Period and Puberty Education: Menstrual Cycle Graphic and Friendship Bracelet
I made a period friendship bracelet to teach my students about the menstrual cycle. Adding the bracelet paired with our menstrual cycle graphic to my period and puberty education unit was a huge hit! Follow along and see how you can easily make them for your class too.
Table of Contents
Why a Friendship Bracelet?
I mean, long story short, I’m a Swiftie, of course, I’m going to bring friendship bracelets into my health lesson plan 🤪 But in all seriousness, I think a beaded bracelet is an excellent teaching tool for explaining the Menstrual Cycle and the continuous phases the body goes through. (And it’s just fun!) The circle shape highlights how it’s a cycle that keeps repeating, and the beads show how the cycle is made up of distinct phases.
I also loved the pretty beads and how they represent periods and the menstrual cycle as something beautiful to be amazed at, rather than something gross to be disgusted by:)
Materials You Need to Make Friendship Bracelets
This bracelet was super easy to make. Here are the supplies you need:
Jewelry String - This one is my favorite.
Beads in Four Colors (Red, Black, Pink, and Clear/White)
You can opt for other colors, although I’d stick to red for the period segment. I got lucky and found a set with these colors at Dollar Tree.
How many do you need of each?
Red - x5
Black - 9
Pink - x5
Clear/White - x9
Scissors
Super Glue or Clear Nail Polish
Tape
How to Make a Friendship Bracelet
Once you’ve gathered all of your materials, it’s time to make the bracelets. I made them at home before class rather than having students make them at school. I was able to make these at the last minute, just before leaving for school to teach. I was also lucky that the beads I picked almost perfectly fit with the graphic image.
Here’s how you can make one:
Cut a large piece of string. I always cut it longer than I think I need so I can tie it.
Pre-stretch the string by pulling on both ends of it and stretching it out. This helps prevent it from breaking.
Organize your beads
How many do you need of each?
Red - x5 (Period)
Black - 9 (Follicular Phase)
Pink - x5 (Ovulation)
Clear/White - x9 (Luteal Phase)
Tape down one end of the string.
Put the beads on the string.
Tie off the bracelet and put a dab of glue or nail polish to secure.
Along with making your period friendship bracelets, print off copies of the menstrual cycle graphic. I laminated mine just so they’d last a bit longer.
How to Use the Friendship Bracelet and Menstrual Cycle Graphic in Class
You’ve made the friendship bracelet, so what’s next? Now it’s time to share the bracelet and the menstrual cycle graphic with students. I coupled these teaching tools with the Play-Doh reproduction system activity, and it worked really well. Basically, after students created their anatomy models with the Play-Doh worksheets, they used the Play-Doh pieces (i.e.the egg and endometrium) to replicate each stage of the menstrual cycle.
Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
Follicular Phase - This starts the first day of your period. The body gets ready for a new egg, and the uterus begins to build a new lining.
Ovulation - When an egg is released from the ovary.
Luteal Phase - The eggs move through the uterus. The uterine lining keeps growing. If there’s no pregnancy, the lining will come out during the next phase, the period.
Period - When the body gets rid of the lining of the uterus. Blood and tissue come out of the vagina.
After learning about each phase, students used the Play-Doh mats to see how different period products work!
Debreif and Reflection
After students used the menstrual cycle graphic and friendship bracelet (in combo with the reproductive system Play-Doh activity), we took some time to debrief and reflect. Here are a few prompts I asked the students:
What ah-ha moments did you have during this activity?
What’s something new you learned during this activity?
Why is a bracelet a good model for examining the menstrual cycle?
This ended up being a great addition to my sex ed curriculum. I will definitely use the friendship bracelet and menstrual cycle graphic again!