Key Messages
- Puberty is the time in life when people change from a child into an adult (in their bodies, thinking and feeling).
Learning Intention
Students will: Be able to identify some physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during puberty.
Time
20 minutes.
Required Resources
- Class set of ‘They Tell Me This is Puberty' worksheets
Teaching Notes
This activity uses a scenario about a young person named Chris (gender and sex not specified). It is quite common that students will think Chris is a male because of the reference to genitals. This is a good opportunity to explain that all people experience feelings in their genitals despite not all bodies having erections. It is also a chance to challenge stereotypes that students may have about what makes someone male or female.
It is important to note that all bodies are different. This can include differences in how someone's body looks or how someone feels about their gender. When we discuss bodies, we are referring to a person's sex. We often separate bodies into two sexes – male and female. Some people's bodies work differently to what might be expected for a typical male or typical female body, and may be intersex. A person's sex is separate from their gender, which describes a person's identity. People may have different relationships to their bodies and identities. Because of this, the word ‘typically’ is used when referring to specific sexes. Students should be encouraged to apply the information that is fitting for them and their individual body.
Note: After discussing that it is not clear which sex or gender Chris identifies with, discuss the use of they/them pronouns to refer to Chris.
Procedure
- Read the scenario with the class.
- Instruct students to highlight or underline the changes of puberty in the story.
- Students to work collaboratively in groups of 4 and discuss the following. Questions below.
- All groups provide feedback about their discussion to the class.
- Explain to students that this story was written in a manner that Chris could be any sex or gender, as all changes outlined in the story happen to all bodies.
Questioning
- Does any part of the story indicate Chris' gender ? (Can explain sex which relates to anatomy and gender which relates to identity).
- How old is Chris?
- What are the issues about puberty that Chris has identified as a problem?
- How could Chris overcome these issues?
- What changes did Chris like?
- What are some other changess of puberty that people might look forward to?
- What changes of puberty are not in the story?
Other changes might include:
– Voice changes
– Periods
– Breast development
– Wet dreams
– Sperm development
– Genitals getting larger - What people or sources of information can an individual access if they have any further questions?