HUTT INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Te Kura Waenganui O Awa Kairangi

Kauri Street, Lower Hutt, New Zealand - Tel: 939 8800 Fax: 939 8811
www.huttintermediate.school.nz Email: secretary@his.school.nz

Tuesday 11th August 2015

Dear Parents
RE: Positive Puberty unit
During Term Three Kereru Syndicate will be starting Positive Puberty which is a
compulsory sexual education component of the New New Zealand Curriculum.
This unit of work will provide students with the knowledge, understandings and skills to
develop positive attitudes towards the changes that they will, and may be already
experiencing, during puberty.
Through the key concepts of this unit, students will learn about:
-

the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual growth and development that
occur and the new needs that arise during puberty;
strategies to manage the changes they will experience;
factors that influence their choices during puberty (including their families, their
peers, the media, and religious and cultural beliefs);
their own feelings and their rights and responsibilities;
how to identify instances of discrimination and take positive action in such cases.

If you wish your son or daughter to be withdrawn from the class when this unit or a specific
activity is being taught, please make this known in writing to Peter Kennedy (Teacher in
charge of Health) by Monday 17st August 2015. Your child will be sensitively placed in
another class.
Over the page is an overview of what is taught in this unit of work. If you are interested in
finding out greater detail of these lessons please feel free to contact the classroom teacher
and they will be able to supply you with any material you would like to see.
Regards.
Peter Kennedy
peterk@his.school.nz
Teacher in charge of Health

POSITIVE PUBERTY
Lesson topics will include:
1. Body Bits students will draw a male and female with internal and external body
parts. A question box will also be set up for children to anonymously ask questions.
2. Our Changing Bodies (May be more than one lesson) similarities and
differences between boys and girls during puberty will be discussed. Students will
look at, draw or make sexual organs. A puberty quiz will be given. During this topic
the subject of circumcision and masturbation may arise. Students will research
topics such as periods, erections or wet dreams. A DVD What's happening to me?
will also shown.
3. Daily Routines Questions stations around the room on topics such as body odour,
nutrition, exercise, sleep, cleaning routines, including genital areas etc.
4. Valuing Myself Students identify three qualities they like about themselves.
5. What about Teasing Continuum activity - e.g. Its OK tease someone if you dont
like them. Students will agree or disagree.
6. Peer Pressures Role play of scenarios e.g Anne has a problem with body odour;
Lind dumped Ken.
7. Our Different Cultures Students are in pairs, discuss and identify ways that people
from different cultures and families might feel about statements, for example, I
dont go swimming when I have my period.
8. Get the Picture Students collect magazine advertisements and make a collage of
how media present images of women and men. From this, students will identify the
body type most often represented, and how it makes people feel who dont fit this
image.
9. Whos There? - Student brainstorm people in the community who can assist with
puberty issues.