Why Do People Kiss?

This lesson focuses on kissing to capture the hopes and fears of this age group and explore consent in early intimate encounters.

Learning intentions:

  • Recognise that any sexual encounter with another person should be wanted by both people and that feeling forced or pressured is not ok
  • Understand that not everyone is sexually active, including not every adult
  • Develop skills to manage different boundaries, timelines and levels of interest which should be respected

Digital Educator: Charlie

  • 12-30 learners

    Class size

  • 7+

    Year Level

  • 40-60 minutes

    Course duration

  • Nil

    Student Handouts

    Preparing for the lesson

    Information
    Resources

    ACHPE Objectives

    UNESCO Objectives

    Safety & Wellbeing

    Sequence
    Extension
     In this Why Do People Kiss? lesson, students will be introduced to the concepts of sexual activity and consent using kissing to gauge the range of sexuality knowledge in your classroom.

    They will collectively answer motivational questions about kissing by moving to poster stations around the room. Primarily, kissing is used to introduce the notion that any sexual encounter should be wanted by both people, with an expectation of it feeling good for both people.

    They will be asked to consider a range of perspectives on sexual activity and how concepts like willingness, permission, and consent apply. A physical demonstration of boundaries, boundary setting, and boundary recognition will be presented by class volunteers. A larger group discussion supported by data from Australian research will demonstrate the complexities of saying no.

    Small group discussion completes this lesson, focusing on strategies to check for consent and compliance and create safety for everyone involved in an intimate encounter.

    Each lesson ends with a consolidation activity, inviting students to list 1 thing they have learnt from the lesson, 1 thing they already knew, 1 piece of advice they would share with a friend, and 1 adult or organisation that would be helpful in relation to the lesson topic.        

    Facilitator Printouts

    Empty space, drag to resize
    To prepare for this lesson, you will need to print the wall signs single sided and stick them up around the room with space for students to write on a sheet of butcher's paper underneath.

    Student Printouts

    There are no student printouts for this lesson. 

    Additional Student Resources

    AC9HP8P07: Explain and apply skills and strategies to communicate assertively and respectfully when seeking, giving or denying consent. 
    • Exploring and refining skills and strategies needed to communicate assertively and respectfully in relationships. 
    • Examining the nature of consent in different types of relationships, and proposing and practising strategies for seeking, giving and denying consent respectfully.
    Key Concept 4: Violence and Staying Safe
    4.2 Consent, Privacy and Bodily Autonomy.
    • Key idea: Everyone has the right to be in control of what they will and will not do sexually, and should actively communicate and recognise consent from their partners.
    1. Ask the students to demonstrate as many examples as they can of ‘how people behave when they are happy with what someone is suggesting or doing’ and ‘how people might behave when they don’t like (or no longer like) what someone is doing or suggesting’.
    2. Draw 2 columns on the board (Happy & Don’t Like) and encourage the whole group to identify examples of non- verbal communication.
    • Sexual activity will not be on the radar of most of your students. This lesson provides a neutral way to explore consent and intimacy that is inclusive of a range of sexual experiences and orientations. 
    • Monitor student wellbeing throughout and ensure students reflect on their pods for seeking help both after experiencing harm and/or causing harm. 
    • Don't underestimate the importance of highlighting the four most basic rules of sexual activity. Many young people, especially those with intellectual disability run into trouble because nobody ever told them these four rules: 

    1. Both people must be old enough
    2. Both people have to say yes
    3. It should be in a private place
    4. They can't be from the same family

    Ideally, you will have scope to deliver all of the lessons in your program. However we understand that many schools have limited capacity to do so. Should you find yourself having to implement part of this program, we have provided a suggested sequence of lessons within the broader skills and knowledge categories of relationship, consent, gender, and cybersafety. We recommend delivering at least one lesson from each category.

    1. Group Agreements & Pod Mapping should be the first lesson as per best practice.
    2. Puberty & Reproduction: A Refresher should be delivered early in the program to ensure students have an understanding of the physical, emotional, and social changes of puberty including menstruation and sperm production.

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