Lesson One
Title:
Introduction to Parenting Classes
Theme(s):
Reproductive Anatomy Review
Using the Question Box
The Menstrual Cycle and Conception
Foetal Development
Time:
75 minutes
Materials:
Prior to the lesson:
● Preconception, Conception and Foetal Development Teacher Guide (pages # 6-10)
● Anatomy Review - Teacher Guide (pages # 75-81)
Activity One:
● Flipchart paper (optional) or chalkboard
Activity Two:
● Using The Question Box - Teacher Guide (pages # 82-94)
● Question Box (not included, please create one)
● Question Box - Student Handout (page # 95)
Activity Three:
● Anatomy Cards (in PVC bag)
● Overhead Pens
● Internal Female Anatomy - Quiz (page # 96)
● Internal Female Anatomy - Answer Sheet (page # 97)
● External Female Anatomy - Quiz (page # 98)
● External Female Anatomy - Answer Sheet (page # 99)
● Male Anatomy - Quiz (page # 100)
● Male Anatomy - Answer Sheet (page # 101)
● Colour Female Anatomy (pages # 102-103)
● Colour Male Anatomy (page # 104)
Activity Four:
● The Menstrual Cycle (page # 105)
● Examples of a 28-day and a 35-day Menstrual Cycle (page # 106)
Activity Five:
● The Process of Conception (page # 107)
Activity Six:
● Foetal Development DVD
● Foetal Development DVD - Student Handout (page # 108)
● Foetal Development DVD - Answer Sheet (page # 109)
● Foetal Development: The Critical Weeks of Early Pregnancy (page # 110)
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Lesson One
Objectives
● to establish simple rules for acceptable behaviour in the classroom
● to increase comfort levels of students and teacher through discussions
● to give students the opportunity to ask questions they might otherwise feel too
embarrassed to ask
● to identify the students’ areas of interest or curiosity
● to assess the level of student-understanding in the area of reproductive anatomy
● to review the menstrual cycle as a means of increasing fertility awareness
● to learn about the process of conception
● to emphasise the importance of health and well-being from preconception to
conception and throughout pregnancy
● to learn about the stages of foetal development from conception to birth
Curriculum Expectations
11p1 - describe factors that contribute to the healthy development of children before
and during birth, and in the first few months after birth
11p4 - outline the stages in the biological process of conception, pregnancy, and birth;
11p9 - analyse behaviours, conditions, and environments that influence positive or
negative growth and development of the foetus, infant, and young child
(e.g., breast-feeding, bonding, infant stimulation; violence, addictions, neglect)
11p13 - demonstrate an understanding of the need for preparation to become a parent
4MAT Quadrants
1R: Making Connections and Integrating Experiences
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Lesson One
Procedure
Talking with students about sexual health and reproductive anatomy can be difficult for
many teachers. Since sexuality is intimately connected to our personal values, family
backgrounds and spiritual beliefs, it can be a sensitive issue – one that can be difficult
to teach. The best way for teachers to ensure their classes run smoothly is to take
sufficient time to prepare for them. Spend some time familiarising yourself with the
topics. Consider your own ideas, values and feelings about the material but remember
that your primary role is to provide factually accurate answers to students’ questions
and leave the job of assigning morals and judgement to the students and their families.
Teaching your students about sexuality requires more than simply explaining anatomy
and reproduction. It means talking to them about relationships, families, parenthood and
good decision-making. Sexuality encompasses our physical development, sexual
knowledge, attitudes, values and behaviours. It is shaped not solely by our biology and
psychology, but also by our culture, family history, education and experiences. When
you teach your students about sexuality, and not just about ‘sex’, you are giving them
the skills they need to develop good relationships throughout their lives.
Before beginning this unit, you may want to read through the Teacher Guides found in
the section entitled, “Information for Teachers” on pages # 6-41. In particular, please
see the Teacher Guides for Lesson One, Preconception, Conception and Foetal
Development, on pages # 6-10 and for Using the Question Box on pages # 82-94. If the
material on physiology is new to you or you require some review, please refer to the
Anatomy Review-Teacher Guide that follows on pages # 75-81. These documents are
meant to prepare you for teaching about these important subjects. Additionally, it is a
good idea to screen the Foetal Development DVD prior to showing it to your students.
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Lesson One
Prior to this lesson, you will need to fabricate a question box for your classroom. Be
sure it is located in an easily accessible area, and that it is labelled. Remember the box
must be large enough to hold approximately thirty folded sheets of paper at one time.
