Download o Students compare and contrast the benefits and barriers to

High School – Interpersonal Communication to Reduce Sexual Risk
Grade 9
Time allotted - 1 hour
Lesson 4
Essential Question - How can effective communication help me to minimize sexual risk?
1. What do I want the students to know and be able to do?
 Standard 1 – Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease
prevention to enhance health.
o Performance indicator 1.12.7 – Students compare and contrast the benefits and
barriers to practicing a variety of healthy behaviors.
 Performance indicator 1.12.1 with infused content - Students
compare and contrast the benefits and barriers to practicing a
variety of healthy behaviors such as abstinence, postponing
sexual behavior, and setting limits on sexual behavior.
 Benefits to practicing a variety of healthy behaviors such as
abstinence, postponing sexual behavior, and setting limits
o No pregnancy
o No sexually transmitted disease
o Maintain virginity
o Increase self-esteem
o Increase confidence
 Barriers to practicing a variety of healthy behaviors such as
abstinence, postponing sexual behavior, and setting limits
o Pressure
o Personal
o Peer
o Loss of relationship
 Standard 4 – Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication
skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
o Performance indicator 4.12.1 – Use skills for communicating effectively with
family, peers, and others to enhance health.
 Performance indicator 4.12.1 with infused content– Use assertive
communication skills such as refusal skills and “I” messages with family,
peers, and others to enhance health.
 Assertive skills
o Use “I” messages
o Demonstrate respectful/ assertive tone
o Exhibit appropriate body language
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Refusal skills
o Clear “no” statement
o Provide a reason
High School – Interpersonal Communication – Lesson 4
Original lesson courtesy of Julie Whitson
Page 1
o Delay/change the subject/provide an excuse
o Repeat refusal
o Walk away
2. How will I know if my students have reached the goal?
o Students compare and contrast the benefits and barriers to practicing a variety
of healthy behaviors.
o Students demonstrate interpersonal communication skills to cope with sexual
risks.
3. What procedures will I use to reach my goal?

Welcome students and review the agenda
o Review the skill of Interpersonal Communication.
o Introduce sexual risks.
o Play myth and fact game.
o Examine the benefits of and barriers to practicing healthy behaviors
o Practice refusal skills and assertive communication through various scenarios
o Assign homework
o Review

Review skills learned in lessons 1-4 using Solo plates/ mini white boards.

Myth/Fact game
o Background
 The purpose of the game is to learn whether the statements are myths or
facts.
 Myth refers to untrue information that is perceived as fact. Some myths
may have accurate information, but generally, they are not true.
o Directions
 Divide the group into two teams and ask them to come up with team
names.
 Two teams will draw statements, from the container, about sexual activity
and its possible risks.
 Teams must decide whether each statement is a fact or a myth.
 Create a score sheet, with two columns, on the board or newsprint.
 Teams receive one point for each correct answer.
 If the team can explain why a statement is a fact or a myth, they
get a bonus point.
o Play
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One team member draws a statement and reads it aloud.
Ask, “Is that a myth or a fact?”
o The player confers with her or his team.
o If the answer is correct, record one point on the score sheet.
High School – Interpersonal Communication – Lesson 4
Original lesson courtesy of Julie Whitson
Page 2
o Ask for an explanation of the statement and award a bonus point if the
explanation is correct.
o Allow for discussion of the statement and provide additional
information, if appropriate, from the Leader's Resource.
o Alternate teams until all statements have been discussed or each player
has played.
o Briefly cover any remaining statements and conclude the activity.

Distribute the barriers to and benefits of practicing healthy behaviors worksheet.
o Students complete the worksheet alone or with another student
o Pair share with another group
o Ask for volunteers to draw the figure on the board and explain the results.

Use interpersonal communication skills to decrease sexual risk.
o Distribute the scenarios
o Students respond using refusal skills and assertive communication.
o Use male/ female reproductive models and protection methods to clarify
information.

Assertive skills
o Use “I” messages
o Demonstrate respectful/ assertive tone
o Exhibit appropriate body language

Refusal skills
o Clear “no” statement
o Provide a reason
o Delay/change the subject/provide an excuse
o Repeat refusal
o Walk away
o Students present scenario resolutions to the class.

Assign optional homework.

Reflection - Formative Assessment: Smiley face, Frowny face as true/false responses to
the reflection
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Anal intercourse is risk free (F)
Pregnancy can occur before the first period. (T)
Abstinence is the only method of contraception that is 100% risk free. (T)
If there are no symptoms of an STD, there is no risk of infection. (F)
A woman cannot get pregnant if she is menstruating. (F)
Oral contraceptives increase the chance of cancer. (F)
Once a person has gonorrhea and has been cured, he cannot get the infection
again. (F)
o Latex condoms reduce the risk of STI and HIV infection. (T)
o A woman nursing a baby can get pregnant if she does not use protection. (T)
High School – Interpersonal Communication – Lesson 4
Original lesson courtesy of Julie Whitson
Page 3
Calculating the “safe time” in the menstrual cycle is always accurate. (F)
Herpes has serious health consequences. (T)
Once a man has an erection, he must ejaculate or masturbate. (F)
A woman can only get pregnant if a man ejaculates in her vagina. (F)
The pores on a latex condom are large and allow HIV to pass through. (F)
A person infection with an STD has a greater chance of becoming infected
with HIV. (T)
o The use of any drugs increases the chance of contracting HIV. (T)
o A woman’s risk of contracting HIV is greater if she has intercourse while she
has her period. (T)
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4. How can I improve this lesson?
Lesson connections
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Homework: Family Homework Exercise, “Talking to your Parent(s)”
Interdisciplinary connections: English Language Arts
Opportunities for parent participation: Family Homework Exercise
Opportunities for parent/community involvement: N/A
Teacher resources needed:
 An original and a copy of the Leader's Resource, “Sexual Risks: Myth or Fact?”
 Scissors and container
 Newsprint and markers or board and chalk
 Solo plates/ mini white boards and markers
 Worksheet – Barriers to and Benefits of practicing healthy behaviors
 Lesson 4 scenarios
 Male/female reproductive anatomy models (optional)
 Protection methods (optional)
Student resources needed:
 Formative assessment tool (smiley face)
High School – Interpersonal Communication – Lesson 4
Original lesson courtesy of Julie Whitson
Page 4