Me-Myself-My Environment Year 9-10
Set A - Growing-Up Lesson Plan
Key Learning Area: Science
Linked Learning Areas: Social Sciences, English,Health&PE
Objectives
Describe the changes that occur in
males and females at puberty and
explain the role of hormones in the
production of these changes in the
human body.
LENScience 09-501-A1
Judgement Statement
Description of basic physical changes of puberty to include: height,
body hair, breast development, voice changes. Hormones to include:
FSH, testosterone, oestrogen, progesterone.
Role of pituitary linked to initiation of puberty through the production
of FSH in both males and females. FSH production linked to production
of sperm and testosterone in males and oestrogen / progesterone
production and egg maturity in females.
Explore the differences between in the Is able to identify that change in living conditions over the last hundred
years and also differences between different cultures can change the
environments in which people from
different cultures and different stages age children reach puberty.
of history “grow up.
Curriculum Links
Living World 5 Identify the
key structural features and
functions involved in the life
processes of plants and
animals.
Nature of Science 5
Understanding Science
Communicating in Science
Participating and contributing
Science Concepts: Growth is an ongoing process from fertilisation to adulthood.
Puberty is the physical change that happens between childhood and adulthood and is controlled by hormones.
Mismatched Maturation - Over the last 200 years there has been an increasing gap between the age that young people reach physical and
emotional maturity. Refer to Mismatch Why our world no longer fits our bodies Ch 6 Coming of Age by Peter Gluckman & Peter Hanson (Oxford
University Press ISBN 0-19-280683-1) for background reading.
Environment - ideas of what makes up our environment and how it has changed over time. Living conditions e.g. inside toilets, electricity,
vaccination programmes. Life style reflects the attitudes and values of group or society e.g. More children go to school and stay at school longer,
number of people living in rural vs. urban areas, number of cars per family.
Thinking Development Opportunities: The earlier activities involve mainly unistructural (surface) thinking. However as the students move
through the lessons they need to take those basic ideas and move into relational thinking (higher order thinking skills) to compare and contrast,
determine cause, predict events and eventually reflect and evaluate. The anticipatory guide helps the student to start thinking about the Set
and so activates their background knowledge. Checking the accuracy of their predictions after reading and having to supply evidence from the
text helps with deep processing. Students will draw on personal knowledge and experiences to ask questions on the Case Study family—the
MacDonald's. They will be challenged to reflect on their own perceptions and understandings and ask questions about these. The final worksheet
challenges students to think about how this biological knowledge is impacting on their generation.
Literacy Development /Using Language: Anticipatory guide - student predictions engage them with the text. There is significant language
development in these lessons. Resources provided support students learning of the specialised vocabulary vital for language and cognitive
success.
Managing Self: The nature of this topic means that some students may feel uncomfortable. Students need to be able to express themselves
appropriately so all students are comfortable participating within the group. Students will work independently to successfully complete the
student resource sheets using the material provided.
Relating to Others: Students will learn about the experience of others through the resources provided. This provides an opportunity to learn
appreciation of difference.
Participating and Contributing: Use of a Case Study provides an environment where students will have the confidence and fell safe to
participate in a new context. Students will actively contribute to group discussions and make connections with others during group work e.g. as
they “Stay or Stray.”
Development of Values: Inquiry and curiosity—students will be challenged to think about the consequences of the biology they are learning
about. They will be challenged to think beyond the page and apply the biology they are learning to the case study “Kiwi family”.
Resources and Preparation: Student reading and activity sheets provided. The teacher power point provides support for these lessons
and will be adapted on how the class progresses through this unit. “White boards” for students to write formative and summative assessment
ideas/answers. DVD - The Human Body: Raging Teens, Robert Winston—BBC.
