Class 1 Making SAFER Choices Synopsis To reintroduce Safer Choices, the teacher reviews UNSAFE, SAFER and SAFEST choices. In small groups, students identify positive and negative consequences resulting from: telling a partner they are not ready to have sex; choosing to have sex before they re ready; telling a partner they won t have sex again without protection; and having sex without protection. Discussion focuses on the benefits of choosing not to have sex the SAFEST choice or choosing to use latex condoms correctly every time one has sex a SAFER choice. Having sex with only one uninfected person who only has sex with you, to help prevent HIV and other STD, is also presented as a SAFER choice. Student/parent homework is assigned. Objectives Students will be able to: Identify UNSAFE, SAFER and SAFEST choices around the decision of whether or not to have sex. Identify factors that make it difficult for teens to refuse to have sex and/or use protection. List positive and negative consequences of personal choices to have sex or to have sex without protection. Describe the benefits of using latex condoms or latex condoms along with another method of contraception correctly every time if having sex, or of having sex with only one uninfected person who only has sex with you, to help prevent HIV and other STD (SAFER choices), and the benefits of choosing not to have sex (the SAFEST choice). 31
Class 1 Making SAFER Choices Activity and Materials Time 1. Reintroducing Safer Choices 10 minutes Making Choices (Transparency 1.1) 2. What Could Happen If? 25 minutes What Could Happen If? Situations 1 4 (Worksheets 1.2 1.5) Newsprint or poster paper 3. Homework Talk About It! 10 minutes Talk About It! (Homework 1.6) 32 Safer Choices Level 2
Class 1 Preparation Make a transparency of (OR write the information on the board): Making Choices (Transparency 1.1) Make 2 copies each of: What Could Happen If? Situations 1 4 (Worksheets 1.2 1.5) Prepare: 4 pieces of newsprint or poster paper with the headings What could happen if you : Told your partner you weren t ready to have sex? Had sex before you were ready? Told your partner you wouldn t have sex again without protection? Had sex again without protection? Divide each paper into 2 columns labeled Positive Consequences and Negative Consequences. Make a classroom set of: Talk About It! (Homework 1.6) Peer Leader Activities Check with Peer Leaders to ensure they re prepared. Peer Leaders serve as recorders and reporters for the small-group activity. Safer Choices Level 2 33
Class 1 Activity 1 (10 minutes) Reintroducing Safer Choices Teacher Note: You might have to remind students that Safer Choices was a series of lessons that addressed prevention of HIV, other STD and pregnancy. The lessons emphasized that, whenever young people are faced with a decision about having sex, they have a choice, and that, in most cases, they have control in situations where they are being pressured by others. Review facts ➊ Begin by reviewing the following facts: Nearly 4 million cases of sexually transmitted disease (STD) occur among teens each year in the United States (Kaiser Family Foundation and American Social Health Association, 1998). Every year over 750,000 teens become pregnant (Ventura et al., 2006). Over 1 million people in the United States are estimated to be infected with HIV (Glynn and Rhodes, 2005). In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 13%, or 1 in 8, of all new HIV infections occured among people under age 25 (CDC, 2005). Ask students if they think these teens planned on getting an STD, getting pregnant or getting their partners pregnant, or getting HIV. Ask students why this happens (e.g., didn t think it would happen to them, caught up in the moment, didn t think ahead, didn t feel they had a choice). Explain that even though many teens understand the risks of having sex, and know how to protect themselves from HIV, other STD and pregnancy, some teens still make UNSAFE choices. (Note: It is important to remember that not all adolescent sexual behaviors are voluntary.) 34 Safer Choices Level 2
Class 1 Activity 1 Reintroducing Safer Choices Review Safer Choices ➋ Ask students to indicate with a show of hands how many of them participated in the Safer Choices curriculum last year. Lead a discussion, using the following questions: What did you learn from the Safer Choices curriculum? What is the SAFEST choice for teens? What are UNSAFE choices? SAFER choices? (Note: Review the transparency Making Choices to clarify the underlying paradigm of the curriculum.) What are the benefits of making the SAFEST choice (i.e., why should teens choose not to have sex)? What are the benefits of making a SAFER choice (i.e., why should teens choose to use latex condoms or latex condoms along with another contraceptive product if they are having sex, or choose to have sex only with one uninfected person who only has sex with them and to stay with this person for a long time [for HIV/STD prevention])? Are there any benefits to making UNSAFE choices? What are the possible consequences? Have you used some of the skills you learned during Safer Choices (e.g., clear NO statements, delay tactics, alternative actions, honest communication)? What can make it difficult for teens (even when they have accurate information and skills) to refuse to have sex and/or use latex condoms or latex condoms along with another contraceptive product every time they have sex? State that in the upcoming classes students will be strengthening their skills to make SAFEST and SAFER choices. Challenge students to make a conscious choice every time they find themselves in a situation where they are pressured to have sex or to have unprotected sex. Safer Choices Level 2 35
