Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Willow, and I'm going to be guiding you through today's learning.

Today's lesson is called, "Menstruation," and it fits into our unit called, "Puberty: How will my body change as I grow up?" In today's lesson, we're going to be talking a little bit about blood, and some of our body parts.

So for this lesson, it's really important that you have an adult with you.

If at any point you do become uncomfortable, or become upset about anything that we're talking about in today's lesson, it's really important that you close the screen, and you get support from a trusted adult.

Okay, let's move on to today's learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain what menstruation is and how to manage it.

Before we get started, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help keep everyone safe, and makes sure that everyone feels comfortable throughout today's lesson.

So Laura tells us that we need to listen to other people.

That means we're not going to interrupt other people while they're speaking.

Andeep says that we need to respect each other's privacy, and that means that we are not going to ask each other personal questions, as that can make some people feel uncomfortable.

Jacob says that we need to have no judgement.

That means that we are not going to judge how other people feel, what they say, or what they've experienced.

Remember that everyone is different.

And finally, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation, and that means it's up to us how much we want to join in.

Okay, let's have a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

These are gonna come up quite a lot in today's lesson, so it's important that we have a really good understanding of what each word means.

First of all, we've got menstrual cycle.

Your menstrual cycle is the monthly cycle.

This is when someone ovulates and menstruates.

Period, this is another word for menstruation.

Menstruation is the time of the month when blood comes out of the vagina.

The vagina is the opening in female genitalia between the womb and the vulva.

And finally, we've got ovulation.

This is the time of the month when an egg is released from the ovaries.

Today's lesson is split into three learning cycles.

So first of all, we are going to answer the question, "What is the menstrual cycle?" Next, we're gonna look at what emotional changes happen during menstruation.

And finally, we're gonna look at how can people manage menstruation.

First of all, let's look at the first learning cycle.

What is the menstrual cycle? So the menstrual cycle is the time from the start of a female's period up until the start of their next period.

So day one of the menstrual cycle is when the period starts.

The menstrual cycle is about 28 days or a month long, but everyone is slightly different.

The first phase of the menstrual cycle is menstruation, which is also called a period, and this is when small amounts of blood come out of the vagina.

A period can last anywhere from two to seven days, and sometimes this can change from month to month.

So someone on one month might have a two day long period, and then the next month it might be slightly longer.

During a period, the uterus lining sheds, and comes out through the vagina.

A period happens about once a month, but when someone starts their period, sometimes it can be a little bit irregular.

So this means it can happen at slightly different times.

The uterus is an organ where babies can develop.

The uterus lining is the lining of the uterus.

And the vagina is a bit like a muscular tube inside a female body.

A period happens when a female didn't get pregnant that month, so during a period, the body gets rid of the uterus lining that it had built to prepare for a potential baby.

As the female didn't get pregnant, the body doesn't need it anymore.

The uterus lining sheds through the vagina, and this means that a small amount of blood comes outta the vagina.

We're now going to do a quick check for understanding.

What is a period? A, a period is when the uterus lining sheds through the vagina.

B, a period is the monthly cycle a female goes through, or C, a period is what happens when a female becomes pregnant.

Pause the video and have a think.

Which answer is correct? Well done if you said A, a period is when the uterus lining sheds through the vagina.

When the period ends, the second phase of the menstrual cycle begins.

During this phase, the body prepares for an ovary to release an egg, and there are lots of eggs in each ovary.

In this diagram, you can see an ovary, and you can see an egg maturing inside the ovary ready to be released.

Okay, let's do another check for understanding.

After menstruation ends, an egg matures in an ovary.

Is this true or is this false? Maybe you want to tell the person next to you, tell me, or just have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said true.

But now can you tell me, why does it do this? Why does an egg mature in an ovary? Okay, an egg matures in an ovary ready to be released.

Well done if you said this or something similar.

Okay, so the third phase of the menstrual cycle is when an egg is released from the ovary, and this is what we call ovulation.

And remember, that was one of our key words from the start of the lesson.

During ovulation, the egg is released from the ovary.

If the egg is fertilised by something called sperm, the female will become pregnant, and this means that she might go on to have a baby.

Without fertilisation, a female would not become pregnant.

The third phase of the menstrual cycle starts after ovulation.

The uterus lining gets thicker to prepare for a potential pregnancy.

If the female doesn't become pregnant, menstruation will begin again.

Let's do another true or false.

Ovulation is when small amounts of blood come out of the vagina.

Is this true, or is this false? Have a think.

Maybe you want to tell the person next to you, or tell me, is this true or is it false? Well done if you said false, but why? Why is this false? Ovulation is when an egg is released from an ovary, small amounts of blood come out of the vagina during menstruation.

So the person saying this has confused ovulation for menstruation.

Menstruation is when small amounts of blood come out of the vagina, and ovulation is when an egg is released from an ovary.

Well said if you got that one right.

Most females will have their first periods between the ages of 10 and 15, and this is a normal part of going through puberty.

As Sophia tells us, it is typical for females to get their first period slightly earlier, and slightly later than this.

Everyone is different.

Izzy says that your first period normally starts around two years after you show some signs of puberty.

