Model of Effective Instruction 1

High School Health Model of Effective Instruction

What is authentic consent, why is it important, and why should I care?
By Cecilia Gonzalez
Topic: The importance of consensual sex
Grade Level: High School Health (9th-12th grade)
Model of Instruction: Variety in Process and Content

Nevada Academic Content Standards

● HRS.HS.7a Analyze factors that can affect the ability to give or recognize consent to
sexual activity.
● HRS.HS.7b Analyze laws relating to the sexual conduct of minors, including consent,
and criminal sexual conduct.

Objectives:
● Students will be able to define authentic consent, coercion, incapacitation, and sexual
assault.
● Students will be able to differentiate between a situation where consent is freely given
and when it’s not.
● Students will practice giving and asking for authentic consent

Materials:
provided by students
● notebook/paper
● pen/pencil
provided by the teacher
● powerpoint presentation with information talked about
● videos about consent
● projector and laptop to access the powerpoint and videos

Agenda
10 minutes do first

20 minutes watch videos about consent, ask questions after

each video, “what is authentic consent?” class
discussion and lecture about sexual assault

10 minute vocabulary group activity

15 minute practicing and understanding authentic consent

5 minute exit ticket

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Trigger Warning
First and foremost make sure to disclose that we will be discussing sensitive topics in class,
maybe even tell my students the class prior so that they can come talk to me and tell me if they
are uncomfortable with the lesson. I’ll provide them with different worksheets they can do, a safe
space to talk to someone, and arrange for them to go to another classroom while I’m teaching.

teacher script:
Next class, we will be talking about consent, the importance of it, and we will also touch on the
topic of sexual assault. I understand that this topic can be very sensitive, especially for those who
know someone or who may have experienced sexual assault or abuse themselves. Please know
it’s okay if you feel the need to take a break for a minute or step outside. I will make sure you get
the resources for class in the hall or another classroom if you need to step out. If you want to talk
with me about any questions or concerns you may have about our next class you can speak to me
any time before then.

Do First:
ask the class
● What is something you need to ask permission for before you do it? Make a list of all the
different answers students give you on the board.
● What is something you give people permission to do? Make a list of all the different
answers students give you on the board.
● Is asking for permission hard? Is giving permission hard? Why?
● What is another word for permission? (consent)
● What is consent?
○ probe for the following answers: giving permission, saying “yes” to something,
saying you want to do something

Videos about consent + discussion questions

show the following videos
1. 2 Minutes Will Change the Way You Think About Consent (consentbot)
ask the class what they thought of the video, then follow up with these questions
a. The first attempt she made to use someone’s phone was shot down by the
consentbot. It said she used “coercion,” what does that mean?
i. probe for: forcing, persuading or threatening someone to do something
they don’t want to do
b. What did she do that was coercive?
c. Consentbot says that “consent must be voluntary,” what does that mean?
i. probe for: freely given, the person wants to give consent without any
coercion. This is authentic consent! Anything other than that is not
authentic consent, therefore not consent at all
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d. When she asks her friend Jonathan but he’s asleep, consentbot says he is
incapacitated, therefore he can’t give consent. What does “incapacitated” mean?
i. probe for: someone who can’t give consent because they don’t currently
have the capacity to do things, or say they want to do things. Usually
because of their altered state of mind, asleep, drunk, high, etc.
e. What about when she’s in the library and the person doesn’t say “no” so she
assumes consent is given? Why isn’t that the same as having consent?
i. probe for: the importance of the presence of “yes” instead of the absence
of “no”, clear yes or no is needed to perform any activity, but especially
sexual activity, two negatives don’t make a positive
f. Has anyone been in a situation where they didn’t wanna do something but
someone they were with told them “I’m sure it will be fine”, “just do it”? How did
that make you feel? Why is this not consent?
i. probe for: consent wasn’t freely given, the person was persuaded/coerced
into doing something they don’t want to do, even if it wasn’t by the person
asking for consent.
g. What was different in the last situation when consentbot finally said that consent
was given?
i. probe for: she asked, he said yes, while also stating clear conditions and
boundaries that could not be crossed, she agreed to not cross those
boundaries, also an example of clear and healthy communication

