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1 out of 3 high school girls are involved in an abusive relationship before leaving high school. |
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High School Curriculum
Day 1 – What Teens Think About Sex & Marriage, Oxytocin and Bonding, Secondary Virginity
Marriage Card: Every student writes whether or not s/he wants to be married someday. Students will see that most teens desire to be married one day.
From Here to Life: Showing students how to get from here (9th grade) to life (happily ever after). Abstinence from sexual activity until marriage is one choice that helps facilitate reaching your goals of happy marriage one day.
Everybody's Doing It: Illustrate, using 5 students, the proportion of abstinent teens to active teens. Most students believe that "everybody" is having sex. This could affect their own decisions. In fact, about 3 out of 5 high school students nationwide are abstinent from sexual activity.
Another illustration which helps students realize that the truth is sometimes distorted is the sex web. This is an illustration of 288 sexually-connected students at a school (pop. 1000), and how it can look when you see it as though "everybody" is doing it. In fact, there are 600 abstinent students at the school. (There are also 63 monogamous couples.)
Tape Skit: This activity reinforces the abstinence message by emphasizing how sex creates emotional bonds and intimacy that last even after relationships end.Oxytocin: Humans release a chemical which causes and allows them to emotionally bond with each other in relationships. Students will learn about oxytocin, other sexual hormones, and the emotional consequences of sex.
The Bachelorette Game: This skit sets the tone for the entire week. Through this skit students are once again introduced to the importance of saving sex for marriage in a fun and light-hearted way. The characters the students will meet include Clark Kent, James Bond, Bruce Wayne, and Romeo as they learn about how sexual relationships create lasting emotional bonds, spread STD’s, and creates new life.
Secondary Virginity: Students will learn that it is never too late to make a new decision regarding abstinence.
$20 Bill: Students will learn that even if they have made a mistake, they are still valuable and are worth the wait.
Day 2 – STD’s and Healthy Relationships
"Free Love?" Students will learn that just because most people believe something does not make it true, e.g. the concept of "free love".
STD’s: Students will understand how the concept of "free love" has contributed to the rise of STDs nationwide. Each year the students will receive information on the most up to date statistics on STD’s. Students will learn what STD’s they are at risk to contract, how STD’s spread, view pictures of various STD’s (some schools excluded), and discuss why abstinence is the only true way to practice “safe sex”.
STD Handshake: This activity depicts how easily STDS can spread among sexually active people.
Safe Sex: Students will be exposed to up-to-date stats regarding condom effectiveness rates for pregnancy prevention and for the prevention of the transmission of various STDs. Abstinence will be presented as the only 100% effective way to ensure that the teen does not experience the physical consequences of sex.
I Saved Myself for You/ How About a Kiss?: Hershey's kisses in proportion are used to illustrate the likelihood of experiencing physical consequences of sex.
Twix Meal: One student will be "served" a "meal" of many Twix bars. One bar represents the appetizer, one bar represents the main course, one the dessert, and so on. Soon the student tires of eating Twix bars, which at first seemed great. This activity illustrates a relationship that is only physical and that sex has a place in a relationship -- after friendship, love, and commitment (marriage).
Physical Bases: Physical activity in relationships causes bonding. Bonding causes couples to feel close even if the relationship is not healthy.
Healthy Bases: These "bases" show the way a healthy relationship should progress.
No Jerks: View a video which demonstrates 5 key areas to identify a jerk (or jerkette).
Day 3 -- Dating Standards, Refusal Skills, Abusive Relationships, and Love
How Far is Too Far?: Students will learn the healthy boundary for physical expression in relationships.
The Weakest Link: Volunteers will submit one of three provided responses to each of 5 common scenarios where teens might be pressured by others. The volunteers will be modeling refusal skills to the class.
Dating Questions - During this activity the guys and girls are split up and asked to sit on opposite sides. The teacher then asks specific questions for the girls to answer about dating and relationships, and then does the same for the boys. The students hear each others answers and can respond.
Dating Abuse Skit: A common progression of abusive relationships is portrayed by the presenter and a student volunteer.
Signs of an Abusive Relationship: Common signs that someone may be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship are explored.
Love – This lesson is often a favorite with the students. In the love lesson students will be asked to define what love is, how to know when you are in love, and what love looks like in a healthy relationship. By looking at two of the four Greek words for love, students will see the various kinds of love. They will also be taught the difference between a purely physical love and unconditional love.
Eros + Agape: Eros = Happy, Agape = Forever, so both together equal happy forever, or happily ever after!
Love Songs: Students are asked to identify different songs as depicting "eros" or "agape".
Team Hoyt: A video of sacrificial, agape love is shown.
Day 4 -- Marriage & Decisions
Marriage – In this lesson as well as the rest of the week the concept of marriage will be reinforced. Students will understand that getting married and staying married to the same partner is the very best thing they can do to achieve their future goals. The process of finishing school, getting married, and then having kids will be brought to their attention as the very best way to reach a fulfilling and healthy future for their marriage and their family.
Shacking Up: Students will learn that couples who live together prior to marriage have a significantly higher rate of divorce.
Should They Stay or Should They Go?: Different marriage scenarios are discussed, in order to decide if the marriage is worth saving. The point is underscored that a lifetime committed marriage is something worthy of pursuit and sacrifice.
Love and Respect: Guy/Girl Questions: Gender differences in love languages and perceptions are shown by asking questions of volunteers.
Decisions – On this day students will be challenged to choose abstinence for themselves. They will be shown the stories of many of the pop-culture icons they know and discuss why these people decided to choose abstinence.
Have Sex/Save Sex Boxes: We will ask questions to volunteers that you should ask yourself if you plan to have sex outside marriage, and questions if you plan to save sex for marriage.
Price is Right: Different items of different values are shown and the values guessed by the class. Sometimes, when you know the story behind something, you learn the true value of it.
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