TISSAM OVERVIEW
Core Lessons
TISSAM consists of six lessons, each one approximately 45 minutes in length. Lessons include a wide array of imagery as
well as video clips and activities to engage a teen audience in the issues being presented. It is important to note that all lesson
material is based on the work of teens in six different pilot sites across Washington State. Every image, statistic, video clip and
activity has been included because teens determined that these were the materials that would have the most impact on their
audience. All six lessons are designed for presentation by older teens to their middle school audience. The presenters in the
TISSAM pilot study were high school age youth. Teams presenting TISSAM and its earlier version, TISAM, have ranged in size
from two presenters to those that included an entire class of 30 students. In those cases where many teens were involved, team
assignments were made for each of the six lessons to ensure that everyone in a class or group had at least one turn to present a
portion of one lesson.
A brief description of each of the lessons follows:
Lesson One: Using Sex to Sell
The primary intent of this project is to reduce teen pregnancy. A secondary objective is to reduce the prevalence of STDs among Washington’s youth. Using current advertisements that can be shown in a classroom or community group setting, the lesson explores ways in which advertisers use sex as a means for selling their products. While teens may be convinced as they begin this lesson that these ads have very little influence on their attitudes concerning sexuality, they are generally much less certain about this by the time they have become involved in deconstructing the ads, and engaging in the discussions and activities the lesson provides. Initial discussions as to how media influence attitudes about sexuality and sexual activity among teens are an outgrowth of this first lesson.
Lesson Two: Fantasy & Reality
This lesson focuses on distinguishing between the fantasy of pregnancy as portrayed in the media versus the reality faced by teen parents. The audience has the opportunity to contrast parenting as presented via the media to the reality portrayed in video clips featuring teen mothers and dads who are facing the challenges of raising their children. Teen moms facing this job on their own receive special attention here. The audience also becomes acquainted with the real life statistics about teen pregnancy and engages in a budgeting game to help them examine how life might change if they were to become a parent during their teen years.
Lesson Three: Want to be a Statistic?
In this lesson, the world of TV reality shows is compared with the real world in which teens are currently living. This lesson focuses on sexually transmitted diseases and features a graphic PowerPoint presentation illustrating some of the most common diseases. In addition to the PowerPoint, the lesson contains both poster materials and videos which teens in six pilot sites felt would have the greatest impact in this lesson. A game is used at the conclusion of the lesson to help underscore the major points teen presenters have discussed with their audience.
Lesson Four: Reducing the Risk
This lesson is the only lesson in TISSAM that is presented by an adult. After conducting an extensive set of interviews with teachers and health care professionals across the state, it has become quite clear that an adult is required as the presenter for this lesson that addresses the topic of birth control methods. Unlike the other lessons that have a script required for their presentation, this lesson contains a suggested script for the adult to follow. The lesson also contains as resources those images, graphics and other materials selected by the teen curriculum development teams as appropriate for this lesson.
Lesson Five: It’s Your Choice
Abstinence has been interwoven in the presentation of the previous lessons along with the subject of harm reduction should the teen choose to become sexually active. Now in Lesson Five, abstinence becomes the focal point. The teen audience has the chance to review with their teen presenters what they have learned in previous lessons and discuss some of the challenges for those seeking to remain abstinent. This lesson provides the opportunity for the presenters to discuss the rationale for abstinence and its importance for teens. In addition, it allows the opportunity to stress that abstinence is always a possible choice. This lesson also encourages the audience to explore and practice through activities some of the ways they can deal with pressures to become sexually active.
Lesson Six: Make a Media Message
This lesson stresses that teens can make a difference by speaking out about the importance of prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The audience has the chance to meet a group of high school age teens that are speaking out to their peers and hear the messages that they are presenting. They also have the chance to view a wide range of media material including public service announcements for radio and TV as well as posters and brochures that were created by other Washington teens. After viewing the work of professionals as well as other teens, the audience is given time to brainstorm their own ideas for making a difference by getting their message out to other teens. Ideas have been broad ranging (e.g. all the way from broadening outreach efforts with TISSAM presentation teams to developing youth-generated media messages and finding effective ways to get these out to their peers.)
A brief description of each of the lessons follows:
Lesson One: Using Sex to Sell
The primary intent of this project is to reduce teen pregnancy. A secondary objective is to reduce the prevalence of STDs among Washington’s youth. Using current advertisements that can be shown in a classroom or community group setting, the lesson explores ways in which advertisers use sex as a means for selling their products. While teens may be convinced as they begin this lesson that these ads have very little influence on their attitudes concerning sexuality, they are generally much less certain about this by the time they have become involved in deconstructing the ads, and engaging in the discussions and activities the lesson provides. Initial discussions as to how media influence attitudes about sexuality and sexual activity among teens are an outgrowth of this first lesson.
Lesson Two: Fantasy & Reality
This lesson focuses on distinguishing between the fantasy of pregnancy as portrayed in the media versus the reality faced by teen parents. The audience has the opportunity to contrast parenting as presented via the media to the reality portrayed in video clips featuring teen mothers and dads who are facing the challenges of raising their children. Teen moms facing this job on their own receive special attention here. The audience also becomes acquainted with the real life statistics about teen pregnancy and engages in a budgeting game to help them examine how life might change if they were to become a parent during their teen years.
Lesson Three: Want to be a Statistic?
In this lesson, the world of TV reality shows is compared with the real world in which teens are currently living. This lesson focuses on sexually transmitted diseases and features a graphic PowerPoint presentation illustrating some of the most common diseases. In addition to the PowerPoint, the lesson contains both poster materials and videos which teens in six pilot sites felt would have the greatest impact in this lesson. A game is used at the conclusion of the lesson to help underscore the major points teen presenters have discussed with their audience.
Lesson Four: Reducing the Risk
This lesson is the only lesson in TISSAM that is presented by an adult. After conducting an extensive set of interviews with teachers and health care professionals across the state, it has become quite clear that an adult is required as the presenter for this lesson that addresses the topic of birth control methods. Unlike the other lessons that have a script required for their presentation, this lesson contains a suggested script for the adult to follow. The lesson also contains as resources those images, graphics and other materials selected by the teen curriculum development teams as appropriate for this lesson.
Lesson Five: It’s Your Choice
Abstinence has been interwoven in the presentation of the previous lessons along with the subject of harm reduction should the teen choose to become sexually active. Now in Lesson Five, abstinence becomes the focal point. The teen audience has the chance to review with their teen presenters what they have learned in previous lessons and discuss some of the challenges for those seeking to remain abstinent. This lesson provides the opportunity for the presenters to discuss the rationale for abstinence and its importance for teens. In addition, it allows the opportunity to stress that abstinence is always a possible choice. This lesson also encourages the audience to explore and practice through activities some of the ways they can deal with pressures to become sexually active.
Lesson Six: Make a Media Message
This lesson stresses that teens can make a difference by speaking out about the importance of prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The audience has the chance to meet a group of high school age teens that are speaking out to their peers and hear the messages that they are presenting. They also have the chance to view a wide range of media material including public service announcements for radio and TV as well as posters and brochures that were created by other Washington teens. After viewing the work of professionals as well as other teens, the audience is given time to brainstorm their own ideas for making a difference by getting their message out to other teens. Ideas have been broad ranging (e.g. all the way from broadening outreach efforts with TISSAM presentation teams to developing youth-generated media messages and finding effective ways to get these out to their peers.)