2. Tea consent
let’s watch another quick video to try to help us understand consent a little bit more
a. This video talks about people changing their minds. Why is it just as important to
respect someone’s right to change their mind as it is to respect when they say “no”
right away?
i. probe for: because they are saying no, they just said yes first but if they are
currently saying no that is still “no”. The decision they are making in the
current moment is the only thing that matters, not what they said in the
past.
b. What about if someone said yes once? Does that mean they are going to say yes
every time? Why?
i. probe for: having consent for doing something once doesn’t mean
automatic consent from that moment forward, consent needs to be given
every single time.
c. Is it okay to get mad or upset at someone for changing their mind?
i. probe for: no, it’s valid to maybe be a little disappointed or annoyed but
you should never take it out on the other person, they have every right to
change their mind and so do you.
d. What are different things someone can say/do that can mean “no”
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i. probe for: no and any variation of no both verbal and physical, pushing
someone away, the person backing away, the absence of a voluntary “yes”,
being unconscious, being incapacitated
e. What are different things someone can say/do that can mean “yes”
i. probe for: voluntary yes and any variation of yes both verbal and physical
f. Can you have sex without consent?
i. probe for: no, sex without consent is not sex it’s sexual assault, rape,
illegal, immoral, not okay. The only way to have sex is with clear
authentic consent from all people involved.
g. We have been talking strictly about sex, but sexual consent involved more than
just sex. What are other things that fall under the sexual consent umbrella?
i. probe for: kissing, hugging, holding hands, sexual touching, and any type
of sex, vaginal, oral, anal, and vulva to vulva. Just because someone
consents to a hug, holding hands, and kissing doesn’t mean then consent to
having sex. Doing those things aren’t all leading up to sex, they are all
individual activities that require individual consent.

3. Pitch perfect example (starting at 2:10)

we are going to watch one last short clip of an example of someone asking for consent
a. What just happened in the video?
i. two people flirting at a party, unclear communication, mixed signals
b. What did she do when he asked if she wanted to have sex?
i. gave him mixed signals, said a clear no but winked at him
c. What would be the best thing for him to do now?
i. ask for clear communication, if she still gives mixed signals he should
take her “no” as the answer and not try to have sex
teacher script: *bullet points of the following information will be shown on a powerpoint slide so students can
take notes*
This is a good example of why talking about things like consent at a party where a lot of times
there is drugs and alcohol involved is not a good idea, especially since people cannot give
consent when they are under the influence. Being under the influence of any substance can and
will alter someone’s ability to give a clear yes/no and also the ability for people to clearly
understand what someone is communicating to them. Remember that anything but an authentic
and clear “yes” is a no.

Sex should be a comfortable, positive, and safe activity. For that to happen there needs to be
authentic consent from everyone involved in the experience. Like I previously mentioned, for
each individual activity, there needs to be consent. Sex usually involves more than just one
activity so the partner initiating the next activity must allow the other partner to give consent, the
possibility to say yes that’s okay or no it’s not. If communication is not clear the partner must
wait for consent or stop altogether to make sure what they’re doing is okay. Both partners have
Model of Effective Instruction 5

the right to change their minds or say no at any time. Silence is not consent, lack of physically
resisting isn’t consent, consent can never be assumed even if you’ve been in a relationship for
years. Consent is an ongoing process that can be given or taken away at any time. Consent is
NECESSARY to have sex.

ask the class:

● Why is consent necessary to have sex?
○ probe for: because sex without consent is not sex, it’s sexual assault

Any person, of any gender, of any age, can be sexually assaulted and/or sexually assault
someone. It doesn’t matter if you’re a lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, heterosexual, etc. I know
you all have probably heard advice on things you can do to prevent being sexually assaulted like
“don’t dress provocatively, don’t walk alone at night, don’t wear too much makeup, don’t wear
tight clothes,” the list goes on and on. But all of this “advice” is meant to make it feel like it’s the
responsibility of the person who was assaulted to do something to prevent it. That is not accurate
at all. The only person who is responsible for sexual assault is the person who didn’t ask for
consent, or assaulted someone after consent was not given. No one is entitled to anyone else’s
body, no one is entitled to have sex with anyone, it is never a given.

