Our Whole Lives (OWL)

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive and progressive, lifespan sexuality and relationship curriculum created by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) that offers interactive workshops that provide accurate, developmentally appropriate information about a range of topics, including relationships, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, sexual health, and cultural influences on sexuality. (https://www.uua.org/re/owl)  

The UUA has created seven different curricula tailored to participants’ needs by age group.  At CVUUS, we offer the curriculum for grades 4-5 and grades 7-9, usually in alternate years.  You can see more information about what is currently being offered here.

 

OWL for grades 4-5

Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades 4-6 helps children learn about and discuss the physical, emotional changes, and social changes of puberty. Parents and caregivers can be actively involved in the exploration of growing older, values, communication and decision making.  It is a secular curriculum, and is taught by facilitators who have been trained to teach this specific program by the UUA.  

 

This program includes a parent/caregiver orientation that affirms parents as their children’s primary sexuality educators, and helps parents support their children as they go through the program.  At CVUUS, we offer this program in alternate years and there are usually ten 75 minute sessions, which include the following:

  • Sexuality and Values  
  • Images in Popular Culture  
  • Body Image  
  • Changes in Puberty  
  • Gender  
  • Feelings and Attractions  
  • Reproduction and Staying Healthy  
  • Decisions and Actions  
  • Consent and Peer Pressure  
  • Healthy Relationships and Celebration!

OWL for grades 7-9

 

Our Whole Lives (OWL) for grades 7-9 is a comprehensive and progressive sexuality curriculum that models and teaches caring, compassion, respect, and justice. It helps adolescents address their attitudes, values, and feelings about themselves, their sexuality, and others’ sexuality. Participants are guided by trained facilitators through an engaging curriculum that addresses topics most important to young adolescents, including those typically excluded from sexuality education and health classes. 

 

At CVUUS, OWL 7-9  is usually offered to 7th and 8th graders in alternate years, and includes a parent orientation and 12 workshops of 90 minutes each.  Some of the topics covered include:

  • What is Sexuality?
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Gender Identiy
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Consent Education
  • Contraception and Safer Sex
  • Sexual Decision Making

 

You can find descriptions of all of the OWL 7-9 Units and Workshops on the UUA website: OWL Grades 7-9 Units and Workshop Descriptions

 

You do not need to be a member of CVUUS or attend services to participate in our OWL programming.  Contact our Acting RE Coordinator, Julia Santerre at re@cvuus.org if you are interested and with any questions.