GrowingUpandLikingIt
60MinuteHealthLesson
InteractiveVideoConferencing
Grades: 5 - 6 TEACHERGUIDE
GrowingUpandLikingIt:PonderingPuberty
Description
Learnthesciencebehindthechanging
adolescentbodyandfindoutwhattoexpect
ontheroadtoadulthood.Studentswill
meetaprofessionalhealtheducatorand
discussphysicalandchemicalchangesthat
occurinthebodyduringpuberty.Withthe
aidoffundemonstrations,modelsand
specimens,wewilldiscusshuman
reproductiveanatomy,menstruation,
nocturnalemissionsandotherissues.
NOTE:Thislessonisdesignedforboysand
girlstoexperiencetogether,butifyou
prefersingle-gendergroupspleasespecify
thiswhenschedulingyourprogram.
Objectives
Describetherelationshipbetween
hormonesandthephysical/mentalchanges
humansexperiencethroughoutpuberty.
Identifytypicalphysicalandemotional
changesthatoccurduringadolescence.
Compareandcontrastchangesinmaleand
femalebodiesduringchildhood,
adolescence,andadulthood.
Identifymajorstructuresandfunctionsof
femaleandmalereproductivesystems.
Describetheprocessesofovulation,
menstruation,spermproduction,
ejaculation,andconception.
Recognizethatindividualswillexperience
pubertydifferentlyandstillbenormal.
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NationalHealthEducationStandards
Grades3-8:Standards2,7,8
• Studentswillanalyzetheinfluenceoffamily,peers,culture,media,technologyandother
factorsonhealthbehaviors.
• Studentswilldemonstratetheabilitytopracticehealth-enhancingbehaviorsandavoid
orreducehealthrisks.
• Studentswilldemonstratetheabilitytoadvocateforpersonal,familyandcommunity
health.
BeforeYourProgram&HowToSetUpYourRoom
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Arrangeyourroomsoallstudentscanseeandhearusclearlyduringtheconnection.
Duetothesensitivenatureofthistopic,werequireateachertoremainintheroomwithus
duringtheseprograms.
Withthistopic,studentsareoftenshytoaskquestionsaloud.Beforeourconnection,invite
yourstudentstoanonymouslywriterelevantquestionstheywouldliketohaveanswered
ontoslipsofpaperandputtheslipsofpaperintoacontainer.Yourmuseumeducatorwill
askforvolunteerstoreadthemduringthesecondhalfofthepresentation.
Sharethelastpagesofthisguide,ourQ&AAbout‘GrowingUpAndLikingIt’,withany
parentsorteacherswhohavequestionsaboutthisprogram.
Vocabulary
adolescence–periodoftransitionfromchildhoodtoadulthoodmarkedbyphysical,mentaland
emotionalchangesthatindicatereadinessforsexualmaturity(reproduction)andpsychological
independence.See“puberty.”
endocrinesystem–agroupofglandsthroughoutthebodythatproducehormones,which
controlmanyaspectsoflife,includinggrowth,metabolismandreproduction.Theseglands
includethepituitary,thymus,thyroid,pancreas,adrenals,testesandovaries.
endometrium–innerliningoftheuterusthatproducesextrabloodvesselsandtissueinorder
tonourishadevelopingembryo.
ejaculation–muscularcontractionsthatsendsemenoutofthepenis.
erection–enlargementandstiffeningofthepenisduetobloodflowintothetissuesofthe
penis.
estrogen–femalesexhormoneproducedbytheovariesthatsignalsdevelopmentoffemale
characteristicsandinducesmenstruationandthegrowthoftheendometriumduringthefirst
halfofthemenstrualcycle.
hormone–achemicalmessengerinthebodyproducedbyglandsandcarriedbythe
bloodstreamtoanotherorgan,whereitsignalssomethingtohappeninthatorgan.
mammaryglands–milkproducingorgansoffemalemammals,whichprovidefoodforinfants;
breasts.
menstrualcycle–regularcycleofhormonechangesfromthebeginningofmenstruationtothe
beginningofthenextmenstruation;occursevery28daysonaverageduringawoman’s
reproductiveyears.
menstruation–theperiodicsheddingoftheliningoftheuteruswhichresultsintissueand
bloodflowoutofthevagina.Occursapproximatelyonceamonthabouttwoweeksafter
ovulation,andmarksthebeginningofthemenstrualcycle.