It is also important to always believe someone when they speak up about sexual assault. A lot of
shame and guilt comes with opening up about something as traumatic as this, so questioning a
survivor and doubting them does nothing but make their trauma worse. I rather believe someone
even if I’m not 100% sure that they’re telling the truth, than doubt someone who is telling the
truth.

There are also laws put in place to help try to prevent sexual assault and especially to protect
minors.
● Does anyone know any of the state laws about consent?
○ “In Nevada, if you are 18 years old then you are legally an adult! The law does
not prohibit you from having sex with a juvenile as long as they are not four years
younger than you.
○ At age 17, you are not prohibited from having sex with whomever you want, as
long as your partner is also a consenting individual, who is not four years younger
than you.
○ In Nevada, at 16 years old you are not considered an adult, but you are now
capable of fully consenting to sex.
○ At 15 years old, you are not able to fully consent to sex; however, it is not
prohibited for you to have sex if your partner is between the age of 14 and 18.
○ In Nevada, a 14-year-old is not able to legally consent to sex. You are not
prohibited from engaging in sex as long as your partner is under the age of 18.
Model of Effective Instruction 6

○ Anyone under the age of 14 cannot consent to sex. If a 13-year-old does have sex
with a person who is two or more years older, then the older person can be
charged with sexual assault!” (“Age, Safety & the Law,” 2019)
● With that being said, just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s okay, or ethically
correct. Of course, circumstances vary depending on if people have been in relationships
prior to one partner reaching the age of consent first, also known as the Romeo and Juliet
laws. But I believe a single person 18 or older should not be pursuing a relationship with
minors. You can all come to your own conclusions based on the laws, your upbringing,
and your moral beliefs. But from my personal experience when people 18 or older get
involved with or have relationships with minors it often leads to grooming, sexual
assault, and very unhealthy dynamics within a relationship.

Vocab Group Activity

Split up the class into 5-6 groups. Each group must work together to define these words on the
worksheet (each group gets one worksheet). It’s okay to not know the definition for all the words
but they should work together to try to find it (don’t provide the definitions right off the bat, only
provide the words at first)

consent: is giving permission, saying yes, or agreeing to do something.

authentic consent: saying yes or giving permission free of any pressure.
coercion: the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats.
boundaries: a line that marks the limit
clear communication: being very clear about your needs or what you want and listening to what
others need and want.
incapacitated: prevent from functioning in a normal way/deprived of strength or power;
debilitated.
sexual assault: an act in which a person intentionally sexually touches another person without
that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against
their will.

teacher script:
In your groups look at each vocabulary word and define it in your own words. It’s okay if you
don’t know the exact definition, just take a guess and come up with a definition together.

*Give students 5-10 minutes to write the definitions, once everyone is done have one person
from each group read one of their definitions out loud until every group gets to go and each word
has been defined. Then share the definitions with students and have them write the definitions
individually in their notebooks, give them 5 minutes to do this.
Model of Effective Instruction 7

Practicing and Understanding Authentic Consent

teacher script:
Now we’re going to practice what it’s like to ask for and give consent by ordering a pizza with
partners! Get out your notebooks and something to write with, you will each need to write down
what you see on the slides.
*split them up into partners, they can pick their own or they can be assigned. They will

Powerpoint presentation:
Step 1: Am I hungry? Is my partner hungry?
Ask them: “Hey, are you hungry right now?” or “I’m hungry… how are you feeling?”
● Take a minute to figure out if your partner is hungry?
● Write down what you ask each other and how each one of you answers
Step 2: Do I want pizza? Do you want pizza?
I am hungry, so do I want pizza? If your partner is hungry, do they want to eat pizza?
● Ask them: “Do you like pizza?” or “How do you feel about having pizza?
● Write down what you ask each other and how each one of you answers
Step 3: What kind of pizza?
Great, we both want pizza! But what kind?
● Talk about your favorite pizza. What do each of you like? Do you or your partner have
limitations or restrictions? Is your partner a vegetarian? Are you allergic to mushrooms?
Do you like extra cheese?
● Communicate with your partner and work together to find the perfect pizza for both of
you. Half pepperoni and pineapple, half sausage and onion, Extra cheese with pepperoni?
● Write down your final pizza order
Step 4: Are you ready to order pizza
Write an answer to each of these in your notebook
● How are you feeling? Are you ready to order pizza together?
● Was it easy to decide on the pizza you both wanted?
● Would you order pizza with this person again?
Step 5: What does ordering pizza have to do with authentic consent, clear communication,
and healthy relationships? Write down your answer in your notebook

