STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

23 - 1

Reproduction, Day 5:

Birth Control

Special Education: Secondary, Lesson #23

Student Learning Objectives:

To be able to...

1. Explain that birth control is a way of preventing pregnancy

2. Identify three methods of birth control or explain how they work in terms of their

impact on sperm and egg.

3. Identify use of birth control as a decision requiring more thought and consideration of

feelings, beliefs and values

4. Identify one person they could talk to get more information about birth control.

Materials Needed:

Methods of Birth Control Transparency

Whiteboard or easel paper and pens for brainstorming

Hat or small box

Vocabulary Review Game definitions, laminated and cut into strips for activity

Music source (like a stereo, computer, or CD player)

Optional, but highly recommended: birth control method kit and anatomical models

(see Appendix I for where to obtain these)

Agenda:

1. Review reproductive anatomy

2. Review sexual decision-making

3. Introduce the topic

4. Kinds of birth control

5. Vocabulary review game

6. Resources

Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

In this lesson, students are given some basic information on birth control and are

encouraged to seek more information from people who can help them, if they should

need it.

You may want to discuss contraception options with students' families as well, and be

sure they are aware of current contraceptive technology. Planned Parenthood and the

Family Planning Program of your local Public Health Department are good resources.

They can provide contraceptive supplies, films, videos and speakers. The CDC offers

an STD 101 Toolkit In-a-Box. There is online training and concrete examples of nine

forms of contraception with accompanying lessons. It can be found at:

http://www2a.cdc.gov/std101 Note: there is a fee for the training and supplies.

Activities:

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In order for

contraceptive use to

be effective, it must be

used appropriately,

correctly and

consistently. For

people with

developmental

disabilities, it is likely

that individual

instruction and

support may be in

order, if contraceptive

use is to be effective.

Refer to appropriate

agencies for guidance.

1. Review reproductive anatomy

A. Show Transparencies 7 & 9 from Lesson 16, showing the

private parts of the body. Review names for parts and their

functions.

B. Review the Parenthood Transparency from Lesson 21,

showing the sequence of events of reproduction - from

deciding to have a baby through sexual intercourse to

parenthood.

2. Review sexual decision-making.

B. Discuss with students:

”In our culture, many people think it is best to wait to have

sexual intercourse until you are an adult. They think that

having sex is not safe for children or teenagers.

Some believe adults should wait until they are married to

have sex. They think it’s wrong to have sex unless you are

married, even if you’re grown.

Others think it’s wrong unless you are in love.

But almost all think it’s important to wait until you are an

adult.

Really think hard about your feelings and beliefs and those

of your family, before you make up your mind about sex. I

would really encourage you to discuss this with your family

or a trusted adult.

C. Ask students to consider the things they should think about

before making a decision to have sexual intercourse with

another person. Record their brainstorm on the board or on

paper.

Have them think of other types of sexual expression that

show caring and affection - alternatives to sexual

intercourse. Record this brainstorm.

D. Discuss that if someone does decide to have sexual

intercourse, they then have to think about the possibility of

pregnancy.

3. Introduce the topic

A. If people decide they don’t want to have a baby – even if

Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

“Birth control keeps

pregnancy from

starting”.

TEACHER’S NOTE:

Information about birth

control technology

changes over time. For

sources of current,

accurate information,

see Appendix I.

TEACHER’S NOTE:

Technically,

sterilization should also

be considered to be a

barrier method as

sperm and egg are

blocked. It is included

as a separate method to

provide a clear

discrimination between

a temporary method

(condoms, etc.) and a

permanent method.

they’re married -- but they do want to have sexual

intercourse, there are things they can use to keep a

pregnancy from starting. Today’s lesson is about some of

the ways to keep a pregnancy from starting. This is also

called birth control.

B. Discuss with students that just because you are talking

about having sexual intercourse and using birth control in

this class doesn’t mean that you are assuming that

students are sexually active at this time or that it’s

something kids your age do. Some do. The majority don’t.