And as Aisha says, when you first start having periods, it's normal for them to be irregular and not happen every single month.

This is because your body is still changing.

Okay, when do most females start their period? Can you remember? Is it A, between the age of five and 10? Is it B, between the age of 10 and 15? Or is it C, between the age of 15 and 20? Pause the video and have a think.

When do most females start their period? Well done if you said B, between the age of 10 and 15, but remember that it is perfectly normal to start your period a little bit earlier than this or a little bit later.

You're now going to put your learning so far into practise.

Fill in the blanks about what happens during each phase of the menstrual cycle.

So at the bottom of the screen, or on your worksheet, you can see some words that are going to fill in the blanks.

Can you match them up with where they should go in each sentence? Okay, pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, let's have a look at what your answers should look like.

So first of all, you should have, during menstruation, blood is released from the vagina.

In the second phase, an egg matures in the ovary.

During ovulation, an egg is released, and during the final phase, the uterus lining gets thicker.

Well done if you put the words in the right place.

Let's move on to our second learning cycle.

You're doing really well so far, so keep it up.

What emotional changes happen during menstruation? During menstruation, a female can experience hormone changes, and this can affect their mood.

This means how they feel.

So Laura says, "I feel angry before my period." Izzy says, "I sometimes feel sad during my period." and Aisha says, "I feel anxious around my period." These emotional changes can also be because of physical symptoms of menstruation.

This can include stomach cramping, feeling quite tired, feeling bloated, which is when your tummy feels quite full and uncomfortable, and a headache.

So these can all be some quite typical symptoms of menstruation.

Some of these physical symptoms can be helped in lots of different ways.

Sometimes a hot water bottle can help, making sure that you get plenty of sleep so your body's well rested, eating healthy foods, and medication can sometimes help too.

But as Sam reminds us, make sure that you only take prescribed medication, and check with an adult first.

First make sure that you are keeping yourself safe.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of a stereotype that all females are moody, or really sensitive emotionally during their period.

A stereotype is an idea about a certain group that isn't always true.

As Aisha says, "Not all females will experience "emotional changes around their period." But it is typical for some people to experience this.

As Andeep says, "Being on your period doesn't mean "that your emotions aren't important." Let's see what Alex has to say, and we can see if you agree or not.

So Alex says, "If a female is acting moody, "it's probably because they're on their period, "and they're just overreacting." Maybe you want to have a think.

Is this something you agree with, or disagree with and why? Well done if you said that Alex is incorrect.

Anyone can experience emotional changes for any reason, and it might not be because they're on their period.

And even if they are on their period, it doesn't make their feelings any less real, and it doesn't mean that they should be treated any differently.

Laura says that even if someone is more sensitive whilst on their period, it doesn't mean that their thoughts or feelings are irrational.

Andeep says that we can support someone on their period by really listening to them, and taking their feelings seriously.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Anyone who's on their period will overreact.

So is it okay to ignore how they feel? What do you think? Is this true or is it false? Pause the video and have a think.

Maybe you want to tell the person next to you, or tell me.

Well done if you said false, but why? Why is this false? Being on your period doesn't mean your feelings are any less real.

It is never okay to ignore how someone feels whether they're on their period or not.

Well done if you got that one right.

There are many different ways to manage how you feel during menstruation.

You can talk about how you feel with a friend or a trusted adult.

Maybe you want to have a think about who your trusted adults are, someone that you feel you can talk about your feelings with.

You can also do things that you enjoy.

If you've got hobbies or interests that always make you feel happy, that can be really helpful if you're struggling with your feelings during menstruation.

And you can do some exercise.

This can help how you feel during menstruation.

And you can exercise, and this can help manage your feelings during menstruation.

It is normal to experience some amount of discomfort during a period, but your period shouldn't stop you from doing the things that you enjoy, or from going to school.

As Laura says, if you do struggle to do what you would normally do whilst you're on your period, maybe because of how you feel, or because of physical symptoms, it's really important that you talk to a trusted adult for some support.

So which is not a typical symptom of menstruation? Is it a stomach cramping? B, not being able to go to school, or C, feeling more emotional? Which is not a typical symptom of menstruation? Well done if you said B, not being able to go to school.

If you are on your period, and you feel like you can't go to school, or do what you would normally do in your day-to-day life, this is a sign that you should speak to a trusted adult for some support.

You are now going to put your learning from this learning cycle into practise.

Give two pieces of advice to Izzy about how to manage her feelings during menstruation.

So this means her mood.

Izzy says, "I've been getting upset "in the days leading up to my period.

"It's worrying my friends, "as they don't know that I've started my period, "and I've also been struggling with stomach cramps." So what two pieces of advice would you give to Izzy about how to manage her feelings during menstruation? Pause the video, and off you go.

Let's see what you might have come up with.

So you might have said Izzy could talk to a friend, or a trusted adult about how she feels.

You might have said that she could do some exercise, she could do things she enjoys, and she could talk to an adult about her cramps.

They might be able to help her manage this physical symptom.

Well done if you got that one right.

I'm really impressed with how focused you are so far.

So let's keep it up.