Formative and Summative Assessment Opportunities: Each lesson should start and finish with a reflection of the previous
lesson /what students are learning / what students have learnt. Summative assessment tasks are incorporated into the teaching and learning
activities. Teachers should use these tasks to inform their understanding of student progress. WILT (What I learnt today) is used to check on
student understanding. Students are encouraged to ask any questions they have on this topic using anonymous post-it notes.
Safety Issues: Key issues relate to student personal safety around the issue of sensitivity about puberty / body image / change / personal
family history.
LENScience ©Liggins Institute 2009
Worksheets may be photocopied for use in schools
LENScience 09-501-A1
http://LENS.auckland.ac.nz
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Page 13
Me-Myself-My Environment Year 9-10
Set A - Growing-Up Lesson Plan
Possible Lesson Sequence:
Lesson One:
Lesson Two:
Lesson Three:
Lesson Four:
LENScience 09-501-A1
4 lessons
“Growing Up” Reading. Introduction to Case Study family - the MacDonald's.
Puberty.
Growing Up Fast Activity
Teenage Mismatch is to be done at end of unit.
Introduction
Students brain storm ideas on what they think “Growing up” is about (slides 3-5) and share ideas using the “Hot Potato Strategy.”
The first student writes their idea on the team sheet, and passes it onto the next person, who does the same. This then continues
all of the way around the group, until all ideas are recorded. These ideas are discussed and the team sheets can then be posted
onto “Topic” wall. These can be referred to as students progress through the module of work.
The “Growing Up” reading introduces students to facts about the reducing age of puberty over the past 100 years and encourages
them to ask questions about why this might have happened. To “hook” students into the reading and bring out their prior
knowledge students complete the first part of the Anticipatory Reading Guide.
The case study family provides a platform from which the science is taught and links made to the science research through the
module. The link between small size at birth to future health risks e.g. early onset of puberty, is introduced in this story. As the
teacher or students read through the MacDonald family story (slides 9- 26) students are challenged to think about any things they
see as positive or negative in lifestyle and environment of the family. This generates questions that they will ask the parents or
children. These are recorded on post-it notes which are placed on a “Topic” wall and collated. These questions, and any others
that students have over the next few weeks, are addressed as they progress through the module. Post-it notes provides students
with the opportunity to ask questions that they may not be comfortable with asking in front of the class.
Lesson Sequence
The following activities allow students to explore and develop their understanding of the science concepts using the Growing Up
reading. :
- Anticipatory Guide (Slides 6-8, Resource Sheet 1) Students make predictions on statements related to the reading. They check
the accuracy of their predictions after reading, and completing the activities over the next few lessons, and give evidence for their
answers from the reading.
- Scientific Words (Resource Sheet 2) Students develop science vocabulary. Extension: students select four words to write in a
sentence that will show their understanding of its scientific meaning.
- Students view DVD The Human Body- Raging Teens by Robert Winston (if available), recording their observations about puberty.
In pairs, students share their ideas using the “See-Saw” strategy (slide 26).
Compare and Contrast Puberty Students organise information from reading page 2 using template provided on Student Resource
Sheet 3. (Less able students use the Venn diagram sheet provided to compare and contrast the changes that occur when boys and
girls reach puberty). This information can then be used to write a paragraph to compare and contrast puberty in boys and girls.
Resource Sheet 4 “Puberty—Bringing it Together”, Slide 27 and the wall chart of Compare and Contrast terms support the
student/group in developing and writing their paragraph.
- Growing Up Fast. Slide 28 introduces students to task—emphasis is placed on the place of science research providing the
evidence for the changes in age of puberty. Students work in groups to answer questions on page 5 of “Growing Up”. Groups use
“Stay or Stray” to share ideas. Questions 5-8 on page 6 are for advanced students.
Extension -NOTE: Teenage Mismatch Activity completed at end of topic unit.
Teenage Mismatch. (Resource Sheet 5) Students complete the Cause and Effect Chart to bring together what they have learnt in
previous lessons. Students then use the graph on Teenage Mismatch, from the “Growing Up” reading page 7-8, to explore the
Mismatch between puberty and social puberty. The consequences of this mismatch are presented when they write a newspaper
article based on the mismatch graph.