Activity One: Establishing Classroom Rules - 5 minutes
The first part of this lesson is designed to ensure that all students know and respect the
classroom rules. Since issues of boundaries, appropriate language and behaviour can
surface when teaching about sexuality, it is wise to spend some time thinking about the
rules you feel are important. Here are a few suggestions to consider.
● Everyone has the right to his/her own beliefs and opinions.
● Everyone has the right to be heard.
● Everyone will be treated with respect.
● We will use the proper terms for body parts and sexual activities.
● We will not make fun of our peers.
● We will not ask personal questions during our discussions.
After you have chosen your rules, introduce them to the class. Students may also
suggest rules they would like put in place.
Ideas For Classroom Use
Once all rules are complete, you could post them in the classroom. Students will
then have a clear sense of what is expected of them during this course.
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Lesson One
Activity Two: Introduction to the Question Box - 5 minutes
Tell your class that it is very common for students to have a lot of questions during a
parenting class. Explain that sexuality remains a subject that is not often broached
among families or with teachers. This can make it hard for some students to ask
questions aloud in the classroom. The cultural, religious or family traditions of some
teens may also discourage discussions about sexuality. Consider this when assessing
student participation in class discussions and be sensitive to your students’ individual
situations.
Reassure your class that you have established classroom rules in order to create a safe
space to talk about sexuality. Remind your students how important it is for them to
understand how female and male reproductive anatomy works and what steps they
need to take to protect their sexual health and fertility.
Briefly explain the concept of a question box to your students. Ask them to spend a few
minutes thinking about some questions they already have about sexuality, conception,
pregnancy and birth. Tell them that they can place questions in the Question Box, as
they come to mind, throughout the entire course. Encourage students to take a few
blank forms for their use today or later. Tell them that you will address the questions
periodically throughout the semester/term. Remind your students not to write their
names on the top of the page, so their questions can remain confidential.
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Lesson One
Activity Three: Reproductive Anatomy Ice-Breaker Activity - 20 minutes
As a warm-up, have your students participate in an ice-breaker activity. This exercise is
diagnostic as it will help you gauge the amount of teaching you will need to do to
familiarise your students with female and male reproductive anatomy.
Place the Internal Female Anatomy-Quiz overhead on the projector. Randomly
distribute the green Internal Female Anatomy Cards to students. Half of the cards list
body parts and the other half list their functions. Tell the students that they need to
match the body part to its description. Ask students to wander around the classroom in
order to find their match. Once the students agree that their cards match, they can
approach the overhead and write the name of the body part where it belongs. Once all
the students have written their answers on the overhead, use the Internal Female
Anatomy-Answer Sheet to check for accuracy. Repeat this process using the yellow
cards (External Female Anatomy), the blue cards (Male Anatomy) along with the
appropriate overheads. There are 46 anatomy cards in total. The body parts and their
corresponding descriptions and functions are listed below.
Internal Female Anatomy - 12 green cards
fimbriae
cervix
Fallopian tubes
ovary
uterus
vagina
the fringe-like structure found at the opening of
the Fallopian tubes
the narrow lower part of the uterus that opens
during childbirth
the thin tubes that move the egg down into the
uterus
the oval-shaped organ that produces
hormones and releases eggs
the hollow muscular organ where menstrual
flow begins or where a fertilized egg can
develop
the muscular tube that extends from the
vaginal opening to the uterus
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Lesson One
External Female Anatomy - 14 yellow cards
labia majora
labia minora
vaginal opening
mons pubis
clitoris
urethral opening
anus
the outer folds of skin at the opening of the
vagina
the inner folds of skin at the opening of the
vagina
the entrance to the vagina
the mound just below the abdomen where
pubic hair grows
the external female organ that provides
females with sexual pleasure
the opening below the clitoris where urine
leaves the body
the opening of the rectum where the body
gets rid of feces
Male Anatomy - 20 blue cards
seminal vesicle
rectum
anus
prostate
testicle
scrotum
penis
urethra
vas deferens
bladder
the small gland that adds fluid to semen
during ejaculation
the last section of the digestive tract in
which feces is stored for elimination from
the body
the opening of the rectum where the body
gets rid of feces
the gland that opens into the urethra and
produces a milky fluid that mixes with
sperm to create semen
the organ that makes sperm and
testosterone
the sac located under the penis that holds
and protects the testicles
the external male organ that provides
males with sexual pleasure
the tube in the penis that carries urine or
semen to the outside of the body
the main duct through which semen is
carried on its way to the urethra
an organ in which urine is stored until it is
discharged from the body
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Lesson One
Activity Four: The Menstrual Cycle - 10 minutes
Place The Menstrual Cycle overhead on the projector. Tell your class that you are
about to discuss the process of menstruation.