Class 1 Activity 2 (25 minutes) What Could Happen If? Set up groups ➊ Divide the class into 8 groups. Assign a Peer Leader to each group. (Note: If you do not have 8 Peer Leaders, ask the students in groups without a Peer Leader to select someone to record the group answers.) Explain that the Peer Leaders (or other group leaders) will read the story about two teens to the group. Then group members will generate a list of positive and negative consequences related to the situation on the worksheet. Groups work Review situations ➋ Give each group a copy of 1 of the What Could Happen If? situations. (Note: Because there are only 4 situations, 2 groups will be working on each situation.) Allow 5 10 minutes for group work. Circulate to ensure students remain on task and provide feedback as needed. ➌ When all groups are finished, read Situation 1. Have the Peer Leader from a group with Situation 1 share the 2 positive and 2 negative consequences to the question: What could happen if you told Chris you weren t ready to have sex? Have the Peer Leader from the other group with Situation 1 add 2 additional positive and negative consequences generated by that group. Record students answers on the corresponding piece of newsprint or poster paper, or on the board. Ask the rest of the class if they can think of other consequences, and add these to the lists. Follow the same procedure for Situation 2 (What could happen if you had sex before you were ready?), Situation 3 (What could happen if you told Alex you wouldn t have sex again without protection?), and Situation 4 (What could happen if you had sex again without protection?). 36 Safer Choices Level 2
Class 1 Activity 2 What Could Happen If? Summarize ➍ Ask students what they think are the important conclusions from the discussion. Emphasize the positive consequences of choosing not to have sex (the SAFEST choice) and choosing to use latex condoms or latex condoms along with another contraceptive product correctly every time if a person has sex (a SAFER choice). Safer Choices Level 2 37
Class 1 Activity 3 (10 minutes) Homework Talk About It! Teacher Note: Some students may be unable to talk with their parents or guardians. Remind students that they can complete this assignment with an adult other than a parent if that would be more comfortable for them (e.g., another teacher, counselor, school nurse, aunt, uncle, grandparent, older brother or sister, clergy). The homework activities are an important part of Safer Choices. Many teachers find that providing points for completing the homework increases the likelihood of student participation. Introduce homework ➊ Remind students that open communication between young people and their parents or other important adults in their lives is very important, but not always easy. Tell students that, similar to last year, they will have 2 Safer Choices homework assignments to complete with their parents/guardians or another adult. Remind students that their parents will already know about the homework because it was mentioned in the permission letter they brought home before the program started. Explain that the purpose of today s homework assignment is to help them examine some of the things that can make it difficult to talk with parents, guardians or other adults about sex, and ways to overcome these barriers. 38 Safer Choices Level 2
Class 1 Activity 3 Homework Talk About It! Students complete Part 1 ➋ Distribute the homework Talk About It! Allow time for students to complete Part 1 a list of reasons it can be difficult to talk with parents and other adults about sex. Then have them write 1 question about relationships and/or sex that they would like to discuss with their parents/guardians or another adult. Teacher Note: Remind students to be sensitive in wording the questions they would like to ask their parents or guardians. If feasible, you may want to review students questions individually as they are completing Part 1 of the homework assignment, and suggest ways to word their questions more sensitively, if needed. Explain interview process ➌ Explain that in Part 2, students will be interviewing their parents/ guardians or another adult to identify the reasons it can be difficult for parents/guardians to talk with teenagers about sex, and what these adults own parents told them about sex when they were teens. For Part 3, explain that students should talk with their parents/guardians or another adult to identify things that would make it easier for them to talk about relationships and sex (e.g., listening without immediately jumping in with advice, listening without assuming that there s a problem). Tell students to record the interview responses on the homework. Emphasize that the benefit of this assignment comes from talking with an adult, so they shouldn t just give the homework sheet to their parents to complete. Stress that the responses will be confidential. Students will turn in only the signed portion to verify that the homework was completed. Tell them it will be due at the beginning of Class 5. Safer Choices Level 2 39