Concluding Activities:
WILT gives feedback on student understanding and can be used to direct students towards what will be learnt next.
To find out what individual students understood about the unit, teachers may choose to use the exit card strategy. Each student is
given an index card and they are asked to briefly answer the questions on the index card.
LENScience ©Liggins Institute 2009
Worksheets may be photocopied for use in schools
LENScience 09-501-A1
http://LENS.auckland.ac.nz
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Page 14
LENScience 09-501-A2
Teacher Instruction Slide
Teacher Instruction Slide
Me-Myself-My Environment
Set A: Growing Up
This PowerPoint is designed to introduce the concept of early puberty via the Growing Up reading and the Kiwi case study family ‐ the MacDonald's.
Target Group: Year 9‐10
For lesson plan and teaching resources click here
Images in this presentation are either:
- used under license from i-stockphoto.com
- or are original images owned and created by the Liggins Institute
Lesson sequence:
Introduction: The “Growing Up” reading introduces students to facts
about the reducing age of puberty over the past 100 years and
encourages them to ask questions about why this might have happened.
The case study family provides a platform from which the science is
taught and links made to the science research through the module.
Activities: The series of activities based around the reading allow
students to explore why the change in the age of puberty might have
happened and to understand the biology behind the change. Students
use an anticipatory reading guide, build science vocabulary, make
comparisons between puberty in boys and girls and look at how science
research is starting to provide answers as to why the age of puberty is
changing.
Assessment Opportunities: WILT is one example provided to
Education Materials © Liggins Institute 2009
http://lens.auckland.ac.nz
What’s it all about?
What are we going to
learn about in this unit?
What is growing up
about?
What are we going to learn about in
this unit?
check on student understanding. Students are able to ask any questions
they have on this topic using anonymous post-it notes.
What’s it all about?
What are we going
to learn about in
this unit?
What is growing
up about?
How to find out the answer:
Look at the next slide then, when told to, start writing
down and passing the Hot Potato of your groups ideas!
In your group the first member writes down
an idea and on the “bell” they pass the “Hot
Potato” sheet onto the next person. This then
continues all of the way around the group.
Activity: Anticipatory Reading Guide
One by one read through
each of the statements.
Sperm ...... Embryo...........Fetus..........Baby......Child....Adult
What is
growing
up about?
Adulthood
Adolescence
Puberty Childhood
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
• If you think the statement is true
• If you the statement is false
• If you are unsure then
Agree
Disagree
Unsure
• Once done, turn and talk about
your choices with a classmate.
Age (Years) LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Page 15
Activity: Anticipatory Reading Guide
After reading “Growing Up,” and
completing the activities over the
next few lessons, you will confirm or
revise your choices with ticks and
crosses on the right side of the
table AND write in the proof from
the reading that supports your choice.
GROWING UP in NEW ZEALAND
Our story
begins with.....
GROWING UP in NEW ZEALAND
As you read the story about our Kiwi
family is there anything – positive or
negative - about the MacDonald family
life style that might influence the
parents and their children’s life.
Write any questions you have for the
parents and their children on post-it
notes.
Chris and Belinda MacDonald
are a Kiwi mum and dad.
....Chris and
Belinda and
their growing
family.....
Their first child
was a boy called
Ben.
When Ben was
four, they decided
to have another
child.
Their first child
was a boy called
Ben.
When Ben was
four, they decided
to have another
child.
One year later a healthy
girl - Kiri - was born.
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Page 16
When Kiri was in Year 10 she came
with her class to the Liggins Institute.
She learnt that her birth
weight and ancestry had
a lot to do with her
health potential - how
healthy she will be as
she grows older.
Kiri MacDonald found out that:
• She has Maori, Swedish,
Scottish and English
ancestry.