First Graphic: This diagram shows the front view of a woman’s external reproductive
anatomy. Point out the vaginal opening as the place where a woman’s menstrual blood
exits her body. Mention that this is the location where tampons are inserted during
menstruation.
Ideas For Classroom Use
While the hymen is not labelled on the diagrams, students often have questions
about it. Consider sharing the following information with your class.
The opening of the vagina is completely or partially covered by the hymen, a thin piece of
tissue that has one or more tiny holes in it. Hymens are different from person to person.
Some women have their hymens stretched or torn during vigorous physical activity as
children or as young women, or when they insert tampons after they begin having their
periods. Others find their hymens have torn after their first sexual experience. Either
situation is completely normal. When the hymen is stretched or torn, it may bleed a little, but
this usually causes little, if any, pain. Some people still believe that the existence of a
woman’s hymen is proof of her virginity: This is a myth.
Second Graphic: This illustration depicts a woman’s internal reproductive anatomy.
Since you have already completed a review of the key body parts, simply point out
where they are located.
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Lesson One
Third Graphic: Two hormones (estrogens and progesterone) cause the lining of the
uterus to thicken just prior to ovulation. This way, if a sperm cell fertilizes the ovum in
the fallopian tubes, the egg will attach to the soft spongy lining of the uterus where it will
grow into a foetus. If the egg is not fertilized, it will simply shed away.
Fourth Graphic: Due to hormonal messages, an egg (ovum) matures in the ovary each
month. Estrogens cause the ovary to release the mature ovum. This process is called
ovulation. Ovulation occurs approximately twelve to sixteen days after the first day of a
woman’s menstrual period (if she has a 28-day cycle).
Fifth Graphic: Once an egg is released, it enters one fallopian tube and begins the trip
to the uterus. The egg is moved along by hair-like structures in the fallopian tube.
Sixth Graphic: When the egg is not fertilized by a sperm cell, it simply disintegrates
when it reaches the uterus. Then, the lining tissue and blood cells from the uterus leave
the body through the vagina. This is called a menstrual period or menstrual flow.
You may want to stress that an individual woman’s menstrual cycle can repeat itself
every twenty to forty days. Only about ten percent of women experience a cycle that is
consistent every month. Young women in particular often have unpredictable cycles:
This means that ovulation, and menstrual cycles, will vary month to month. It also
explains why it is extremely hard for young women to know when they are ovulating
and, consequently, when they can become pregnant.
Place the Examples of a 28-day and a 35-day Menstrual Cycle overhead on the
projector. Explain that understanding the menstrual cycle is important to increase
fertility awareness. Ask your students if they know when during her monthly cycle a
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Lesson One
woman is most likely to become pregnant. Use this overhead to illustrate a few key
points.
● Women are most fertile for the few days before ovulation (release of the egg), the day
of ovulation and the day after ovulation. Approximately twenty-four hours after
ovulation, the egg quickly breaks down.
● The length and regularity of the menstrual cycle varies greatly between women,
however the average duration of a complete menstrual cycle is twenty-eight days.
Medical professionals consider the day that bleeding begins as Day 1 of the menstrual
cycle. Around Day 7, the eggs in the ovaries ripen due to hormonal changes. Between
Day 8 and Day 11, the lining thickens in the uterus. Sometime after Day 11, hormonal
changes lead the ripest egg to be released into the Fallopian tube where it travels to the
uterus. Most women notice an increase in cervical mucous (that resembles egg-white)
around the time of ovulation. Being aware of these changes in the cervical mucous can
help women determine when they are most likely to conceive. For women with a
regular 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs around Day 14. For women with a 35-day cycle,
ovulation typically occurs around Day 17.
● Sperm can live in the vagina anywhere from five to eight days. This means that even
if a woman has unprotected sexual intercourse before ovulation, the sperm may linger
long enough to fertilize the egg once ovulation occurs – sometimes days later. Given
the unpredictable nature of a young woman’s menstrual cycle, and the fact that sperm
can live up to eight days inside her body, it is best to assume that having unprotected
intercourse may, at any time, lead to pregnancy.