Let's move on to our final learning cycle.

How can people manage menstruation? There are many different products available to manage menstruation.

Lucas says that different people will prefer different products for different reasons.

Sam says that the best product is the one that works for you.

So there isn't really a product that is better than all the rest.

Everyone is different and will prefer a different product.

First of all, there our disposable menstrual pads.

These stick into underwear, and they absorb the menstrual blood.

They can be worn for up to three or four hours before needing to be replaced.

Once they've been used, they go in the bin.

These can be helpful because they're easily available.

You can easily find them in a shop if you need them.

Tampons go inside the vagina to absorb menstrual blood.

They can be worn for up to eight hours, and they go in the bin once they've been used.

Just like with disposable menstrual pads, these can be helpful because they are also easily available, and they can be worn for a little bit longer than menstrual pads.

Some tampons have applicators which can be used to help insert them into the vagina.

As you can see in the photo, this is a photo of a tampon with an applicator, and the applicator is the plastic bit that's blue.

This can help ensure that the tampon is inserted enough so that it's comfortable.

This can be helpful if you're starting to use tampons for the first time.

And when a tampon has been inserted correctly, it should not be felt inside the body.

That means that you really don't even notice that it's there.

Disposable pads and tampons should both go in a bin once they've been used.

Alex says that it's really important to not flush them down the toilet, as this can cause a blockage.

Period products can be disposed of in any bin at home, and if you're out and about, there is normally a grey bin next to the toilet for you to dispose of any period products.

Let's do a check for understanding.

True or false? "It is better to use tampons than disposable pads." Is this true or is it false? Well done if you said if you said false, but why is this not the case? Everyone prefers different products for different reasons.

The best product is the one that works for you, and what makes you feel comfortable.

There are also some reusable options for managing menstruation.

So this is an example of a menstrual cup.

Menstrual cups are worn inside the vagina, a bit like tampons, and they collect menstrual blood.

They can be worn for up to 12 hours before being emptied.

They are reusable, so they can be used for many years.

Period underwear is underwear which has period protection built in.

They can be worn for up to 12 hours before they need to be washed.

Once again, they can be washed and they can be used again.

There are also reusable menstrual pads, that they attach to your underwear, and they absorb menstrual blood, a little bit like the disposable menstrual pads, but the difference here is that they can be used again.

So they work the same way as disposable pads, but they can be washed and used again.

They can be worn for up to six hours before you need to replace them.

As Laura says, it is really important that you use the right product for you, especially when you first start having periods, and you're figuring out what works for you.

Jun says that reusable products are typically better for the environment as they involve less waste.

Although disposable pads and tampons are really convenient, as I said earlier, you can find them in a lot of different shops.

They contain high levels of plastic packaging, and they're often made from materials which can't be recycled.

Aisha tells us that reusable products can be better for the environment, and they can be cheaper to use over time, but Sam reminds us that it can be really helpful to try different products to see what works for you.

And remember, the best product is the one that works for you, regardless of what this product is.

Which picture shows a reusable menstrual product? Is it A, B, or C? Think back to our previous learning, and think about which products we said were reusable.

Which picture shows a reusable menstrual product? Well done if you said B.

And can you remember what this menstrual product is? Well done if you recognise that this was a menstrual cup.

It sits in the vagina and collects menstrual blood.

We're now going to put your learning from this learning cycle into practise.

Well done for all your hard work so far.

"Give two facts about each menstrual product." So in this table you can see all the different menstrual products that we've talked about.

Can you remember two facts about each one, that you can put into the table? Pause the video, get your worksheet if you need one.

And I'm really looking forward to seeing what facts you come up with.

Off you go.

Okay, so let's look at what I put, and you can see if you've got something similar.

So your answers may have included this.

So disposable pads absorb menstrual blood.

They can be worn for three to four hours.

They go in the bin once they've been used.

Reusable pads absorb menstrual blood.

They can be worn for up to six hours, and they can be washed and reused.

Tampons are used to absorb blood inside the vagina.

They can be worn for up to eight hours, and they go in the bin once used.

Menstrual cups are used to collect blood inside the vagina.

They can be worn for up to 12 hours, and they can be emptied and reused.

And finally, period underwear.

This absorbs blood as it has inbuilt period protection.

They can be worn for up to 12 hours, and they can be washed and reused.

Let's summarise our learning from today's lesson.

So menstruation happens in females as part of puberty.

Menstruation most commonly starts between the ages of 10 and 15, but remember that it is typical for it to happen slightly earlier or slightly later.

Menstruation happens roughly once a month, but this can be irregular if you first start your period.

During menstruation, small amounts of blood will be released from the vagina, and there are many different ways to manage menstrual blood.

While done for your fantastic work today.

In today's lesson, you might have found that you've got a couple more questions that you might want the answer to.

First of all, it's always really important to talk to a trusted adult about how you feel, or if you've got any questions so that they can support you.

But there are also some organisations that are available to help you.

On the screen, you can see two examples of some those organisations that might be able to help, and give you support if you need it.

Well done for your fantastic work.

I've really enjoyed teaching you, and I hope to see you again soon.