In this lesson, students will research how famous families came to be. They’ll work with their peers to uncover details about fertilization, gestation, and birth, as well as other aspects of the famous family’s story. Students will then demonstrate (orally or written) their understanding of the concepts from the past two lessons. They will also reflect on the role celebrities play in shaping our thoughts, feelings and behaviors around reproduction and families.

This first lesson (of three) explains sexual and reproductive anatomy, and human reproduction via penis-in-vagina sexual intercourse (PIV sex). During this lesson, the educator will model the use of respectful, inclusive concepts and language to describe the process of human reproduction and family formation.

This second lesson enables students to apply what they know about human reproduction via PIV sex (Lesson 1 of this series) to other means of reproduction. They will not only learn the steps in how insemination and IVF work to create a pregnancy, but they will also learn that people other than parents can provide the genetic material (eggs, sperm, and embryos) and give birth to a child for someone else (surrogates). Students will be working in small groups to help one another understand the concepts and to practice using the inclusive language that the educator modeled in the first lesson.

This course is designed to give the student a clear understanding of the pathophysiology of the menstrual cycle, fertilization, implantation, ovum growth development, differentiation and associated abnormalities. Disorders of fetal development including the principles of teratology and the mechanism of normal and abnormal parturition will be covered as well as the pathophysiology of the breast and disorders of lactation. Fetal asphyxia and its consequences will be reviewed with emphasis on the technology currently available for its detection. In addition the conclusion of the reproductive cycle, menopause, and the use of hormonal replacement will be covered.

In this series of lessons students explore the concepts of gender and gender expression through the use of mentor texts. Over the course of five sessions, you will read five texts and complete a process grid highlighting key components of each text. Students then create an illustration of how to demonstrate care for people across the gender spectrum.

Students will explore the concept of gender expression through a sorting activity. Students will discuss showing respect for others.

This lesson details the basics of healthy relationships: what they are and how to recognize them. It also covers consent, boundaries, power dynamics, red flags, and characteristics of different kinds of relationships. Students will engage in discussions and activities in which they will identify characteristics and assess the health of relationships in brief scenarios.

This course is an introduction to the consideration of technology as the outcome of particular technical, historical, cultural, and political efforts, especially in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics include industrialization of production and consumption, development of engineering professions, the emergence of management and its role in shaping technological forms, the technological construction of gender roles, and the relationship between humans and machines.

7.016 Introductory Biology provides an introduction to fundamental principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics for understanding the functions of living systems. Taught for the first time in Fall 2013, this course covers examples of the use of chemical biology and twenty-first-century molecular genetics in understanding human health and therapeutic intervention.
The MIT Biology Department Introductory Biology courses 7.012, 7.013, 7.014, 7.015, and 7.016 all cover the same core material, which includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology. Biological function at the molecular level is particularly emphasized and covers the structure and regulation of genes, as well as the structure and synthesis of proteins, how these molecules are integrated into cells, and how these cells are integrated into multicellular systems and organisms. In addition, each version of the subject has its own distinctive material.

In the north Atlantic, the American Lobster is the undisputed king of crustaceans. It‰ŰŞs also a tremendously important commercial catch. While all the other fisheries are collapsing, why are lobsters resisting the trend? In this video, Jonathan goes out with a Maine lobsterman to learn why, and he dives down below to find the biggest lobsters he has ever seen. This segment won a New England Emmy Award! Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

Students will be introduced to the reproductive system and the following body parts: penis, testicles, scrotum, ovary, uterus, vulva, clitoris, vagina, bladder, urethra, and anus. Students will get a basic understanding of anatomical orientation, basic function, and variation of these body parts. Students will discuss such topics as safe space, safe adults, and diverse bodies.

The lesson provides a refresher on basic anatomy, as well as the processes of ovulation, menstruation, and pregnancy. It goes through the stages of pregnancy, and the pregnancy options available to Oregon residents. The lesson ends with a Jeopardy-style lesson recap.

The lesson presents a definition of sex and asserts consent is a key aspect of healthy sexual experiences. Students will define the various parts of consent and review Oregon’s laws regarding consent, sex, and minors. They will investigate what influences their decisions about sex, and will then follow a fictional couple through various decision-making processes around deciding to or not to have sex, the use of birth control, pregnancy options, and decisions around parenting. Students will also research local reproductive and sexual health clinics.

This lesson explains and differentiates between sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and sexual orientation. There is also a discussion of why personal pronouns matter. It emphasizes the importance of respecting everyone regardless of their differences and walks students through ways to interrupt bullying.

This lesson provides a very basic overview of common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the best ways to prevent their spread. STIs are extremely common (1 in 2 people will be exposed to one by the time they’re 25), so this lesson reinforces the importance of prevention, testing, and treatment.

This is the second half of a basic introduction to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This lesson focuses on prevention, the proper way to use condoms and other barrier methods, what to expect when getting tested for STIs, and how to talk to sexual partners about STI prevention.

This lesson introduces the topic of sexuality education, allows students to set ground rules for the upcoming lessons, gives them the opportunity to suggest topics they would like to learn about, introduces an anonymous question box, and explains why sex ed is important even if they aren’t sexually active.

Even experienced divers rarely get to see the Mandarinfish, a colorful reef fish that is so shy, it only comes out of hiding for a half-hour a day. In this video, Jonathan travels to the south Pacific to film spawning Mandarinfish and witnesses an incredible secret ritual. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

Where the tropical ocean meets the sea, a peculiar kind of plant thrives in shallow, salty water. These mangrove plants are incredibly important for shoreline protection and baby fish habitats. In this video, Jonathan investigates life in mangroves by visiting both Caribbean and Pacific mangroves. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

Meiosis is the process by which gametes (eggs and sperm) are made. Gametes have only one set of chromosomes. Therefore, meiosis involves a reduction in the amount of genetic material. Each gamete has only half the chromosomes of the original germ cell. Explore meiosis with a computer model of dragons. Run meiosis, inspect the chromosomes, then choose gametes to fertilize. Predict the results of the dragon offspring and try to make a dragon without legs. Learn why all siblings do not look alike.