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Feelings and behaviours during a menstrual cycle

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This lesson supports curriculum codes:

  • ABLEWA Stage C (VCHPEP030)
  • ABLEWA Stage D (VCHPEP044; VCHPEP047; VCHPEP048)
  • Year 5 (ACPPS052)
  • Year 6 (ACPPS052)

Overview

This lesson aims to develop awareness and understanding of mood and behavioural changes that may occur as part of the menstrual cycle.  Self-awareness of changes gives an opportunity to develop strategies for managing shifts in mood and behaviour.

Foundation Knowledge for this lesson includes differentiation of male and female bodies; awareness of age and body differences between babies, children, adolescents, and adults; receptive identification of vagina; public and private body parts; receptive identification of sanitary pads, bin, toilet, and underpants; receptive identification of blood.

Generalisation ideas:

  • Personalising the lesson:  Ensuring that an appropriate adult talks through this lesson, your student could be supported to identify premenstrual symptoms they experience.
  • Normalising:  Talking with older  women familiar to your student about their own experiences with premenstrual symptoms to normalise the experience.
  • Consequences:  If these signs are present but menstruation hasn’t yet begun you can prepare your student with a menstrual kit to take in bag to manage when it begins.
  • Developing strategies:  Use symptom tracking to develop appropriate strategies for managing premenstrual symptoms e.g. taking time out, going to bed earlier, being kind to yourself.
  • Identifying appropriate people to talk to if premenstrual symptoms are difficult to manage.  
  • Watching a DVD or YouTube clip that explains the process in more depth.
  • Introducing a calendar:  Introduce a calendar to show the menstrual cycle occuring once a month, add in the symptoms experienced each day leading up to a period. Notice patterns building up e.g. crave chocolate and period occurs two days later.  There are a number of cycle tracker apps available online. 

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