First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa

The World of Lifespan Learning

Curriculum and Classes

A place where kids like to be and have their sprits grow.

photo by Richard Guy Briggs

OWL [Our Whole Lives]
Sex Education for all ages

OUR WHOLE LIVES is a comprehensive lifespan sexuality education series grounded in the understanding that sexuality is an essential part of every person which affects our identity, relationships and decisions throughout our lives. Our Whole Lives (OWL) Comprehensive sexuality education developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ in the USA includes a wide range of age appropriate topics at each of the 5 levels.

Each level of Our Whole Lives offers:

up-to-date information and honest, age-appropriate answers to all participants' questions

activities to help participants clarify values and improve decision-making skills

effective group-building to create a safe and supportive peer group

education about sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment

opportunities to critique media messages about gender and sexuality

acceptance of diversity

encouragement to act for justice

a well designed, teacher-friendly leaders' guide

parent orientation programs that affirm parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children

For more information about Our Whole Lives go to the OWL website at the Unitarian Universalist Association.

At First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa the OWL Facilitation Committee, co-chaired by Joan Turner & Lisa Sharp, is responsible for planning and overseeing all Our Whole Lives programs. Our elementary and Jr. High OWL programs are supported by by the Director of Religious Exploration and the RE Committee. Sr High OWL is supported by the Director of Youth Programming. OWL Programs are offered at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa for five specific age groups: grade 1 (& 2) , grade 5, grades 8 & 9, Senior High School (grades 10-12) and Adult.

Grade 1-2 OWL

Grade 1 & 2 OWL will be offered for the second time at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa on Sunday mornings beginning January 7, 2007. It is intended for 6 year olds and for any 7 year olds who haven't yet taken OWL. The content of this series includes Our Wonderful Bodies, Healthy Bodies / Safe Bodies, Families, Families and Feelings, Babies and Families, Birth of a Baby and Family Celebrations. There are homelinks for parents. Activities and pages to color for the children. OWL trained and experienced teachers Coral Sato and Gwen Harman will be assisted by regular grade 1 RE teachers. For more information or to register contact Susan McEwen, Director of Religious Exploration susan@uuottawa.com phone 613-725-1066.

Grade 5 OWL

Grade 5 OWL Sexuality Education supports the three R's of childhood sexuality education: Respect, Relationships and Responsibility. Sessions include Values and Sexuality, Family Relationships, Puberty: Physical and Emotional Changes, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, Lovemaking and Reproduction, Health and Safety, Communication and Decision Making. The 8 week series is offered on an annual basis each winter. Grade 5 OWL classes begin this church year on Sunday morning January 7, 2007. Teachers are Roz Mathews & Stephen Gabe assisted by Pauline Martens and Carolyn Leckie. "It's Perfectly Normal" is used throughout the course as a resource book for the students. The Parent's Guide is recommended for parents. A Parents Orientation was held on November 29, 2006 at the church. For more information or to register contact Susan McEwen, Director of Religious Exploration susan@uuottawa.com or phone 613-725-1066.

Junior High OWL

This is the fifth year Our Whole Lives is being offered to 13 & 14 year olds in grades 8 & 9 following many years of providing "About Your Sexuality" to teens. Our Whole Lives Junior High for grades 8 & 9 helps young people develop communication and decision making skills, gain knowledge about their changing bodies and develop self-confidence and clarity about their values. OWL is taught in a Unitarian Universalist faith based context affirming the worth and dignity of every person. Registration for this group entails a commitment to regularly attend 30 weeks of OWL classes on Sunday mornings 10:30 a.m. to noon from September until the end of April. Currently there are 8 teens in Jr. High OWL which is facilitated by 4 OWL trained adults who rotate responsibility for the sessions. Two substitute teachers are available as needed. The last classes before the holidays are on Saturday December 9th at the church. The next Parent meeting is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday January 9, 2007 in the Lounge at the church. For more information or to register for next year (2007-08) contact Susan McEwen, Religious Exploration Director, susan@uuottawa.com or phone 613-725-1066.

Senior High OWL

This is the third year that we have offered the OWL sexuality education program for high school students age 15 and older in grades 10 to 12. Our SR OWL committee began by consultation with the church youth group who requested that the OWL curriculum be offered on weekends. Youth participants from the Ottawa area, Peterborough and beyond attend from Friday evening until Sunday morning. Over 30 adult volunteers including trained OWL facilitator/ teachers are present; teaching, supervising, providing meals and support during the weekend. All meals, snacks and supplies are provided thanks to many volunteers.Dates for weekends this church year are Friday February 8 through to Sunday February 10, 2008. Grab a registration form and register! For more information go to www.owlinottawa.blogspot.com or contact Caroline Elson, Director of Youth Programming phone 613-725-1066 or dyp@uuottawa.com.

Adult Our Whole Lives

In Spring 2008, our congregation will be offering the OWL curriculum for Adults in conjunction with the Quaker friends in Ottawa. Six members of the church have been trained to lead participants through the Adult OWL curriculum using learning activities, current information, and discussions about human sexuality in today’s world. For more information adultowl@uuottawa.com

Conclusion

Our Whole Lives sexuality education classes are ongoing programs of the church. We will continue to arrange for the training of teacher / facilitators as program needs dictate. Training for Elementary OWL (K-2 and grade 5-6) is being considered for fall 2007 at the church. People who are interested in taking the training should contact members of the OWL Committee or the church office. The OWL Committee may also offer short workshops on subjects like " How to Talk to Your Child About Sexuality" for parents, grandparents, guardians and child care personnel. For requests or information e-mail the church office or call 613-725-1066.

Go to "Between Sundays," a service of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Larger Fellowship to help parents answer children's questions during the week.

If you would like further information, you are encouraged to e-mail the Director of Religious Exploration, Susan McEwen.