Exit Ticket
teacher script:
Alright, class for your exit slip today write down three examples on how you can practice asking
for consent or giving someone consent in your notebook and put your notebook in the basket
when you walk out of class.
example: I’m going to ask my crush if we can hold hands instead of just assuming they want to
and grabbing their hand.
Model of Effective Instruction 8

Reflection: In this instructional assignment I focussed on teaching what consent is and why it’s
so important. This is for a high school health glass that could be used from 9th-12th grade. I used
the Variety in Process and Content model of effective instruction. When using this model of
instruction a lesson plan should involve different activities to enhance the teacher’s instructional
time and also student achievement. You could also do this by appealing to student’s individual
learning styles (Sadker & Zittleman, 2018). This is a great way to keep students engaged in the
information they’re learning. I chose this model because as a student it was my favorite way to
learn and with my experience working with kids, it’s my favorite way to teach too. It’s boring to
sit through a lecture for 60 minutes for everyone involved so I think this is a great model of
effective instruction to use. I borrowed and altered some ideas and activities from other lesson
plans I saw online that I listed on the reference page such as practicing consent by ordering a
pizza and the vocab group activity. Overall, I think I did a pretty good job at planning out the
instructional time for a 60-minute class. I chose activities that will help show that students are
achieving the objectives and also keep them involved in their own learning. My biggest strengths
in this instructional assignment are the variety of activities such as small group collaborative
learning, class discussions, a partner role-play game, powerpoint lecture, videos, and an
independent exit ticket. Including all of these different modes of instruction will keep students
more involved than just sitting and listening to a teacher talk for an hour. My biggest weakness I
think is that the discussion questions between the videos could end up taking longer than the time
I allowed for them. If that were to happen while using this lesson plan I would simply cut out a
few questions or maybe shorten the partner activity to 10 minutes instead of 15 minutes. It would
be easily adjustable but ideally, I wouldn’t have to cut anything out so that the students could
receive all of the information in this instructional assignment.
Model of Effective Instruction 9

References

Age, safety & the Law. (2019, May 24). Southern Nevada Health District.

https://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/community-health-center/family-pl

anning/teen-health-pregnancy-prevention/age-safety-the-law/#:~:text=In%20Neva

da%2C%20at%2016%20years,of%20fully%20consenting%20to%20sex.&text=In

%20Nevada%2C%20a%2014%20year,14%20cannot%20consent%20to%20sex.

Campus Clarity. (2014). 2 Minutes will change the way you think about consent.

YouTube. Campus Clarity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laMtr-rUEmY.

Consent. (n.d.). Teaching Sexual Health. Retrieved May 13, 2021, from

https://teachingsexualhealth.ca/teachers/sexual-health-education/information-by-t

opic/consent/

Lesson 3: Authentic consent. (n.d.). SFUSD Health Education. Retrieved May 13, 2021,

from

https://sfusdhealtheducation.org/download/MS/ms-growth-dev/healthy_me._healt

hy_us/Lesson-03-Authentic-Consent.pdf

Rights, respect, responsibility: Don’t have sex without them. (n.d.). Advocates for Youth.

Retrieved May 13, 2021, from

https://advocatesforyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/3rscurric/documents/10-Lesson

-1-3Rs-RightsRespectResponsibility.pdf
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Sadker, D. M., & Zittleman, K. R. (2018). Becoming an effective Teacher. In Teachers,

schools, and society: a brief introduction to education (5th ed., p. 335). essay,

McGraw-Hill Education.

Blue Seat Studios. (2015). Tea consent (clean). YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGoWLWS4-kU.

Universal Pictures. (2015). 'Pitch Perfect 2' Trailer. YouTube. United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBwOYQd21TY.