What Is It All About?
This activity allows participants to deepen their understanding of the impact of Sexually Transmitted and Blood Born Infections (STBBIs) on an individual’s sexual health and the use of vaccinations as one option to care for their sexual health.
Curriculum Connections
1, C1, C2
Why Do It?
Providing participants with the opportunity to increase their understanding of the impact of STBBIs on their physical health and the potential impact on the health of others and the available vaccinations helps them make evidence-based informed decisions to take responsibility for their sexual health. Participants also explore their responsibility to others as part of a healthy relationship.
How Do We Do It?
- Use a Think/Pair/Share strategy for participants to identify STBBIs they know or have learned about (e.g., Herpes, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis A, B and C, Human Papillomavirus [HPV]. Record responses for participants to reference throughout the activity.
- Provide participants with access to various resources (print, visual or media) that contain information about STBBIs, their impact on an individual's physical health, and ways to protect themselves. Include resources about the types of vaccinations available for different STBBIs and other transmissible viruses. Consult your local Public Health for available resources or credible websites such as Public Health Canada, www.sexandu.ca, or www.hpvinfo.ca.
- Have participants form small groups of 2-3 and select the resources they would most like to read/view from the provided list. Alternatively, have participants select the resources first and then pair up with others who have chosen the same resources.
- Provide participants with a WOW graphic organiser with the following questions:
- WOW - Three (3) things I learned or found interesting from the information I read/viewed…
- W - What role do vaccinations play in supporting an individual’s sexual health?
- O - What two things do I still wonder about STBBIs and vaccinations?
- W - What are three possible reasons an individual might have unprotected sex or choose not to get a vaccination? How might their decision impact others?
- WOW - Three (3) things I learned or found interesting from the information I read/viewed…
- Provide participants sufficient time to explore their chosen reasons and work collaboratively to complete their WOW graphic organiser.
- Using the information on their WOW graphic organiser and anything else they have learned from the resources they read and viewed, have participants individually complete a PMI (Pluses, Minuses, Interesting) reflection about the role of vaccinations in supporting an individual's overall health.
- Invite participants to share their PMI reflections with other participants or record responses to create a class PMI chart.
What Else Do We Need?
- Resources (print, visual or media) about STBBIs and vaccinations
- WOW graphic organisers (one per participant)
- PMI reflection (one per participant)
How Do We Get Creative?
Consider inviting a local public health expert to talk about STBBIs and other infectious viruses and vaccinations (virtual or face to face).
Use a KWL or KWHLQ chart to determine the next steps for learning or identify additional questions participants may have about vaccines and vaccinations.