For professionals
Puberty and the body.
Help students explore how bodies develop, understand natural variation and learn where they can find answers to questions.
Review preparation and follow-up guidance before teaching. Use fictional examples so students can explore the topics while keeping their personal experiences private. You can also print this page from your browser.
For 8–12 · Approximately 30 minutes
The body grows and changes
What students will learn
- Describe three changes that may happen as a person grows.
- Explain puberty and hormones in their own words.
- Know whom to ask about their body.
Preparation
Have paper, pens and a simple drawing of a body ready. Familiarise yourself with the explanation before the lesson. The activities build understanding from the beginning.
Explain the topic to students
Perhaps you've noticed that your trousers have become shorter, your sweat smells different or hair is growing under your arms. As you grow, your body changes. During one part of growing up, several new changes happen. This period is called puberty.
Hormones are substances your body makes that carry messages between different parts of the body. Some of these messages help the body grow and develop. You may get spots, breasts may grow and your voice may become deeper. You might notice that body parts between your legs also grow or change shape. These are called the external genitals. The body also has reproductive organs inside. The changes happen at different times for different people.
Activities and teaching steps
1. Start with what students already know · 5 minutes
Ask what can change as a child grows. Write general suggestions on the board. Explain that you will learn about bodies in general and that each student chooses how they take part in the discussion.
2. Make a map of changes · 15 minutes
Read the explanation for students. Draw a body on the board. Place the words growth, hair, skin, voice and breasts around it. Explain each word with an example. Have students choose two words and write or draw what they mean. Show that development can follow different orders and speeds.
3. Find somewhere to ask questions · 10 minutes
Use this fictional example: 'Kim has a question about a new change in their body.' Have students suggest whom Kim could ask. Show where the school nurse can be found at your school and practise saying: 'I've noticed something and would like to ask about it.'
Questions for reflection
- Why can two people of the same age be at different stages of development?
- What might make it easier to ask an adult?
- How can we speak respectfully about bodies?
Conclude the lesson
Write or draw one change and name one adult you could ask.
For 13–17 · Approximately 30 minutes
Development, body image and comparison
What students will learn
- Explain variation in pubertal development.
- Distinguish physical development from expectations about appearance.
- Find trustworthy professional information about a question concerning the body.
Preparation
Have access to Tidlignok and one of the sources. Prepare two fictional examples. Begin with concrete descriptions of bodies and development before introducing technical terms.
Explain the topic to students
Puberty involves growth and changes to the skin, hair, breasts, voice and genitals, among other things. Hormones are signalling substances that contribute to this development. The timing and speed of changes vary.
Images online show a selection of bodies and moments and may be edited. Physical development and an ideal of appearance are two different things. Healthcare professionals can assess individual concerns about your own development.
Activities and teaching steps
1. Distinguish observation from judgement · 5 minutes
Write 'The voice has changed' and 'The body should look different'. Ask students to explore the difference between a concrete description of physical development and an expectation about how a body ought to look.
2. Work with two examples · 15 minutes
Alex compares their body with classmates. Noor compares their body with pictures online. Working in pairs, students identify questions they would ask, possible trustworthy sources and a supportive comment. Bring the conversation back to knowledge, variation and how to support one another.
3. Check a source · 10 minutes
Open a reliable professional source about puberty. Find who published it, when it was updated and what variation it describes. Ask students to formulate one question they could bring to the school nurse if uncertain.
Questions for reflection
- What is the difference between development and a beauty ideal?
- How can you recognise a source you can trust?
- How can we support a friend who compares their body with other people's?
Conclude the lesson
Write down one aspect of development that varies and one way to get a professional answer.
Follow up on students' needs
Invite a private conversation if a student is worried about development, pain or other symptoms. Healthcare professionals assess whether examination is needed. Use general examples and knowledge about physical variation so that individual students' development remains private.
Guidance for conversationsSchool adjustments and support
Sources and professional background
These are the sources used. The activities and conversation examples were developed by Tidlignok. Adapt the material to your group and follow current local procedures.