Teaching Tool - Puberty - Female Reproductive System and Fetal Development

In this presentation, students will review how puberty affects the female reproductive system, and learn about the creation of new life from fertilization to birth.

Target audience: students in Grades 6
Length of core content presentation: 55 minutes

Criteria Met

Grade Ontario Curriculum Codes
6 Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education (2019) D2.5

Goals

In delivering this presentation, the teacher will:

  • Create a safe and comfortable environment in which students can learn and ask questions about growth and development through puberty and adolescence
  • Provide students with clear, quality information about the changes associated with puberty and reproduction
  • Encourage students to reflect on the resources and strategies that can support them through puberty and adolescence

Objectives

By the end of this presentation, students will:

  • Correctly identify physical and emotional changes associated with puberty
  • Understand the functions of the female reproductive system and how it develops during puberty
  • Understand how new life is created from fertilization to birth

Core Knowledge Content

Core knowledge content provides the teacher with the background information needed to prepare and teach this health class.

Learning Activities

  • Anatomy matching game (essential)
    Time: 25 minutes

    Materials

    Instructions

    • Cue the Female changes slide in the PowerPoint presentation
    • Organize the students into small groups of 2-3
    • Review age of puberty onset for females
    • Ask for a definition of reproduction or reproduce. Explain how that connects to puberty.
    • Inform students that they will be reviewing puberty in relation to the female reproductive system, but that first, students will see what they remember about the female anatomy.
    • Display the female anatomy definition cards around the room
    • Distribute the female anatomy labels cards to the students
    • Have students decide the definition under which each word belongs and then post the word under that definition
    • Review their choices in a logical sequence (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vagina) while using the diagrams of the female anatomy on subsequent presentation slides to show the structures and explain their function including ovulation and menstruation.
    • After the final slide discussing menstruation, cue Questions? slide and pause to ask students if they have any questions

    Variations

    • Continue the lesson with a presentation on fertilization/conception, pregnancy, and birth (beginning on the next slide)
    • Before continuing with presentation, pause after this activity/discussion to complete the Here come those words again! (female) crossword puzzle

    Source: teachingsexualhealth.ca

  • Fertilization, conception, and pregnancy (essential)
    Time: 25 minutes

    Materials

    Instructions

    • Following the section of the presentation on the female reproductive system, cue the slide entitled 'A new life begins'
    • Inform students that now that they have reviewed the male and female reproductive systems (they will have seen the male reproductive system in the previous lesson), they will be learning about how these systems are involved in creating new life, from fertilization through to birth
    • Using the slides and speaker's notes in the presentation, present information to students using accurate terminology to describe fertilization/conception
    • Introduce the stages of pregnancy and basic fetal development
    • Explain the importance of the mom making healthy choices both before and during pregnancy
    • Explain the difference between fraternal and identical twins

    Variations

    • Expand the discussion to encourage students to reflect on reasons to delay pregnancy until adulthood.
      • A new baby takes a lot of time and requires lots of support. Even though a teenager can get pregnant discuss with the class if they think that they should? Why/why not?
  • Here comes those words again!
    Time: 10 minutes

    Materials

    Instructions

    • Distribute a crossword puzzle to each student
    • Allow students to complete the crossword puzzle individually or in pairs
    • Review the answers as a class, supplementing or clarifying information as needed
  • Question box / envelope
    Time: 15 minutes

    Materials

    • Question box or envelope

    Prepare ahead

    • Review questions in the box in advance of your class
      • In order to have the time to address all concerns consider grouping the questions into themes
      • If any questions are inappropriate, do not read them aloud to the class. In this case, inform the class that if students have any questions that were not addressed in class, they may approach the teacher later for further discussion or direction.
    • Review information in Core Knowledge Content as needed in preparation for answering questions

    Instructions

    • Explain to students that all questions in the box are important but that does not necessarily mean that all questions are appropriate for class discussion as they may fall outside of the curriculum guidelines for this grade
    • Explain that students who have not had their question addressed may approach the teacher for further discussion and direction
    • Answer as many questions as possible based on the amount of time available. If unable to answer all questions then either defer to the next class or arrange for the school nurse to visit to address any remaining questions

    Variations

    • After discussing questions from the question box/envelope, invite students to share their experiences talking with a trusted adult as per the Reaching out about puberty activity from the previous lesson
    • Remind students not to identify or share personal information about the adult they consulted
      • How did you feel when you approached the person?
      • How did the person react?
      • What surprised you about the conversation?
      • Do you feel you learned anything through this conversation (e.g. about the person, about yourself, about puberty, about your relationship)?

Consult Your School's Public Health Nurse

Your school's public health nurse can help you prepare for delivering this presentation and can assist you in developing engaging projects and extension activities. To reach your school's public health nurse, contact healthyschools@niagararegion.ca or 905-688-8248 ext. 7379.

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