nocturnalemission–ejaculationofsemenduringsleep,whichisnormalinadolescentmales;
commonlycalledawetdream.
ovulation–releaseofamatureovum(eggcell)bytheovary;occursabout14daysbefore
menstruation.
ovum–femalesexcell,oregg,releasedbytheovaryduringovulation.
progesterone–femalesexhormoneproducedbytheovariesthatsignalsdevelopmentofthe
liningoftheuterusduringthesecondhalfofthemenstrualcycleinpreparationfor
implantationofthefertilizedovum(egg).
puberty–periodofgrowthanddevelopmentduringwhichsexualcharacteristicsformandan
individualbecomescapableofreproduction.See“adolescence.
semen–fluidcontainingnourishingandprotectivesubstancesthattransportsspermoutofthe
penisduringejaculation.
sperm–malesexcellsproducedbythetestes.
testosterone–malesexhormoneproducedbythetestesthatsignalsdevelopmentofmale
characteristicsandproductionofsperm.
ExtensionActivities
1) ReproductiveAnatomyWorksheets
Havethestudentsworkingroupsorindividuallytolabelthenamesandfunctionsofthe
reproductiveanatomypartsshownontheattachedworksheets.
2) KidsHealth.orgWebSearchOption
Havethestudentsworkingroupsorindividuallytosearchwww.KidsHealth.orgtofindthe
namesandfunctionsofthereproductiveanatomypartsshownontheattachedworksheets.
Ontheworksheets,labeltheparts.Ifthisactivityisdoneathome,pleaseencouragethem
todothiswiththeirparentsorguardians.
OnlineResourcesforTeachersandStudents
Clickthelinkbelowtofindadditionalonlineresourcesforteachersandstudents.These
websitesarerecommendedbyourMuseumEducatorsandprovideadditionalcontent
informationandsomefun,interactiveactivitiestosharewithyourclass.
ClevelandMuseumofNaturalHistoryhttps://cmnh.org/edlinks
CMNHEducatorsregularlyreviewtheselinksforquality.Webaddressesoftenchangesoplease
notifyusifanylinkshaveissues.
ParentandTeacherInformationaboutThisProgram
THEFORMAT
Wewilluseaslideshowtoguidethediscussion,andinvitestudentstoaskquestionsduringour
talk.Twoslideexamplesareshownbelow.
Wewillhaverealisticmodelsandspecimensondisplayduringthepresentation,including:
• Plasticmodelsofmaleandfemalereproductiveanatomy(similartoimagesbelow)
• Replicasofhumanpelvisbonesandaninfantskull
• Preservedspecimens–uterus&endocrineglands
• Commercialhygieneproducts(menstrualpads,tampons,deodorant,acneproducts,
athleticcup)
THEQUESTIONS
Asanyeducatorwhohandlesthistopiccantellyou,moststudentswillaskspecific,healthrelatedquestions.Occasionally,wedoreceivewrittenquestionsaboutsexualbehaviororslang
terminology;theschoolrepresentativeintheroomalwayshas‘vetopower’overstudent
questions,andoureducatorswillalwaysanswerinascientific,non-judgmentalmanner.
QUESTIONSWE’VEHEARDFROM5THAND6THGRADESTUDENTS,
ANDOURANSWERS
Q:
WhenwillIstartgrowingpubichair/gettingmyperiod/having‘wetdreams’?
A:
“Everyonedevelopsinaslightlydifferentway,andtherangeofagesforkids
enteringpubertyisfrom9-15.Girlsgenerallybeginseeingphysicalchangesbeforeboys.
Scientistscallpubicandunderarmhair‘secondarysexualcharacteristics’,whichmeansthat
itindicatesyourbodyisapproachingsexualmaturitybutdoesn’taffecttheactualabilityto
reproduce.”
Q:
Whatisacondom/tamponfor?
A:
“Acondomisathinrubbertubethatisputoveraman’spenistoavoidhissemen
touchinganotherperson’sbody.It’susedtoreducethechanceofagirlgettingpregnant,
andtoreducetransmissionofgerms.Atamponisasmallcottonplugthatisplacedina
girl’svaginatoabsorbmenstrualblood.”[Withanyquestionsaboutspecificproducts,we
stickwithashortdefinition.]
