Human Growth and
Development Curriculum
Mrs. Julie Hodge
Miss Molly Kennedy
Elementary Health Educators
Lesson Dates
Franklin Elementary School
Mrs. McDonald - Wednesday, March 7th and Wednesday, March 14th
Mr. Rojek/ Mr. Gauld - Thursday, March 8th and Thursday, March 15th
Hamilton Elementary School
Mrs. Lach/ Ms. Cowell - Monday, March 19th and Monday, March 26th
Mrs. Powalowski/ Mrs. McNamara – Tues. March 20th and Thurs. March 22nd
Holmes Elementary School
Mrs. Goupil/ Miss Sprada - Friday, March 9th and Tuesday, March 13th
Jefferson Elementary School
Mrs. Russo/ Mrs. Hanny - Tuesday, March 6th and Tuesday, March 13th
Lindbergh Elementary School
Ms. Mancuso/ Mrs. Stoerr - Monday, March 5th and Monday, March 19th
Mrs. Cummins/ Mrs. Peters - Tuesday, March 6th and Tuesday, March 13th
Roosevelt Elementary School
Miss Scott/ Mrs. Rice - Monday, March 5th and Monday, March 12th
Mrs. Babcock - Tuesday, March 6th and Tuesday, March 13th
Ground Rules for Lessons
1. Any question is a good question.
2. Protect people’s privacy-Never use
names.
3. It’s OK NOT to ask questions or share
personal beliefs.
4. It’s OK NOT to answer a question.
5. Be considerate of other people’s feelings.
Tone of the Lesson
It will be stressed that the topics are very
personal and require maturity in
understanding the importance of the
lessons.
Anonymous question box- this will be
used as an alternative to asking questions
aloud. Questions will be reviewed by the
teacher and addressed in the following
lesson.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Human
Growth and Development
Length: 45-50 min (during physical education
class time) Boys and girls will be separated by
gender for the lesson.
Objectives (students will be able to…)
1. Understand the physical, emotional, and social
changes they experience during puberty and
acknowledged these changes as a normal part
of growth and development.
Objectives continued…
2. Distinguish between the changes that occur
during puberty for boys, for girls and for both
genders.
3. Learn the physiology and correct terminology for
parts of the reproductive system.
4. Anticipate puberty with positive feelings,
recognizing that each individual is unique.
Lesson Plan #1
1. Define puberty, causes of changes, examples
of changes.
2. Pre-Test: Students will be given a written preassessment of their knowledge of puberty and
human growth and development.
3. Video/DVD – Always Changing (Girls Only or Boys Only)
4. Question/Answers: Following the video,
students will be able to distinguish between facts
and myths about puberty.
Lesson #2 – Human Growth and
Development
Length: 45-50 min (during physical education class time)
Boys and girls will be separated by gender for the
lesson
Objectives:
1. Recognize the medical terms, locations and functions of
the structures of the male/female reproductive system.
2. Distinguish between reproductive system myth and facts.
3. Understand the process of the menstrual cycle or sperm
production/ejaculation.
4. Recognize the importance of decision making due to
physical, emotional and social changes during puberty.
Lesson Plan #2
1. Review ground rules.
2. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and
anonymous questions will be answered.
3. Teacher will review the male/female reproductive system
and reinforce proper terminology.
4. Students will use the puberty changes checklist as a
review.
5. Students will feel more comfortable asking trusted adults
about their concerns during puberty, as well as making
good decisions as they become a young adult.
Lesson #3 – Communicable Disease
Prevention: Focus on HIV/AIDS
Objectives:
1. Define the immune system and understand how
HIV destroys its ability to fight germs.
2. Understand how to protect the immune system
by reducing the exposure to infection.
3. Identify ways in which HIV can be transmitted
and ways in which it cannot be transmitted.
4. Understand the importance of developing a
lifestyle of healthy behaviors.
Lesson Plan #3
1. Brainstorm what students know or have heard
about HIV/AIDS.
2. Compare how a healthy immune system fights
illness and how HIV/AIDS destroys the immune
systems ability to fight germs.
3. Students read and discuss the HIV/AIDS fact
sheet.
4. Role-play to decide if the scenario can or cannot
transmit HIV/AIDS.
Key Points of the lesson:








HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
HIV is the virus that causes the disease AIDS.
You can’t tell a person has HIV by looking at them.
If a person has AIDS, they can get sick from rare diseases.
HIV destroys the immune system.
AIDS has no cure, but HIV is not easy to catch.
Ways HIV can be transmitted:
1. By sharing hypodermic needles
2. Having sexual contact with an infected person (stress that
students are too young to be involved in any type of sexual
activity)
3. Pregnant women with HIV can spread the infection to the baby.
 Ways HIV cannot be transmitted:
1. Saliva, tears, sweat and urine
2. Casual contact such as hugs, kisses and handshakes
Resources for Parents:

A guidance document for achieving the new York state standards in Health Education. The
University of the State of New York: The State Education Department, 2005.

Always Changing-About You Fifth Grade Puberty Education Program. Rochester, NY: Proctor &
Gamble, 2008. www.pgschoolprograms.com/puberty

The Great Body Shop: A Comprehensive Health and Substance Abuse Program for k-6. Wilton,
CT: The Children's Health Market, Inc.,1999.

My Little Red Book. Rachel Kauder Nalebuff, 2009

Growing Up – It’s a Girl Thing, Mavis Jukes, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1998

The What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-up Guide for Parents and Sons,
Lynda Madaras and Area Madaras, Newmarket Press, 2000

The What’s Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-up Guide for Parents and
Daughters, Lynda Madaras and Area Madaras, Newmarket Press, 2000

www.kidshealth.org

www.beinggirl.com

www.always.com

www.nih.gov