TRANSPARENCY 1.1 ETR Associates Making Choices To Have Sex or Not to Have Sex? No Yes The SAFEST Choice... Choosing Not to Have Sex (Even If a Person Has Had Sex Before) SAFER Choices... Using Protection Against HIV, Other STD and Pregnancy Every Time a Person Has Sex Having Sex with Only One Uninfected Person Who Only Has Sex with You and Staying with This Person for a Long Time (to Prevent HIV/STD) UNSAFE Choices... Having Sex Without Protection Having Sex Before a Person Is Ready Having Sex When a Person Doesn t Want To Having Sex with Different People Over the Same Period of Time Safer Choices Level 2 41
WORKSHEET 1.2 What Could Happen If? Positive Consequences Situation 1 You have been going out with Chris almost 6 months. You are really in love and are good friends. You do everything together! You meet before school and whenever possible between classes. You walk home from school and do your homework together. On weekends, you spend time going to movies, parties or just hanging out. You have decided not to go with anyone else. One Friday night, you are at Chris house, laughing and fooling around. You end up lying on the couch in each others arms. Whenever this happens, you start kissing and making out...going a little further each time. Even though you love Chris, you know you re not ready to have sex. What could happen if you told Chris you weren t ready to have sex? Negative Consequences ETR Associates Safer Choices Level 2 43
WORKSHEET 1.3 What Could Happen If? Positive Consequences Situation 2 You have been going out with Chris almost 6 months. You are really in love and are good friends. You do everything together! You meet before school and whenever possible between classes. You walk home from school and do your homework together. On weekends, you spend time going to movies, parties, or just hanging out. You have decided not to go with anyone else. One Friday night, you are at Chris house, laughing and fooling around. You end up lying on the couch in each others arms. Whenever this happens, you start kissing and making out...going a little further each time. Even though you love Chris, you know you re not ready to have sex. What could happen if you had sex before you were ready? Negative Consequences ETR Associates Safer Choices Level 2 45
WORKSHEET 1.4 What Could Happen If? Positive Consequences Situation 3 You met Alex at a party last summer. After dancing and talking all night, you started going out. That was over 6 months ago and you have been going out ever since. Although you really like each other, you ve agreed to continue going out with other people. Today, you spent all day together. After going to the mall and a movie, you went back to Alex s house. No one is home, so you start making out. You have had sex before, but you don t want to have sex again without protection. What could happen if you told Alex you wouldn t have sex again without protection? Negative Consequences ETR Associates Safer Choices Level 2 47
WORKSHEET 1.5 What Could Happen If? Positive Consequences Situation 4 You met Alex at a party last summer. After dancing and talking all night, you started going out. That was over 6 months ago and you have been going out ever since. Although you really like each other, you ve agreed to continue going out with other people. Today, you spent all day together. After going to the mall and a movie, you went back to Alex s house. No one is home, so you start making out. You have had sex before, but you don t want to have sex again without protection. What could happen if you had sex again without protection? Negative Consequences ETR Associates Safer Choices Level 2 49
HOMEWORK 1.6 Talk About It! Part 1 (to be completed by student): What can make it difficult for teens to talk with parents or other adults about relationships and issues related to sex? Write 1 question about relationships or sex that you would like to discuss with your parent/guardian or another adult. Part 2 (to be completed by parent/guardian or another adult): What can make it difficult for adults to talk with teens about relationships and issues related to sex? ETR Associates (continued ) Safer Choices Level 2 51
HOMEWORK 1.6 Part 2 (continued) Talk About It! What did your own parents/guardians discuss with you about these issues when you were a teenager? Part 3 (to be completed by student and parent/guardian together): List 2 things that would make it easier for adults and teens to talk about relationships and issues related to sex. 1. 2. Cut here and return this part to your Safer Choices teacher. We have completed the Talk About It! homework together. Student s Name (print) Student s Signature ETR Associates Parent/Guardian s Signature Date Safer Choices Level 2 53