C. Explain to the class some reasons for learning about this

subject:

• To give students information that many will need as

adults.

• To help students understand the facts so that they can

discuss their feelings and beliefs about the subject with

their families and with other trusted adults (e.g. religious

leaders).

• To help those who do have sex (now or in a few years)

to reduce their risk of having to parent, if they don’t think

they should have a child or they don’t want to have one

yet.

4. Kinds of Birth Control

A. Begin by reviewing the process of fertilization, introduced in

Lesson 19.

Draw a sperm

and an egg

on the board and remind the class that it takes a sperm cell

from a man and an egg cell from a woman to start a

pregnancy.

B. When people want to have sexual intercourse, but do

not want to start a pregnancy they use “birth control.”

As you are describing the methods, use the example

blackboard drawings to illustrate your descriptions of the

various methods. Use the Methods of Birth Control

Transparency, periodically revisiting Transparencies 7 & 9

from Lesson 16 to show where on the body each method is

used.

This information will be most useful if you use a birth

control method kit and anatomical models to

demonstrate the methods described.

1. Abstain. The only sure thing people can do if they

want to be certain they won’t start a pregnancy, is to not

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Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

put the penis in the vagina. This is called “abstinence” or

“abstaining”. Many people think it is best to wait until you

are an adult to have sexual intercourse.

2. Condom. Condoms, which cover the penis, keep the

sperm from getting near the egg. A man puts a condom

on when he has an erection, before he puts his penis

near the vagina.

3. Birth Control Pills or Shots. Pills and shots can tell the

ovaries not to let any eggs out. A woman takes one birth

control pill every day. Or she gets a special shot

(sometimes called by the brand names Depo Provera,

which is used every 3 months, or Lunelle, the once-a-

month shot). If no egg comes out, the sperm cannot

meet it.

4. IUD. An “IUD” or “intra-uterine device” is a little piece of

plastic (sometimes wrapped in copper wire or containing

a hormone) that a doctor puts inside the women’s uterus.

IUDs make sperm travel less well, keeping them away

from the egg.

An IUD can also keep an egg from

attaching to the uterus.

IUDs with hormones thicken

cervical fluid to keep the sperm from joining the egg.

5. Sterilization. A man can have a doctor tie his vas

deferens tubes so no more sperm come out; semen still

comes out and it looks the same, but it has no more

sperm in it. Or a woman can have a doctor tie her

fallopian tubes, so the egg will just dissolve each month

without meeting any sperm. This is called “sterilization.”

It involves a small operation for a man, a bigger operation

for a woman. Once it is done, it is very hard to change.

So the decision to be sterilized must be made very

carefully, with a lot of thought about feelings and beliefs.

6. Emergency Contraception. Also called “Plan B,” these

are pills a woman can take after having sex, for up to 5

days to keep from releasing an egg.

They don’t work as

well as regular birth control pills, but they are a good

back-up method, in case people didn’t plan to have sex,

or a woman got raped, or if a condom breaks, for

instance. People can call 1-888-not-2-late to find out

where emergency contraception is available near where

they live.

5. Vocabulary Review Game: “Hot Potato”

A. Place strips of paper with definitions (see end of lesson) into

a hat or a small box. Have students stand in a circle.

Explain they will play Hot Potato. When the music stops, the

student with the hat has to take one strip out, read the

definition aloud (or hand it to you to read, if the student is a

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Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

non-reader), and ask a volunteer who raises her hand to tell

the word that the definition describes. You may play music or

start students clapping or ask them to sing a song. Collect

strip so it does not go back into hat. After one student has

gone, start the music again, and continue playing until all

strips have been read aloud. Allow discussion and questions

as each term is announced.

B. Alternately, for more able students, divide students into six

small groups. Give each group one method card. They are

to discuss the method for several minutes (with a facilitator if

necessary) and then paraphrase for the class how that

method works. These cards may also be used to aid

discussion with parents at home.

6. Resources

A. Ask the class who they might discuss birth control with if they

had questions or concerns.

