Cycle Beads

GLOW Club Lesson Plan

Title: Cycle Beads
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes		Materials: colored paper (4 colors), scissors, glue sticks, string, small elastic/rubber bands, flip chart, markers, tape
Competency[1]: Learning Objective(s): •   Students will better understand the menstrual cycle and how to track periods •   Students will learn about Standard Days Method and how to identify fertile days in menstrual cycle to avoid unwanted pregnancy
Time & Materials	Instructional Sequence:
Time: 10-15 minutes Materials: large paper, coloring utensils, tape	I. Motivation [Present the topic in a way that prepares participants and sparks interest.] ·      Define the menstrual cycle: How does it work? What can you expect ·      Introduce concept of Standard Days Method
Time: 10 minutes Materials: flip chart, marker	II. Information [Present the information that is required to be able to accomplish the objectives.] ·          Give students more detailed information on the Standard Days Method as a method of birth control and tracking menstrual cycles Cycle Beads are a tool used to help girls track their menstrual cycles, and allow them to identify their most fertile days. This is in conjunction with the standard days method of counting the days in your cycle to avoid unprotected sex on certain days of the menstrual cycle to prevent pregnancy. In order to be able to use cycle beads, you must have a cycle that last between 26-32 days. If your period falls outside of these days, or if you have irregular periods, you cannot use the cycle beads or standard days method. The first day of your period, you move the elastic to the first bead of the cycle (marked by its own color). Every day after, you move the marker one day to the right. For 6 days after you start your period, you cannot become pregnant. Starting on the 7th day, and lasting for 12 days, you are most fertile and able to become pregnant if you engage in unprotected sex during this time. After this time, for the next 7-13 days (depending on how long your cycle is) it is very unlikely to become pregnant. Once you have finished the cycle and started your next period, immediately move the marker to the start bead and begin the cycle again.
Time: 50-60 minutes Materials: colored paper, scissors, glue sticks, string, elastic bands	III. Practice [Provide opportunity for participants to practice what they’ve learned in a safe and reinforcing environment.] ·   Give students materials to make beads; give instruction on how to make beads and construct the cycle bead chain and allow them to have close to an hour to work on it. Steps to make beads: 1. Collect materials: glue stick, scissors, colored paper (1 of each color, 4 total), string, elastic band (if you can’t find small elastic bands at cosmetic shop, rubber bands will work) 2. Take scissors and cutout a strip from the paper. Should be less than an inch at the base, then gradually get smaller to a pointed tip at the end 3. Put a small amount of glue on the outside base of the paper, then roll the base towards the more narrow point to make a circle (should be large enough to fit the string through) 4. Continue to roll the paper and add glue to allow it to hold its shape, until you reach the pointed tip of the paper 5. Continue steps 2-4 until you have finished all of the beads. For each set of cycle beads, you should have one color start day, 18 unlikely pregnancy days, 12 possible pregnancy days, and one day to mark a 26 day cycle month. For example, I used one yellow bead to mark the first day of the cycle (first day of period), followed by 6 light blue non-pregnancy days, then 12 red possible pregnancy days, then 7 light blue non-pregnancy days, one dark blue to mark where a 26 day cycle would ends, then lastly 5 more light blue days for those who have more than 26 day cycles (32 being the last day on the cycle). 6. Place beads in this order on the string. Make sure to add the elastic band on the first yellow bead as a marker to trace each day. You can also choose to draw an arrow in the direction that the marker is supposed to go on the first day bead to remind girls which way they are supposed to go (particularly helpful for younger girls)
Time: 10-15 minutes	IV. Application [Allow each participant to demonstrate his/her ability to perform each objective.] ·  Ask students to show their cycle beads to the group and explain the process of using them in conjunction with the Standard Days Method
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*Note: For additional resources and activities to add to the session, go to the Institute for Reproductive Health website

*Courtesy of Mary Gaul, PCV