K-1 Our Whole Lives (OWL)

This winter, UUC will offer an Our Whole Lives (OWL) class for Kindergarten and 1st graders on Sunday afternoons from 1:15–2:30 p.m. Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades K–1 is an eight-workshop curriculum that helps five- to seven-year-old children begin the lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and values about identity and relationships, safety and health. The class will begin on February 2, with a special parent/child orientation, and will wrap up on April 6. The lead facilitators for this class are Katie Renschler and Claire Applemans, both experienced OWL facilitators, who bring a sense of warmth and curiosity to the room. 


As is our common practice for OWL classes at UUC, there will be a concurrent group for parents and caregivers (with childcare provided). A foundational philosophy of OWL is that parents and caregivers are their children’s primary sexuality educators. But it is common for adults to feel overwhelmed or uneasy at the prospect of talking about sexuality with the children in their lives. This group will use the small-group ministry curriculum “Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators” to help parents/caregivers develop the skills to do so, and to find support and courage with one another. 


For more details about the K-1 OWL class schedule please view this document. Find details about the curriculum and goals below. Please contact Director of Family Ministry, Aria Curtis with any further questions you might have. 


Registration link for the K-1 OWL class (via UUC Connect). Registration is capped at 20 and closes by January 27.

(Click on a photo above to see whole photo.)



Curriculum


Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades K–1 is an eight-workshop curriculum that helps five- to seven-year-old children begin the lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and values about identity and relationships, safety and health. Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Grades K–1 is one of seven programs in the Our Whole Lives Lifespan Sexuality Education series published jointly by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC). Other curricula in the series are available for grades 4–6, grades 7–9, grades 10–12, young adults, adults, and older adults. The title, Our Whole Lives, expresses the understanding that sexuality education is a lifelong process.


Our Whole Lives is an affirming, comprehensive, accurate, and developmentally appropriate sexuality education program that promotes sexual health. It is informed by the guidelines of the National Sex Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12, second edition, developed by the Future of Sex Education (FoSE) Initiative, a partnership between Advocates for Youth, Answer, and SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change. This curriculum is based on the following values and beliefs:


  • All children should be loved and cared for, respected, and valued as unique individuals.
  • Sexuality is a natural and healthy part of living. People begin to learn about sexuality at birth and continue to learn throughout their lives.
  • Children learn about sexuality from how people treat them, talk with them, and expect them to behave. The messages that children receive affect their future attitudes, values, and behaviors.
  • Information about sexuality, human development, and sexual health should be presented to children in positive, accurate, and developmentally appropriate ways.
  • Parents and caregivers are their children’s most important sexuality educators. The larger community of educators, additional caregivers, and health professionals can also have a positive influence on children’s sexual health.


The goals of this curriculum are:



  • to strengthen and support each child’s sense of self and self-esteem, by including language, activities, and visual materials that are representative of a wide range of human diversity
  • to help children understand the place of sexuality in human life and loving
  • to help children recognize and appreciate their bodies as good and beautiful, private and special
  • to help children gain understanding of and accurate information about human sexuality, reproduction, family diversity, and gender identity
  • to help children prepare for the normal changes they will likely experience as they grow and develop
  • to help children develop interpersonal skills that will help keep them safe and healthy
  • to help children learn to make decisions that respect themselves and others and that anticipate possible consequences
  • to help families engage with the Our Whole Lives program in open communication about life questions


Questions? Please contact Director of Family Ministry, Aria Curtis.

Posted/updated on:

January 26, 2025
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