B. Write their answers on the blackboard. Be sure to include:

• Sexual partner

• Family or trusted adult for help with feelings or beliefs

• Doctor or nurse

• Planned Parenthood or the Family Planning Program of

the local county Public Health Department or some other

family planning agency

• 1-888-NOT-2-LATE for emergency contraception

information

REFERENCES:

Hatcher, Robert A. et al. (2005) Contraceptive Technology (18

Rev. Ed.). New York:

Ardent Media, Inc.

Family-Planning Program, Public Health - Seattle & King County. (March 14, 2006)

Section II. Intrauterine Device. Clinical Practice Guidelines 2001, last updated July 6,

2005.

Hatcher, Robert A. et al. (2005)

Family-Planning Program, Public Health - Seattle & King County. (March 14, 2006)

Section II. Emergency Contraception. Clinical Practice Guidelines 2001, last updated

July 11, 2005.

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Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

23 - 6

Dear Trusted Adult,

In class we talked about methods of birth control and how they work to keep

pregnancy from starting. The lesson built on previous concepts and placed a

heavy emphasis on both abstinence and careful sexual decision-making. Once

again, students were advised to seek insights from family or trusted adult friends.

The term "abstinence" was introduced, and students were taught that many

people feel it is appropriate to wait until you are an adult before you have sexual

intercourse. Students were advised to discuss this subject with their families or a

trusted adult, and to carefully consider their feelings and beliefs about the issues

before making up their mind.

Some ways you can support this learning are to:

• Make yourself available for discussion about this subject.

• Ask about information learned in class. Discuss the birth control worksheet

used during class.

• Discuss the following situations and share your feelings and beliefs:

1. Ron and Sue have been going out on dates for 2 months. They have

kissed and held hands. They are thinking about having sexual

intercourse.

• “I believe sexual intercourse is...”

2. Ron and Sue decided they want to have sexual intercourse, but don't

want to be pregnant.

• “I believe birth control is ...”

If you have any questions or comments, please call me.

Sincerely,

____________________________________

Teacher, Principal or Nurse

NOTE: All Trusted Adult Exercises are Optional.

Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

Methods of Birth Control

Transparency

1. Abstain

2. Block sperm

3. Stop eggs

4. Keep sperm from egg &

egg from uterus

5. Tie Tubes

7. Emergency

Contraception

1-888-NOT-2-LATE

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Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

23 - 8

Vocabulary Review Game:

Hot Potato

Teacher directions:

Photocopy then laminate this sheet (to allow for

repeated use). Cut strips along dotted lines. Place in hat or box that can

be passed around by students. Be sure to account for all strips at end of

class!

Answer key [and what lesson the term was first introduced]

1. abstinence [22, very briefly; 23, primarily]

2. condom [23]

3. birth control pill [23]

4. Depo-Provera or Lunelle [23]

5. IUD (Intra Uterine Device) [23]

6. sterilization [23]

7. sperm [16]

8. egg [16]

9. fertilization [19]

10. emergency contraception [23]

1. Not having sexual intercourse

2. Something a man wears on the penis to block sperm from

meeting an egg

3. A pill a woman takes every day to keep an egg from

coming out of the ovary

Family Life and Sexual Health, Special Education, Lesson 23 F.L.A.S.H.

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4. A shot a woman gets once a month or once every 3

months (depending upon the kind) to keep the eggs

from coming out of the ovary

5. A tiny plastic thing that a doctor can put inside a woman’s

uterus to keep sperm away from the egg and to keep

eggs from nesting in the uterus

6. Surgery you can have when you’re really sure you don’t

want a child – or don’t want any more children -- to

keep sperm out of a man’s semen or to keep eggs from

getting to a woman’s uterus

7. This cell is in a man’s semen and tries to meet the egg

inside the woman.

8. This cell is in a woman’s ovary and waits to meet the

sperm inside the woman.

9. This happens when the sperm gets inside the egg.

10. A woman can take these pills to keep an egg from

coming out of her ovary AFTER she has had sex (if she

didn’t use birth control or a condom broke or if she was

raped).