• Her great, great
grandparents - on her
fathers side(Agnes and
Karl Melgren) - came from
Sweden to New Zealand in
1889.
Belinda, her mum, was a technician
before she had Kiri. She had a
responsible job and worked hard.
She doesn’t have a
great diet and says
she is a chocoholic!
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
When Kiri was in Year 10 she came
with her class to the Liggins Institute.
She
thattoher
birth
She learnt
decided
find
weight
and her
ancestry had
out about
a
lot
to
do
with
heritage - whoher
were
health
potential
how
her ancestors and
healthy did
she they
will be
as
where
come
she grows older.
from...
Chris (her Dad) works in IT and
enjoys his job. The company he
works for provides him with a good
healthy lunch every day.
He plays touch at
the local club and
plays league in
the winter.
Unfortunately during
her pregnancy Belinda
ate a lot of junk food.
She was very tired
most of the time and
didn’t exercise very
much at all.
Page 17
She was working
until the end of
her pregnancy..
She was working
until the end of
her pregnancy..
....so she was
very tired most
of the time and
didn’t exercise
very much at all.
When Kiri was born she was smaller
than expected.
Belinda’s doctor told her that scientists have
shown that birth weight is a poor indicator of
growth pattern during pregnancy.
Bloomfield et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 91:F299 2006
Belinda’s doctor told her that scientists have
shown that birth weight is a poor indicator of
growth pattern during pregnancy.
Bloomfield et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 91:F299 2006
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Belinda’s doctor told her that scientists have
shown that birth weight is a poor indicator of
growth pattern during pregnancy.
Bloomfield et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 91:F299 2006
Page 18
Her mother always said she was a
slightly chubby toddler.
Kiri grew well and played with
her brother Ben.
Kiri enjoyed primary school.
She liked reading, maths and
she played some sport.
In year 6, Kiri started her period.
She had heard a little about this but
wasn’t really sure of the details.
None of her other friends had started
their period so she felt quite special.
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
She was quite a lot heavier
than the other girls – so
struggled a bit to keep up
in the netball team.
Belinda explained “that it
was just puppy fat” and
that Kiri would lose it soon.
When Kiri met her Swedish cousin
Debbie she found out that....
....Debbie had only
started her period
when she was 12
years old.
Page 19
W.A.L.T We Are Learning To.....
You are going to look
more closely at my
family – they have
some really
interesting science to
teach us!
Describe the changes
that occur at puberty
and explain the role of
hormones in these
changes.
Sam
Me Myself My Environment
Activity: Raging Teens
Activity: Puberty Boys vs. Girls
As you watch Raging Teens you will
see and hear:
– 4 facts about puberty
– 3 differences between boys
and girls during puberty
– 2 opinions
– 1 thing that you never knew.
The changes that occur during puberty don’t happen
overnight. Some of these changes are the same for
boys and girls and some are different.
Write these down as you watch the DVD
and at the end, to share your ideas, you
will See-Saw with your partner.
Challenge! Write a paragraph to compare
and contrast what happens during puberty in
boys and girls.
Use the information from the “Growing
Up” reading to complete Puberty - Compare
and Contrast – Boys and Girls.
W.A.L.T We Are Learning To.....
Activity: Growing up Fast
Explore how the
environment of people
from different cultures
and different stages of
our history influence
how we “grow up”.
• 21st Century Teenagers Start Puberty
Earlier than their Great Grandparents
• Finding out about puberty
by studying inter-country
adoptions?
In your groups answer the questions on page 5 and 6
of the reading to find out about Growing Up Fast.
Share your groups ideas:
2 stay and 1 stray
Kiri
Me Myself My Environment
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
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W.I.L.T
What I Learnt Today....
Two things I learnt
today are......
Two things I want to
find out about are...
Exit Card
1. What was the most important thing
that you learnt from the “Growing
Up” reading?
