Healthy Relationships

Suggested Duration: 0.5 Hours

"If they say, 'No, thank you,' then don't make them tea. Don't make them drink tea, don't get annoyed at them for not wanting tea. They just don't want tea, okay? Consent is everything."

Emmeline May & Blue Seat Studios, Consent: It's Simple as Tea

Understanding Sexual Consent

Consent is the most important part of any sexual relationship. It must be clear, voluntary, and ongoing. Consent and Tea uses a simple analogy to make the complexities of consent easy to understand and apply.

Watch and reflect:

  • How does the analogy of "making someone a cup of tea" clarify when consent is, and isn't, given?
  • Consider how you can communicate boundaries clearly and respect the boundaries of others in a relationship.

Contraception & Family Planning

If parenthood isn't in your immediate plans, understanding your options for contraception is essential. Different methods work in different ways: some use hormones, some create physical barriers, and some are long-term solutions.

Watch and reflect:

  • Identify the different categories of contraceptives currently available (e.g., hormonal, barrier, LARC).
  • Note the difference between "typical use" and "perfect use" effectiveness.
  • Consider which factors (convenience, side effects, cost) are most important when choosing a method.

Part 3: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

STIs are a common reality of sexual health, but they are manageable and, in many cases, preventable. Knowledge is the best tool for staying safe and reducing the stigma surrounding sexual health.

Watch and reflect:

  • Recognition: Learn the common symptoms of STIs (though many have no symptoms at all).
  • Management: Understand how common STIs are tested for and treated.
  • Prevention: Identify the most effective ways to reduce your risk, including regular testing and barrier methods like condoms.

Youth Sexual Health Directory

Task: Create a localized Sexual Health Resource Directory in a Markdown (.md) file. Your directory must contain the following components:

  1. Local/Online Provider Directory: Research and identify actual, local resources in your community (or online resources accessible in Ontario) for the following three categories:

    • Accessing Contraceptives & Barrier Methods: Where can you purchase or obtain condoms, birth control, or emergency contraception (e.g., local pharmacies, community clinics, public health units)?
    • STI Testing & Confidential Support: Where can a teen go to get tested for STIs or get confidential medical consultations (e.g., sexual health clinics, family doctor, youth clinics)?
    • Digital/Online Help & Advice: What are at least two reliable, verified digital resources or hotlines for youth sexual health support (e.g., Kids Help Phone, SexAndU.ca)?

    For each provider/resource, list:

    • Name & Category
    • Location / Contact Info (Address, website, or phone number)
    • Services Offered (What do they provide?)
    • Access Details (Is it free? Do you need a health card/OHIP? Is it walk-in or by appointment?)
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Research Tip: In Ontario, public health units offer free or low-cost sexual health services, and anyone can buy condoms or emergency contraception (Plan B) over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription or age restrictions. Write down the name and location of the closest locations to you.

  1. Significance of Care: For each of the three categories, write a brief 2-3 sentence paragraph explaining why this specific type of care, contraceptive protection, or resource is significant for a teenager's physical, sexual, and emotional well-being.

  2. Critique of the Tea Analogy: Write a short paragraph (approximately 100 words) stating whether you agree or disagree with the aptness of the Consent and Tea analogy. Explain your reasoning: does the metaphor simplify consent effectively, or does it miss important emotional and social nuances of real relationships?


Deliverable:

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Youth Sexual Health Directory

Submit your completed local resource directory as a Markdown (.md) file using the course app submission portal.

Assessment

Pre-Submission

Before you submit, please complete the Pre-Submission Self-Assessment.

What to Turn In

  • 📤

    Youth Resource Directory (.md file)

💡 A Different Way to Learn

Async Academy courses are inquiry-based. There are no rote answer keys or multiple-choice worksheets here. You learn by exploring, questioning, and building projects you care about.

Because your discovery path is completely unique, you need a human sounding board. Enroll to submit your projects and get personalized video feedback from an Ontario Certified Teacher to guide your work.

Learning Goals

We are learning to:

  • 🎯

    Understand the importance of clear, consensual communication in healthy relationships

  • 🎯

    Identify practical methods for preventing STIs and unplanned pregnancy to maintain sexual health

Success Criteria

I can:

  • ✅

    Identify appropriate communication strategies to establish and respect consent in sexual relationships

    Expectations Covered: C2
  • ✅

    Explain how to effectively use contraceptives and barrier methods to prevent pregnancy and STIs

    Expectations Covered: C1
  • ✅

    Describe the symptoms, management, and prevention strategies for common sexually transmitted infections

    Expectations Covered: C1

Rubric

Category Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
Healthcare Resource Directory (Knowledge / Understanding)
How accurately, thoroughly, and practically does the student research and identify local/online resources for contraceptives, STI testing, and counseling?
Consistently and clearly identifies all required categories of providers with detailed, actionable contact and access details Identifies all required categories of providers with clear contact and access details Partially identifies providers, with some key contact or access details missing Identifies providers with limited detail or accuracy
Significance of Care Analysis (Thinking / Inquiry)
How effectively does the student explain why each category of care or resource is significant for a teenager's physical, sexual, and emotional well-being?
Explains the physical, sexual, and emotional significance of each care category with high clarity and depth Explains the significance of each care category with clear and appropriate detail Explains the significance of some care categories with basic detail Explains the significance of care categories with limited detail or clarity
Critique of the Consent & Tea Analogy (Thinking / Inquiry)
How thoughtfully does the student evaluate the aptness, strengths, and limitations of the "Consent and Tea" metaphor?
Demonstrates highly critical, insightful, and well-reasoned evaluation of the tea analogy's strengths and limitations Demonstrates clear and reasoned evaluation of the tea analogy's strengths and limitations Demonstrates basic evaluation of the tea analogy with simple reasoning Demonstrates limited or unreasoned critique of the tea analogy
Healthcare Resource Directory (Knowledge / Understanding)
Criteria: How accurately, thoroughly, and practically does the student research and identify local/online resources for contraceptives, STI testing, and counseling?
Level 4

Consistently and clearly identifies all required categories of providers with detailed, actionable contact and access details

Level 3

Identifies all required categories of providers with clear contact and access details

Level 2

Partially identifies providers, with some key contact or access details missing

Level 1

Identifies providers with limited detail or accuracy

Significance of Care Analysis (Thinking / Inquiry)
Criteria: How effectively does the student explain why each category of care or resource is significant for a teenager's physical, sexual, and emotional well-being?
Level 4

Explains the physical, sexual, and emotional significance of each care category with high clarity and depth

Level 3

Explains the significance of each care category with clear and appropriate detail

Level 2

Explains the significance of some care categories with basic detail

Level 1

Explains the significance of care categories with limited detail or clarity

Critique of the Consent & Tea Analogy (Thinking / Inquiry)
Criteria: How thoughtfully does the student evaluate the aptness, strengths, and limitations of the "Consent and Tea" metaphor?
Level 4

Demonstrates highly critical, insightful, and well-reasoned evaluation of the tea analogy's strengths and limitations

Level 3

Demonstrates clear and reasoned evaluation of the tea analogy's strengths and limitations

Level 2

Demonstrates basic evaluation of the tea analogy with simple reasoning

Level 1

Demonstrates limited or unreasoned critique of the tea analogy