To Site Home Page: http://www.uuottawa.com/

Updated: January, 2008

The World of Lifespan Learning
Curriculum and Classes		photo by Richard Guy Briggs
OWL [Our Whole Lives] Sex Education for all ages OUR WHOLE LIVES is a comprehensive lifespan sexuality education series grounded in the understanding that sexuality is an essential part of every person which affects our identity, relationships and decisions throughout our lives. Our Whole Lives (OWL) Comprehensive sexuality education developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ in the USA includes a wide range of age appropriate topics at each of the 5 levels. Each level of Our Whole Lives offers: up-to-date information and honest, age-appropriate answers to all participants' questions activities to help participants clarify values and improve decision-making skills effective group-building to create a safe and supportive peer group education about sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment opportunities to critique media messages about gender and sexuality acceptance of diversity encouragement to act for justice a well designed, teacher-friendly leaders' guide parent orientation programs that affirm parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children For more information about Our Whole Lives go to the OWL website at the Unitarian Universalist Association. At First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa the OWL Facilitation Committee, co-chaired by Joan Turner & Lisa Sharp, is responsible for planning and overseeing all Our Whole Lives programs. Our elementary and Jr. High OWL programs are supported by by the Director of Religious Exploration and the RE Committee. Sr High OWL is supported by the Director of Youth Programming. OWL Programs are offered at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa for five specific age groups: grade 1 (& 2) , grade 5, grades 8 & 9, Senior High School (grades 10-12) and Adult. Grade 1-2 OWL Grade 1 & 2 OWL will be offered for the second time at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa on Sunday mornings beginning January 7, 2007. It is intended for 6 year olds and for any 7 year olds who haven't yet taken OWL. The content of this series includes Our Wonderful Bodies, Healthy Bodies / Safe Bodies, Families, Families and Feelings, Babies and Families, Birth of a Baby and Family Celebrations. There are homelinks for parents. Activities and pages to color for the children. OWL trained and experienced teachers Coral Sato and Gwen Harman will be assisted by regular grade 1 RE teachers. For more information or to register contact Susan McEwen, Director of Religious Exploration susan@uuottawa.com phone 613-725-1066. Grade 5 OWL Grade 5 OWL Sexuality Education supports the three R's of childhood sexuality education: Respect, Relationships and Responsibility. Sessions include Values and Sexuality, Family Relationships, Puberty: Physical and Emotional Changes, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, Lovemaking and Reproduction, Health and Safety, Communication and Decision Making. The 8 week series is offered on an annual basis each winter. Grade 5 OWL classes begin this church year on Sunday morning January 7, 2007. Teachers are Roz Mathews & Stephen Gabe assisted by Pauline Martens and Carolyn Leckie. "It's Perfectly Normal" is used throughout the course as a resource book for the students. The Parent's Guide is recommended for parents. A Parents Orientation was held on November 29, 2006 at the church. For more information or to register contact Susan McEwen, Director of Religious Exploration susan@uuottawa.com or phone 613-725-1066. Junior High OWL This is the fifth year Our Whole Lives is being offered to 13 & 14 year olds in grades 8 & 9 following many years of providing "About Your Sexuality" to teens. Our Whole Lives Junior High for grades 8 & 9 helps young people develop communication and decision making skills, gain knowledge about their changing bodies and develop self-confidence and clarity about their values. OWL is taught in a Unitarian Universalist faith based context affirming the worth and dignity of every person. Registration for this group entails a commitment to regularly attend 30 weeks of OWL classes on Sunday mornings 10:30 a.m. to noon from September until the end of April. Currently there are 8 teens in Jr. High OWL which is facilitated by 4 OWL trained adults who rotate responsibility for the sessions. Two substitute teachers are available as needed. The last classes before the holidays are on Saturday December 9th at the church. The next Parent meeting is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday January 9, 2007 in the Lounge at the church. For more information or to register for next year (2007-08) contact Susan McEwen, Religious Exploration Director, susan@uuottawa.com or phone 613-725-1066. Senior High OWL This is the third year that we have offered the OWL sexuality education program for high school students age 15 and older in grades 10 to 12. Our SR OWL committee began by consultation with the church youth group who requested that the OWL curriculum be offered on weekends. Youth participants from the Ottawa area, Peterborough and beyond attend from Friday evening until Sunday morning. Over 30 adult volunteers including trained OWL facilitator/ teachers are present; teaching, supervising, providing meals and support during the weekend. All meals, snacks and supplies are provided thanks to many volunteers.Dates for weekends this church year are Friday February 8 through to Sunday February 10, 2008. Grab a registration form and register! For more information go to www.owlinottawa.blogspot.com or contact Caroline Elson, Director of Youth Programming phone 613-725-1066 or dyp@uuottawa.com. Adult Our Whole Lives In Spring 2008, our congregation will be offering the OWL curriculum for Adults in conjunction with the Quaker friends in Ottawa. Six members of the church have been trained to lead participants through the Adult OWL curriculum using learning activities, current information, and discussions about human sexuality in today’s world. For more information adultowl@uuottawa.com Conclusion Our Whole Lives sexuality education classes are ongoing programs of the church. We will continue to arrange for the training of teacher / facilitators as program needs dictate. Training for Elementary OWL (K-2 and grade 5-6) is being considered for fall 2007 at the church. People who are interested in taking the training should contact members of the OWL Committee or the church office. The OWL Committee may also offer short workshops on subjects like " How to Talk to Your Child About Sexuality" for parents, grandparents, guardians and child care personnel. For requests or information e-mail the church office or call 613-725-1066.
Go to "Between Sundays," a service of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Larger Fellowship to help parents answer children's questions during the week. If you would like further information, you are encouraged to e-mail the Director of Religious Exploration, Susan McEwen.