Q:
Whatdothewords‘virgin’and‘sex’mean?
A:
“Thedictionarydefinitionoftheword‘virgin’is,‘Onewhohasneverhadsexual
intercourse’.Therearealotofactivitiesbetweentwopeoplethatarecalled‘sexual
behavior’,butduringthisprogramweusetheword‘sex’specificallyreferringtoamaleand
afemalebeingtogether,becausethisishowagirlcangetpregnant.Anytimetwopeople
areinvolvedwithcontactbetweentheirreproductiveparts,itisgoingtoaffectthemboth
physicallyandmentally;youreallyneedtothinkaboutalltheconsequencesbeforedeciding
tobethatintimatewithanotherperson.”
Q:
Isitokaytomasturbate?
A:
“First,weneedtodefinetheword—itmeanstouchingyourowngenitalsfor
pleasure.Otheranimalsdothis—dolphins,horses,dogs,birds,monkeysandotheranimals
havebeendocumentedmasturbating.Somecultureshaverulesandtaboosagainstthisact,
othersdonot.Ifaadultinyourfamilyhastoldyouthatitiswrongtotouchyourownbody
parts,thenIrecommendthatyouaskthemforthereasonwhy,andusethatinformationto
decideifyouthinkitisokayornot.”
Wehandleall‘rightorwrong’questionsinthissamemanner—referringstudentsbackto
thetrustedadultsintheirfamilyorreligiousgroup.Forexample,ifastudentweretoask,
“Isitwrongtobegay?”wefirstdefine‘gay’asatermreferringtohomosexuality,orbeing
attractedtomembersofthesamesex.Wethenexplainthatsomepeopleseenothing
negativeaboutthesefeelings,andothersareuncomfortablewiththem.Itisuptothe
individualstudenttodecidetheirstanceonthisaspectofhumanbehavior,withadvicefrom
theirtrustedadults.
Q:
Whydopeopleenjoythe‘feeling’ofsex?
A:
“Ifwethinkaboutwhymaleandfemaleanimalswouldwanttomate,itistocreate
babies.Theprocessofnaturalselectionensuresthatanyactivityhelpingtokeepaspecies
alivetendstobepassedontotheoffspring.Itmakessensethatmatingwouldneedtobe
pleasurablefortheanimals,ortheywouldn’twanttodoitandtheywouldeventuallygo
extinct.Thesameistrueforhumans,sinceweareanimals.Theactivityofmating,or,aswe
callit,sex,shouldbeasafeandnon-threateningactivityforboththemaleandthefemale,
orwe’dgoextinct!”
ForMoreDetailsabout“GrowingUpandLikingIt”
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Parentsarewelcometolearnaboutthecontentandformatof“GrowingUpandLikingIt”by
viewingourshortvideo.Weshowthespecimensandeducationalmaterialsusedduringthe
program,andshareanswerstothemostcommonquestionsthatparentsoftenaskaboutthis
program.Pleasecontactusat1-216-231-8002orpoverhol@cmnh.organdwewillsendyouthe
link.
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VIDEOCONFERENCEQ&AWITHMUSEUMHEALTHEDUCATORS
o Ourhealtheducatorsarehappytodiscusstheseprogramswithyourschool’sstaffand
parentsofstudentsbeforetheevent.Thisdiscussionwilltakeplaceviaour
videoconferencingstudios;youwillneedacomputer,webcamandmicrophoneto
connectwithus.PleasecontactourSchedulerat216-231-4600ext.3215foravailable
datesandtimes,andfordetailsonhowtosetupthisvirtualmeeting.
Growing Up and Liking It
Gentlemen: You Have Them, But Can You Name Them?
Using the words below label the parts of the male reproductive system.
penis
urethra
scrotum
rectum
epididymus
testicle
bladder
prostrate
seminal vesicle
ductus deferens
bulbourethral gland
Name: ______________________________
Produced and published by the Education Division, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade
Oval Dr., University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106. Last updated 5/3/2016
Growing Up and Liking It
Ladies: You Have Them, But Can You Name Them?
Using the words below label the parts of the female reproductive system.
cervix
fimbria
uterus
ovary
ovum
vagina
oviduct
uterine lining
Name: ______________________________
Produced and published by the Education Division, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade
Oval Dr., University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106. Last updated 5/3/2016