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 five session curriculum is intended to be delivered over one week.
Puberty Talk was completely revised to incorporate the following:
- Trauma-informed and healing-centered instructional practices
- New optional activities on healthy friendships and media representation
- Identity mapping and discussion of intersectionality and discrimination
- Re-imagined spectrum of puberty changes to acknowledge body/gender identity diversity
- 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:
- Consists of 5 sessions intended to be taught for a minimum of 5 hours (over 1 week)
- Establishes a foundation and common language for communicating about sexual health with parents/trusted adults, peers, and future partners
- Helps students identify resources (e.g., parents/trusted adults, school personnel, health care providers)
- Incorporates parent/trusted adult interview homework assignment on puberty topics
- Encourages parent and trusted adult communication
- Gender inclusive language
- Variety of pedagogical approaches to maximize engagement for different learners
- Meets the stringent requirements of the California Healthy Youth Act (CA Education Code sections 51930-51939)
- Is aligned with the California Health Content Standards and California Health Framework