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Lesson One
Activity Five: The Process of Conception - 10 minutes
Having just reviewed the menstrual cycle, this activity will only take a few minutes to
complete. You will be illustrating to your students how and when conception takes
place in a woman’s body. Place The Process of Conception overhead on the projector.
Tell your class that the first four steps in this process are the same as in the menstrual
cycle so you will only review them quickly.
First Graphic: This illustration depicts a woman’s internal reproductive anatomy.
Second Graphic: Here we see the lining of the uterus thickening in preparation for
either the implantation of a fertilized egg or for a woman’s menstrual period.
Third Graphic: This illustration depicts the process of ovulation. Due to hormonal
messages, an egg (ovum) matures in the ovary each month. Estrogens cause the
ovary to release the mature ovum. Ovulation occurs approximately twelve to sixteen
days before a woman’s menstrual period.
Fourth Graphic: Once an egg is released, it enters one fallopian tube and begins the
trip to the uterus. The egg is moved along by hair-like projections in the fallopian tube.
Fifth Graphic: If sperm cells enter a woman’s vagina during this time, they can fertilize
the egg. Conception occurs if a sperm cell penetrates and fertilizes the egg. The
fertilized egg is then called a zygote. This diagram depicts this process of fertilization.
Sixth Graphic: When the fertilized egg or zygote travels into the uterus, it attaches to
the soft spongy lining where it begins to grow. This is called implantation.
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Lesson One
Seventh Graphic: Once implantation has occurred, the cells of the zygote continue to
divide and grow into a foetus. A foetus takes approximately 38 to 40 weeks to grow into
a full-term baby.
Once you have reviewed the three overheads, be sure to allow a few minutes to answer
any further questions students have about the menstrual cycle, ovulation or conception.
Activity Six: Foetal Development DVD - 25 minutes
Introduce the video to your class. Tell your students that this film includes actual
footage taken from in utero. It illustrates the process of conception and foetal
development. Just before you begin, distribute the Foetal Development DVD - Student
Handout on page # 108, so students may write down their answers while viewing the
film.
Ideas For Classroom Use
The content of the DVD may lead to further questions from your students. Remind
them to use the question box if they want their questions answered anonymously.
After viewing the DVD, you could take up the answers or allow students to complete the
handout for homework. The answer sheet can be found on page # 109.
Distribute copies of the handout entitled, Foetal Development: The Critical Weeks of
Early Pregnancy (page # 110) to your students. Review the material presented on both
sides of the handout – the critical weeks of early pregnancy and foetal development
from the first to the fortieth week.
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Lesson One
The handout helps to emphasise the two key health messages that should be taken
from this DVD. First, since the most crucial developmental period for the foetus occurs
in the first fourteen weeks of the pregnancy and we know that half of pregnancies are
unplanned, a mother’s preconception health is vital. It is important for all sexually active
women to take folic acid, eat well and avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs.
Second, everything that a mother consumes is consumed by the foetus, and everything
to which she is exposed, the foetus is also exposed.
Possible Extensions
You might consider using the question box after each lesson. This way, students can
ask difficult questions throughout the entire semester or year. Leaving the question box
out at all times encourages students to submit questions as they occur to them.
If you think it would benefit your students, consider handing out copies of the anatomy
review or the diagrams of female and male anatomy.
Possible Assessment
This lesson lends itself to diagnostic assessment. You will be able to tell how much
information, or misinformation is possessed by your students when you watch them
participate in the Reproductive Anatomy Ice-Breaker Activity and when you read their
question box submissions. In addition, you could collect the Foetal Development DVD Student Handout and designate marks for its completion.
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Lesson One
Resources
Beben, Alyson. (2003). Changes In Me: A Resource For Educators On Puberty And
Adolescent Development. Region of Peel: Peel Health.
Beben, Alyson. (2007). Human Reproduction, Sexuality and Intimacy as in
Healthy Active Living: Keep Fit, Stay Healthy, Have Fun. Ted Temertzoglou.
Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing, Incorporated.
Bolane, Jamie Eloise. (1997). Fetal Development: The Critical Weeks of Early
Pregnancy. Waco, Texas: Childbirth Graphics - WRS Group Incorporated.
Calgary Regional Health Authority: Sexual and Reproductive Health. (1999). The
Question Box: An Effective Health Education Tool. Calgary: Author.
Milner-Fenwick (Timonium, Maryland: Producer). (2003). Fetal Development: A Nine
Month Journey, [DVD]. Woodstock: Canadian Learning Company.
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