YEAR GROUP: UKS2 Yr5/YrA
TERM: Spring 2
LESSON: 2
THEME: My Friends and Family
LINKS TO PREVIOUS LEARNING
Lesson 1: Dealing with embarrassment.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE (WALT)
I know about the physical changes that happen to my body as I reach puberty and the reasons why they
happen.
LEARNING OUTCOMES (WILF)
I know what puberty is and why my body changes as I reach puberty.
I can understand how my body will change during puberty.
I have thought about what puberty might be like and how I might deal with it.
KEY VOCABULARY
Puberty, adolescence, adolescent, growth, change, hormones, breasts, nipples, testicles, penis, vagina,
pubic region, pubic hair, menstruation, periods, acne, grease, perspiration, sweating, body odour, sanitary
protection, sanitary towels, tampons, voice breaking.
RESOURCES/SUPPORT
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Christopher Winter project
Living and Growing – Unit 2, Programme 4 – Changing (optional)
Living and Growing – Unit 3, Programmes 7 and 8 ‘Girl talk’ and ‘Boy talk’ (optional)
Large outlines of male/female form
Post it notes – different colours e.g. Green = male, yellow = female
‘Hair in Funny Places’ by Babette Cole (from Year 4)
TEACHING/LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Introduction
Over the next two weeks the focus will be on puberty, this is a time in people’s lives which is very special.
It is a time when people’s bodies and feelings go through great change. Puberty can start when children
are quite young – some as young as 8, and it can continue throughout the teenage years. Everyone is
different and puberty will start at different times for different people. This week the focus will be on the
physical changes that happen. Next week the focus will be on the emotional changes that might happen.
MAIN TEACHING AND LEARNING
Warm up
Introduce the children to the idea of physical and emotional change by playing a round the circle game.
Ask each child to complete the following sentence: ‘One change that has happened to me since I was
small is…’ (could make use of magic microphone or magic teddy, only the child with the object can speak
and every child has the right to pass.)
Spring 2 UKS2 Yr5/A Lesson 2
Activity 1
Body Parts Runaround (adapted from Christopher Winter Project). Find out what the group knows about
body parts by labelling 4 walls in the room (working in the hall would be ideal for this – space issues): male
/ female / both / unsure.
Using the Body Part cards, call out one body part. Ask the children to show where they think that body
part may belong by moving to the appropriate wall e.g. Uterus belongs in the female wall. Elbows belong
in both. Reassure the children that it is valuable to admit when you are unsure and praise children for
using this corner. Ask the children why they have chosen their corner and discuss what they know about
the body part. Return to the centre of the room and go onto the next word.
Useful words include: pubic hair, nipples, elbows, penis, testicles, navel, vagina, clitoris,
ovaries etc.
Activity 2
Display large outlines of the male and female form. In pairs children write on post-it notes the main
physical changes that they think will occur during puberty. Pairs stick post-it notes onto the body outlines.
As whole class make links between different words used for the same term e.g. Willy for penis, boobies,
baps, tits for breasts. Move these post-it notes together in a group and make sure that children know the
correct medical term. KEEP THIS FOR LATER USE IN THE PLENARY AN D FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
Activity 3 (optional)
Read Hair in Funny Places by Babette Cole. As a whole class, list the physical changes that happened to
the two characters, caused by ‘Mr and Mrs Hormone’. Ask the children to reflect on the female
character’s concern that she was not developing at the same rate as her friends. Explain what hormones
are and that they are activated at different times for different people and for males and females (females
often start earlier). Explore how the two parents felt about each other and explain that puberty includes
emotional changes such as fancying boys or girls. (This is a suggestion from the Christopher Winter Project
in Year 4, included here as it may or may not be useful depending on what has previously been covered and
maturity of class).
Activity 4
Living and Growing. Explain to the class that they will be watching a film about puberty, and in particular
about the physical changes that occur at that time. Show Living and Growing, Unit 2, Programme 4,
Changes. Stop the film as the children walk away from the shop saying “One day we’ll be grown ups
maybe even mums and dads” – “Give you a race”.
DVD Discussion Ask the children to think about what they’ve seen. What did I learn? What surprised me?
Discuss the film with the class, asking open-ended questions about puberty. Were there any additional
changes mentioned in the film that we haven’t talked about so far? In what ways do feelings change
during puberty? (adapted from The Christopher Winter Project)
Note: If programme 4 has been shown already in Yr3/4 you may wish to consider showing all or part of
Unit 3 Programmes 7 and 8 ‘Girl talk’ and ‘Boy talk’ and following up with discussion questions similar to
those given above.
Spring 2 UKS2 Yr5/A Lesson 2
DIFFERENTIATION
A small group only could be taken to hear the Babette Cole book “Hair in Funny Places”. Make an
information poster detailing what physical changes occur during puberty. Use the Christopher Winter
Project Puberty Problem Page.
PLENARY
Return to the body outlines from Activity 2. Does anyone want to add any more information after the
DVD? As a whole class make a list of positive and exciting aspects of entering puberty and starting to grow
up, e.g. being given more responsibility, staying out later, getting taller. Discuss how puberty can be
managed.
KEY QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is puberty?
Why does it happen?
When does it happen?
How can the changes be managed?
How long does puberty last?
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
What physical changes happen to the body during puberty and why?
CROSS CURRICULAR LINKS
Core skills
Writing opportunities
Speaking and Listening opportunities
 DVD discussion and class based discussion
Use of ICT
Mathematical skills
HOME LEARNING ACTIVITY
Keep a record of all the advertisements on television and in magazines that are linked to puberty. List
them and record what they are for e.g. Clearasil for acne.
EVALUATION
Spring 2 UKS2 Yr5/A Lesson 2