Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) Program

Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) Human Sexuality Program

We are proud to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL) the nationally renowned program on human sexuality developed in collaboration by the Unitarian Universalist Assn. and the United Church of Christ.
If you are interested in enrolling in a class, please use the preregistration form at the bottom of the page.

2009/2010 BVUUF OWL classes are:

Grade 1

First Grade Our Whole Lives
10 sessions offered 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Sunday mornings, Sept. – Dec.
Tuition: $50.00 for members ($75.00 for non-members) sliding scale fee available.

This component supports parents in educating their young children about birth, babies, bodies and families. It helps establish a life long family pattern of communication around sensitive topics. Following a Parent Meeting and Parent/Child Orientation, the eight class sessions engage children with stories, songs and activities and include a weekly HomeLink—a homework project for parents and children to do together. Families covenant to have their child attend all 8 sessions to promote trust and sharing. After the Orientation Session, the class is closed to drop-ins and new participants. Focusing on the “three R’s” of human sexuality—respect, relationship, and responsibility—it emphasizes that we believe every person should be treated fairly and kindly. BVUUF’s O.W.L. sessions will take place over a 4 month period, September – early December with breaks for holidays, long weekends, and school vacations. It is our intention to offer it every year for first graders.

Recommended but not required books:

  • It’s So Amazing by Robie Harris.
  • The Parent Guide to Our Whole Lives Grades K-1 and Grades 4-6
    A session-by-session guide to what children will learn through the Our Whole Lives curricula for grades K-1 and 4-6. BVUUF has several copies for loan or a family may order their own copy from the UUA bookstore.

Grade 5

Fifth Grade Our Whole Lives
10 sessions offered 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, Jan – April, 2010
Tuition: $60.00 for members ($85.00 for non-members) sliding scale fee available.

Participants learn about and discuss the physical and emotional changes of puberty. Participants will examine topics such as values and sexuality, communication and decision making. This component helps establish a life long family pattern of communication around sensitive topics. Each session includes a HomeLink—a homework activity for parents and children to complete together. Following a Parent Meeting and Parent/Child Orientation, families covenant to have their child attend all 8 sessions to promote trust and sharing. After the Orientation Session, the class is closed to drop-ins and new participants. Focusing on the “three R’s” of human sexuality—respect, relationship, and responsibility—it emphasizes that we believe every person should be treated fairly and kindly. The required book, It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris, is included.

BVUUF’s O.W.L. sessions will take place over a 4 month period, with breaks for holidays, long weekends, and school vacations. It is our intention to offer it every year.

Recommended but not required books:

  • The Parent Guide to Our Whole Lives Grades K-1 and Grades 4-6
    A session-by-session guide to what children will learn through the Our Whole Lives curricula for grades K-1 and 4-6. BVUUF has several copies for loan or a family may order their own copy from the UUA bookstore.

Grade 7

7th grade O.W.L. for 09/10
27 sessions offered Wednesday evenings for 09/10
Tuition: $130.00 for members ($200.00 for non-members) sliding scale fee available.

This is the core offering of BVUUF’s O.W.L. program. It presents a comprehensive approach to human sexuality in an age-appropriate manner and is based firmly on the values of respect, responsibility, justice and inclusivity. It helps young people apply these values to their behavior and provides them with information and skills they can use throughout life. Jr. High O.W.L. includes a comprehensive parent orientation. It helps participants clarify their values and religious beliefs and emphasizes the worth and dignity of each participant.

Participants covenant to attend all sessions. After the orientation session, the class is closed to drop-ins and new participants. The sessions are offered approximately two or three times per month, over 10 months. Breaks are scheduled for holidays, long weekends and school vacations. Includes the book Changing Bodies, Changing Lives by Ruth Bell and members of the Teen Book Project.



Grades 10-12

High School O.W.L. (10th – 12th grades) 14 sessions, offered 6:30 – 8 p.m. Sunday evenings Tuition: $90.00 for members ($140.00 for non-members) sliding scale fee available.

