Lesson 1: Thinking Ahead
By Ann Schurmann, M.P.H.
1. Have students divide into groups of four. Ask half the groups to describe a 12-year-old. Ask the other half to describe a 21-year-old. (Prompt with questions such as: What are his/her physical characteristics? Who does he/she live with? How much education has he/she had?
Does he/she have a job and earn money? Can he/she vote? Can he/she drive a car?)
2. Have each group share its description with the class. Write descriptions of the 12-year-old and the 21-year-old where everyone can see them. Ask: Who has the most power? Who would probably win if they got into a disagreement. Why?
3. Have students read, �Dream Date Turns into Lessons for Life.� Use the following questions to guide discussion:
Why do you think the writer characterizes what happened to Jennifer as rape, even though Gabe never forced Jennifer to have sex?
The article says that �At 12 years old, [Jennifer] was too young to consent to sex with an adult.� Do you agree? Why or why not?
The article says that �Gabe was the adult. He should have known better.� Do you agree? Why or why not?
Would you feel differently if the situation were reversed and a 21-year-old woman had sex with a 12-year-old boy? Why or why not?
Why do you think a 12-year-old might be easily manipulated by someone much older?
Even though the sexual experience was not Jennifer�s fault, she learned a valuable lesson from it. What lesson did she learn?
If you could have given Jennifer advice that night, what advice would you have given her? (Write suggestions where everyone can see them.)
4. Instruct students to take out a piece of paper and tell them that what they write on the paper is for their own private use and that they do not have to share what they write with anyone. Ask them to write an answer to the question: Under what circumstances would I be willing to have sex? Tell them that, whether or not they have already had sex, they should think about what their requirements would be with any future partner. (Prompt with questions such as: How old would you want to be? How old would you want your partner to be in comparison to you? Is it important to you that you be married to the person you have sex with or not? Is it important to you to be in love or in a serious relationship or not? How long would you want to have known the person before you have sex with them? Would you be willing to have sex at a party or would you want it to be in a more private place? Would you be willing to have sex when one or both of you had been drinking or would you prefer to be in a situation where you are alert and aware and making conscious decisions? Would you be willing to have sex without protection against unwanted pregnancy or disease or would you prefer to use protection?) Ask students what they think they should do if they find themselves in a sexual situation that does not meet these requirements. Ask students whether they think it might have helped Jennifer to know in advance under what circumstances she would be willing to have sex. How?
WINTER 2000
Discussion Guide
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