Lesson plan

• N/A

We are learning about:

• The types of contraception available, including emergency contraception
• How to use contraception effectively

• N/A

We will be able to:

• Explain why contraception is used
• Describe different types of contraception
• Identify strategies to help someone use contraceptives effectively

• N/A

• Ask students to write a response to the social media post on the slide:
  “Curious about contraception! What do people use? How do I make sure I’m using it properly? Who can I ask about it?”
• Students should come up with advice for the young person on:
  A. what types of contraception are available
  B. how contraception can be used effectively
  C. where the young person can access support
• After 5-7 minutes, get feedback from students

Answers could include:

1. What types of contraception are available
   
   Barrier methods e.g. condoms.
   Other types of contraception include caps (cervical caps), copper IUD (copper coil), diaphragms, hormonal IUD (hormonal coil), implant, patch, pills and vaginal ring.
   There are also other types of contraception like the contraceptive injections, vasectomy (aka male sterilisation) and tubal occlusion (aka female sterilisation) but these are not recommended for young people.
   
   
2. How contraception can be used effectively
   Barrier methods – condom needs to be used correctly and be in date.
   Hormonal contraception – pills or IUDs (coils) need to be taken/administered correctly, and renewed when needed.
   
   
3. Where the young person can access support
   GP or sexual health clinics
   

Students should keep their social media post baseline assessment for lesson 3 Making the choice

• Explain to the class that you are about to play a 11 minute video with 2 doctors
• After the video, they’ll be asked to complete a quiz
• If students have any questions they should write them down and put them in the anonymous questions box

• N/A

• Play the ‘What is contraception’ video

• Be sure to watch the video prior to the lesson.
• You should assess the video for suitability and appropriateness to your specific class and that the content aligns with all school policies.

In the video, the doctors refer to a “copper coil” and “hormonal coil”. These are now more commonly referred to as “copper IUD” and “hormonal IUD”. “IUD” stands for “intrauterine device”.

• Split the class into pairs and give each pair an A4 copy of Worksheet 2.0.i Contraception fact file
• Ask pairs to answer the questions in the fact file titled:
  • Contraception introduction
  • Hormonal contraception
• After a roughly 5 minutes, get feedback on the answers

Contraception introduction answers:

Q) When does someone need to use contraception?
A) When you want to have sex but do not want to get pregnant

Q) At a younger age, why is it difficult to know if ovulation has happened?
A) Your period is more irregular so it’s harder to know exactly when ovulation may happen

Q) Why is withdrawal or “pulling out” NOT contraception?
A) Pre-ejaculation does contain some sperm so withdrawing still may not prevent pregnancy

Q) How soon after having unprotected sex should someone seek help from a doctor or sexual health service?
A) Within 5 days of unprotected sex. The sooner the better.

Q) How do barrier methods prevent a pregnancy and what else can they prevent?
A) A barrier method stops the sperm from meeting the egg. A barrier method like a condom can also prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Hormonal contraception answers:
Q) Other than preventing pregnancy, what else can hormonal contraception be used for?
A) It can be used to:

• Regulate your cycle
• Help lessen period pain
• Stop your periods

Q) Describe three ways that hormonal contraceptives work to prevent pregnancies.
A) They work by:

• Preventing the release of an egg
• Thins the uterine lining
• Thickens cervical mucus

• Ask pairs to join with another pair to make groups of 4
• The new groups should consider the problem on the slide: ‘Had a massive scare – I think the condom broke. What do we do?’
• Groups should come up with advice for the young person on:
  • What to do now?
  • What else could help to prevent a pregnancy in the future?
• After 5 minutes, ask a volunteer from one group to summarise their advice to the young person
  • Once that group has summarised their advice, ask the rest of the groups to raise their hands if their advice was similar
  • Then ask the rest of the groups to raise their hand if their advice was different.
• Select volunteers to describe the differences in the advice they gave and use these
  responses to address any remaining misconceptions, drawing on the key messages on contraception.

Possible answers:

• What should the young person do now?
  • Contact the doctor or sexual health services for emergency contraception – this can be in the form of a pill or a copper IUD (coil). The professionals will help you make the best decision. You must do this within 5 days of the unprotected sex.
• What else could help prevent a pregnancy in the future?
  • Using a condom correctly – including making sure the packet is in-date and carefully tearing the packet open – don’t use your teeth to open the packet.
  • Being on long term contraception – also known as Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)

• Read through the information on the slide
• Ask students if there are additional points they think are important for young people to know.

• Reinforce that if 100 people who could get pregnant don’t use any contraception and are having sex, 80 to 90 of them will get pregnant within a year.

• Give each student a A4 copy of Worksheet 2.0.ii Fill the gap
• Ask them to complete the sections on:
  • Contraception introduction
  • Hormonal contraception
• After a few minutes, get feedback on the answers

Fill the gap worksheet answers:

• Contraception introduction:
  • Pregnancy
  • 55
  • Sperm
  • 5
  • Condom
  • STIs
• Hormonal contraception:
  • Egg
  • Thicker
  • Uterus

• Set a timer for 3 minutes.
• Choose a student to hold an object such as a soft ball and ask them to recall
  one fact they have learnt about contraception.
• They should then pass/throw the object to another student who should share a different fact.
• Repeat this with as many students recalling a fact as possible within the time, without repeating a fact that has already been said.

• N/A

• Answer the questions collected during the lesson from the anonymous question box

• You may wish to answer the questions in the question box at the start of the next lesson once you’ve had a chance to review them.
• If there are no questions then you could give a couple of common questions e.g.

Q) How old do you have to be to get contraception?
A) There is no age limit for getting contraception. However it is important to remember that if you are getting contraception because you are having sex, the legal age in the UK is 16.

Q) Will the doctor or clinic tell my parents if I go on the pill?
A) The doctor, nurse or pharmacist will not tell anyone, including your parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm.

• Remind students that if they have concerns or would like to talk to someone about any topics covered in the lesson they should speak to a parent or carer, their GP, sexual health clinic or other trusted member of staff in school.
• They can also find out more from:
  • Childline: ChildLine.org.uk
  • NHS: NHS.uk/contraception
  • Brook: Brook.org.uk

• N/A

• Collect the response to the social media post baseline assessments, the ‘Fact file’ sheets and the ‘Fill the gap’ sheets. These are needed over the next 2 lessons. Alternatively students will need to keep them safe.

• N/A