This will be a new offering for 2009/10 in BVUUF’s O.W.L. program. The program uses four themes to address major topics in sexuality of interest to teens: 1. Sexual Health 2. Lifespan Sexuality 3. Building Healthy Sexual Relationship 4. Sexuality and Social Issues.

Participants covenant to attend all sessions. After the orientation session, the class is closed to drop-ins and new participants. The sessions are offered approximately two or three times per month, over 5 months. Breaks are scheduled for holidays, long weekends and school vacations.



Introduction to the O.W.L. Philosophy

Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) is a nationally renowned series of sexuality education curricula developed by the Unitarian Universalist Association in partnership with the United Church of Christ. At BVUUF we offer it for four age groups:1st graders, 5th graders, 7th graders and new for 09/10, we are offering a class for 10-12th graders.

O.W.L. helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, O.W.L. provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.
Our Whole Lives Values:
• Self Worth
• Sexual Health
• Responsibility
• Justice and Inclusivity

Each level of Our Whole Lives offers:
• up-to-date information and honest, age-appropriate answers to all participants’ questions
• activities to help participants clarify values and improve decision-making skills
• effective group-building to create a safe and supportive peer group
• education about sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment
• opportunities to critique media messages about gender and sexuality
• acceptance of diversity
• encouragement to act for justice
• a well designed, teacher-friendly leaders’ guide
• parent orientation programs that affirm parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children
• Sexuality and Our Faith, an optional religious component for Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ settings.

Praise for Our Whole Lives
As a scholar and activist in the field of child welfare, and as a parent of a teenager who has participated in the program, I deeply appreciate the wisdom imparted by Our Whole Lives. Our Whole Lives transmits a great deal of valuable information, but more importantly, it promotes compassion and responsibility. As my 15-year-old told me, “Our Whole Lives does much more than teach us plumbing, Mom. It helps us to know what we should do in a difficult situation.” —Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Chair, National Parenting Association

The Our Whole Lives curriculum guide is extremely well written and easy for professional educators to use. The program handles a variety of issues that are absent from many sexuality education programs—sexual orientation, body image, sexuality throughout the life-cycle—in creative and engaging ways. Most importantly, the program ensures that young people not only get the information they need but that they get the skills practice that evaluations show is critical to ensuring healthy choices and behaviors. —Leslie M. Kantor, MPH, Vice President of Education, Planned Parenthood of New York City

Our Unitarian Universalist Purposes and Principles are woven into the fabric of Our Whole Lives. They take on new meaning as they become the basis for decisions and taking actions. —Chris Nelson and Holly Van Goor, Our Whole Lives for Grades 7-9 facilitators, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, Bethesda, MD

The most important part of the Our Whole Lives for Grades 4-6 curriculum was that it opened lines of communication between parents and young people. Parents of children in this age group sometimes need help in raising sexuality issues with their children. Not only were the children themselves eager to talk about the issues with their parents, they were able to ‘check out’ information they had received from peers or the media.” —Gail Forsythe-Vail, Director of Religious Education, North Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, North Andover, MA

Our Whole Lives for Grades K-1 created a lot of good conversation in our home. The books I brought home for my kindergartner were seen and read by my ten-year-old, and we all had a healthy, constructive talk about sexuality. —parent, Our Whole Lives for Grades K-l field test

“Teaching Our Whole Lives for Grades 7-9 was a powerful experience that challenged my sexual values to my inner core. It was a most enlightening experience, allowing me to witness young people as they grow through the struggles within themselves, their bodies and their values about sexuality.” —Volker Thomas, Our Whole Lives for Grades 7-9 facilitator, Unitarian Universalist Church of Lafayette, IN

For more information, visit the national OWL Web site.

For more information on the BVUUF OWL program, contact the Director of Religious Education, Katie Covey.

If you are interested in enrolling in an OWL class for 09/10, please use this form:
0910_OWL_preregistration.doc