2. Do you feel the reading was a helpful
way of learning about what this set is
about?
3 How confident do you feel about
moving onto the next part of the set
of lessons?
Not confident
Very confident
1...........2...........3...........4...........5...........6
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
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Powerpoint Teacher Guidelines
Set A: Growing Up Powerpoint
Slide 3: Hot Potato Strategy
As students view slide 4 students pass a sheet of paper round the group (sitting in a circle) they take turns
to record their ideas.
1. Students are asked to record their ideas on the two questions given. Give a little time to view
pictures then they begin to record ideas. Ideas can’t be written down twice.
2. The first person writes an idea onto the sheet, and passes it onto the next person, who adds their
idea and passes on the sheet. This then continues all of the way around the group.
3. They are given a set amount of time to record idea (e.g. 15 seconds) and then on “bell” the sheet is
passed on. This continues as long as students are generating ideas.
Ideas are discussed and paper with student ideas can then be posted onto Topic wall. These can be
referred to as students progress through the module of work.
Slide 6: Anticipatory Reading Guide
This task should provoke discussion about the concept to be studied and activate students' prior
knowledge. Before reading, students indicate whether the statement is true or false. As students read,
they should be prepared to support or discount their response by indicating the text to prove their
response.
The Benefits of Anticipatory Reading Guides:
Helps the student to start thinking about a topic and so activates their background knowledge.
Prediction engages the reader with the text.
Checking the accuracy of predictions after reading and having to supply evidence from the text
helps with deep processing.
This strategy is adapted from the one found at http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/sarasota/mainmenu.htm
teachers might usefully refer also to English Online at
http://english.unitechnology.ac.nz/literacy/secondary/home.html
Slide 8: The MacDonald Family
The teacher needs to lead the students through the slides.
As students listen / read to the story of our case study family, the MacDonald's ask them to write down:
1. Things they see as positive – use to generate ?’s for parents
2. Things they see as negative – use to generate ?’s for parents
3. Record the questions they have for the parents on the post-it notes. These are displayed on wall
and as unit progresses they will be referred and discussed as students learn about what science
research shows about small birth weight, early puberty and the health of the children.
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
Page 22
Slides 22-24:
This graph shows the growth curves of three fetus’s during pregnancy with very similar birth weights. It
shows that the pattern of growth during pregnancy can be quite different:
Red fetus had constant growth during pregnancy / gestation
Blue fetus had faster growth during first third pregnancy, then growth levels off, followed by rapid
growth in last part of pregnancy.
Purple fetus had faster rate of growth through first two thirds pregnancy, then growth rate slows
in last part of pregnancy.
Final birth weight does not show (and we cannot measure) the environment that the baby may have
experienced during pregnancy and how this may influence programming and health later in life.
Final birth weight is an indicator of an environment the fetus may have experienced and relates to full
term babies not those that are born early /prematurely – those babies have their own set of challenges.
Slide 23: See Saw Strategy
After viewing the DVD the pair (A and B) are face-to face (on a see saw).
Person A shares a piece of information from the DVD and both record.
Person B shares a piece of information from the DVD and both record.
The process of A, B, A, B, A, B continues for 3-4 minutes.
The teacher then asks for the information and a discussion can follow.
Slide 34:
Refer to Student Activity Sheet “Puberty – Compare and Contrast”
Refer to Student Activity Sheet “Puberty – Bringing it Together”
Refer to Compare and Contrast Wall Chart
Slide 36:
Refer to Reading “Growing Up ” page 5. Note page 6 are extension questions.
Teacher led discussion on how research is being used to find answer to early puberty.
2 Stay 1 Stray
Two people stay in the group and one person strays (selected by your teacher) to the next group. They are
welcomed by this group and the “strayer” briefs this group of their own groups ideas. When they return to
their share with members and update answers.
LENScience Healthy Start to Life Growing Up © Liggins Institute 2009
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