family -- Understand that the structure of families
differs
Social -- Be able to make friends • Show respect
for others • Operate in non-stereotyped gender roles
• Demonstrate self-control • Say “no”
to unwanted touch • Develop a sense of privacy •
Practice healthy self-care • Deal constructively with
conflict • Use sexual language respectfully
Reproductive System -- Know and use correct terms
for sexual anatomy • Know how babies are conceived
and how they are born
Grades 1 and 2
Family -- Show respect for lifestyles represented
by families in the school
Social -- Be able to discuss feelings • Be able
to discuss ways of making and keeping friends • Express
opinions about right and wrong • Respect people who
are gay or lesbian • Do not exclude children from activities
on the basis of gender • When uncomfortable with a
situation can identify people to turn to for help •
Take responsibility for living things (plants and animals)
Reproductive System -- Know life cycles of plants
and animals • Know that all creatures reproduce themselves
» Know the human life cycle
Grades 3 and 4
Family life and sexual health (F.L.A.S.H), Elizabeth Reis,
M.S.
Family -- Place value on the family in society
Social --Know what abuse is • Understand that
touch can be pleasurable but is uncomfortable when forced
• Understand what peer pressure is and learn strategies
to deal with it
Reproductive System -- Know how bodies grow and change
• Know that sex is pleasurable • Know about puberty
and use appropriate vocabulary to describe it
Grades 5 and 6
Family life and sexual health (F.L.A.S.H), Elizabeth Reis,
M.S.
Family -- Define family • Discuss differences
and similarities among families • Discuss communication
in families and the importance of family • family diagrams
Social -- Self esteem, self respect, decision making
and friendship • Understand the keys to feeling good
about one's self • Understand how to help others feel
good about themselves
Gender roles and media -- Define sex roles •
Discuss development of sex roles • Discuss historical
figures of both genders in various fields Collages of positive
and negative images of men and women in media
Puberty -- Define puberty • Discuss changes and timing
of puberty • Discuss feelings/fears/myths about puberty
• Divide up into gender groups • Question box
Reproductive system -- Learn correct medical terms
for locations and function of each part of reproductive
system • Understand ovulation • Understand sperm
production and fertilization • Diagrams
Pregnancy -- Understand what a normal pregnancy is •
Understand basic genetics • Understand fetal development
and formation of twins • Understand the importance
of prenatal care, good nutrition, and avoiding alcohol during
pregnancy
Sexually transmitted diseases -- Understand what
they are • Discuss HIV and AIDS • Discuss attitudes
and decision making surrounding AIDS • Discuss the
transmission of AIDS and other STDs
Sexual abuse and exploitation -- Understand kinds
of touch • Define exploitation • Discuss children's
rights • Understand how to recognize exploitation,
prevent it, and report it • Understand how to help
a friend.
Grades 7 and 8
Human Sexuality: Values and Choices, Health Start
Self esteem -- Understand that each person is good
and important • Learn to understand one's self
Values -- Introduce and define the seven basic values:
honesty, respect, responsibility, promise- keeping, social
justice, equality and self-control.
Puberty -- Understand the differences between males
and females • Understand the ways that we are alike
Emotional changes -- Discuss feelings and feelings
of attraction • Discuss sexual orientation
Sexism and stereotyping -- Discuss sex roles •
Understand what stereotyping is • Understand human
potential; ways in which men and women have been limited
because of stereotyping and ways in which they can expand
their potential when not limited by traditional sex roles
Decision making -- Understand the importance of good
decision making • Learn, model and practice good decision
making • Video vignettes
Dating -- Discussion of issues around dating •
Saying no • Learn how to recognize pressure/sexual
pressures • Skills of saying "no" are taught
and practiced • Video vignettes
Pregnancy and birth -- Understand the birth process
Planning for the future -- Learn how to plan one's
life • Learn how to set goals • Understand individual
potential • Understand abstinence • Discuss information
on birth control methods
Teen pregnancy -- Understand issues involved in teenage
pregnancy • Discuss parenting • Discuss
choices faced by pregnant mothers
Sexually transmitted diseases -- Understand how to
take responsibility for relationships • Understand
how to prevent diseases
Sexual abuse -- Discuss positive touching and closeness
in human relationships • Discuss sexually abusive touch
• Video dramatizations
Benchmarks
By the completion of fourth grade the student should be
able to:
• Understand how bodies grow and change
• Understand there is sexuality at all ages
• Understand that sex is pleasurable
• Demonstrate the willingness to do jobs and play a
wide variety of games not limited by gender.
• Place value on the family in society
• Understand what peer pressure is and learn strategies
to deal with it
• Discuss human sexuality with comfort and understanding
By the completion of eighth grade the student should be
able to:
• Understand that human sexuality is a normal part
of life
• Understand that healthy sexuality is more than sexual
behavior but is also an emotional expression of caring and
love in a relationship
• Understand that a positive self body image is part
of healthy sexuality
• Understand that showing affection in a relationship
can happen through non-sexual ways as well as sexual ways.
• Know that there are sexually transmitted diseases
including HIV/AIDS
• Demonstrate knowledge of human body systems, especially
the reproductive system
• Understand and be aware of sexual feelings
• Define exploited relationships
• Know that contraception is possible and available
• Define own values regarding own sexuality
• Know the similarities and differences between male
and female sexuality
• Understand the processes of conception, prenatal
development and birth
• Know strategies for coping with concerns and stress
related to the changes that occur during adolescence
• Know about puberty and use appropriate vocabulary
to describe puberty.
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