Sexual Health Support and Resources for Educators

The following resources are designed to help teach students about sexuality. They include lesson plans, handouts, visual aids, student-centred activities and other resources.

• York Region District School Board (YRDSB) staff only, resources, lesson plans and tools including specific resources related to sexting and on-line safety.
• Sex and U - This website was developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. It contains a variety of information on sexual health topics and includes a teacher’s section. A Teaching Sexual Health Education manual is available with elementary and secondary lesson plans, student friendly videos, resources and teaching strategies. Other resources include ‘Choosing a Contraceptive That’s Right for U’ , ‘Understanding Sexually Transmitted Infections’ and resources and information for teachers related to teaching youth with intellectual and/or physical disabilities.

• Canadian Centre for Child Protection, in consultation with educators, law enforcement officers, crown prosecutors, child development experts and psychologists, has created two resource guides;

  • Resources for Educators Catalogue
  • School and family approaches to intervention and prevention: Addressing self/peer exploitation is for families to assist in managing self/peer exploitation incidents.

  It also provides resources addressing sexual violence and on-line risks facing youth in grade 9 and 10, and activity booklets for students:

  • 'What’s the Deal' (grades 7 and 8)
  • 'It is a Big Deal' (grades 9 and 10)
• OPHEA Ontario Physical and Health Education Association - Grade specific, elementary lessons for teaching and learning matching the new human development and sexual health curriculum
• Alberta Health Services:Teaching Sexual Health -This innovative website was developed by Alberta educators and health professionals with the goal of promoting excellence in sexual health education by providing teachers with evidence-based sexual health resources, and current lesson plans and activities. Instructional methods and a student Q & A section, including videos, are available for grades 4 to 12.  It also contains lesson plans for students with differing abilities and a parent portal of sexual diversity.
• Planned Parenthood – resources including realistic videos related to sexual health geared to parents, teens and educators
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) provides the following resources for educators and public health units: 
  • Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education,
  • Questions & Answers: Sexual Orientation in Schools
  • Questions & Answers: Gender Identity in Schools
  • Sexual Health Education for Youth with Physical Disabilities
• Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights is a progressive, pro-choice charitable organization committed to advancing and upholding sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and globally
• It's Easier Than You Think! a resource for parents about talking to their kids about sexual health
• CATIE is Canada’s source for accessible, evidence-based information about HIV and hepatitis C prevention, testing, care, treat
• ment and support. It also contains a guide which provides evidence-informed answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding sexual health education for youth with physical disabilities.
• Peel Public Health has developed educational kits including lesson plans and classroom activities for grades 4 to 9. These online resources have been created to help make teaching sexual health an enjoyable and comfortable experience for educators.
• Toronto Public Health has developed lesson plans for grades 4 to 12 and were designed to be used as a support and guide for educators teaching sexual health.
• The Fourth R Health Physical Education Program provides Grade 7, 8 and 9 students with instruction on personal safety and injury prevention, healthy growth and development, and substance use and abuse.

Physical and Health Education (PHE) Canada provides educators with health and physical resources and teaching strategies.

• Always Changing (grades five and six) is designed to help students understand their changing bodies, the stages of puberty, and the role of personal appearance in a positive self-image
• Always Changing (grades seven and up) promotes physically active and healthy lifestyles for adolescent males and females. This resource helps students develop fun, active, confident and energetic self-images.

• The Always Changing and Growing Up - Co-Ed (Girls and Boys) video focuses on female and male development, helping answer the questions many kids have about what to expect during puberty.

  Disclaimer: The Regional Municipality of York is not affiliated with P&G or P&G School Programs and does not endorse or recommend the use of commercial products.