Informed Adolescence

Heidi Sproull, LMSW, CST, is a psychotherapist and sexual health professional with more than 30 years of experience. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she has developed, written, and taught her INFORMED ADOLESCENCE® Middle School Curriculum with Lessons on Teen Resilience, Sexual Health, and Boundary Setting and Personal Safety since 2010. Heidi is an AASECT-certified Sex Therapist. Her psychotherapeutic work specializes in sexual health, recovery from sexual trauma, chronic pain, and in supporting mental, physical and emotional wellness throughout the life span. Additionally, Heidi teaches self-defense and boundaries workshops, Consent Certainty workshops, and is involved in social justice work.

INFORMED ADOLESCENCE™

Introduction to the INFORMED ADOLESCENCE™ Curriculum

Teacher Preparedness

Fifth Grade

The Fifth Grade INFORMED ADOLESCENCE Curriculum Addresses Students’ Curiosity About The Changes to Come and Calls Them into Conscious Awareness of Their Ability to Impact Positive Relationships With Themselves and Others

Fifth Grade Teen Resilience

Module R1: What Qualities Make a Good Friend and What is Community?17

Module R2: Social Media and Electronics25

Fifth Grade Sexual Health

Module S1: Defining Health

Module S2: Causes of Puberty

Module S3: Effects of Puberty

Module S4: Managing the Changes of Puberty

Fifth Grade Boundary Setting & Personal Safety

Module B1: Introductory Boundary Setting and Personal Safety Skills73

Sixth Grade

The Sixth Grade INFORMED ADOLESCENCE Curriculum Supports Students as they Cross the Threshold into More Self-Awareness & Addresses Sexuality as Part of Overall Health

Sixth Grade Teen Resilience

Module R3: What are Respect and Compassion?

Module R4: Creating Classroom Agreements

Module R5: Consent vs. Compliance vs. Coercion

Module R6: The Basics of Bystander Intervention

Module R7: Understanding Emotions and the Web of Connection Exercise

Sixth Grade Sexual Health

Module S5: Birth Sex and Gender

Module S6: Sexuality and Sexual Orientation

Sixth Grade Boundary Setting & Personal Safety

Module B2: Continuing Boundary Skills & Assertiveness

Seventh Grade

The Seventh Grade INFORMED ADOLESCENCE Curriculum addresses Teen Challenges & Decision-Making, Reproductive Sex, Pregnancy, and Birth

Seventh Grade Teen Resilience

Module R8: Othering, Bias, Prejudice, and “isms"

Module R9: Sexual Slang Language

Module R10: Navigating romantic and sexual attraction and Behavior in relationships

Module R11: The Consent Certainty Matrix

Module R12: Making Sense of Sexually Explicit Media and Pornography

Module R13: Middle School Problem-Solving, Part One

Seventh Grade Sexual Health

Module S7: Introduction to Human Reproduction

Module S8: Male Reproductive System

Module S9: Female Reproductive System

Module S10: Sex for Reproduction

Module S11: Pregnancy & Gestation

Module S12: Labor, Delivery, Birth, and Variations

Seventh Grade Boundary Setting & Personal Safety

Module B3: Continuing Boundary Skills, Assertiveness & Self-Protection

Eighth Grade

The Eighth Grade Curriculum Supports students as they ask, “What do I need now and as I transition to high school?”

Eighth Grade Teen Resilience

Module R14: The Candy Consent Game

Module R15: Values Discernment for Decision-Making

Module R16: Mental Health and Wellness

Module R17: Alcohol and Substance Awareness and Decision-Making

Module R18: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Teen Dating Violence (TDV)

Module R19: Middle School Problem-Solving, Part Two

Module R20: Navigating the Transition to High School

Module R21: High School Panel Discussion

Eighth Grade Sexual Health

Module S13: Pregnancy Prevention

Module S14: Sexually Transmitted Infection, Sexually Transmitted Disease, and Safer Sex Practices

Module S15: Body Positivity, Self-Acceptance, and Sexual Health

Eighth Grade Boundary Setting & Personal Safety

Module B4: Continuing Boundary Skills, Assertiveness & Self-Protection

Concluding Thoughts

Parent Support Materials

Module P1: The Value of Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Module P2: Parenting Through Puberty Workshop

Classroom Activities Appendix

Bibliography

About the Author