Lesson video

Hi, I'm Ms. Lowe, and I'm your RSHE teacher for today.

Thank you so much for choosing to complete your learning with me.

Now because of some of the topics covered in today's lesson, it's important that during your learning today, you are accompanied by an adult.

So by the end of today's lesson, you are gonna be able to describe the different changes experienced during puberty and explain when it's best to seek help and support.

Every RSHE lesson should begin with a set of ground rules.

This ensures that every conversation had in RSHE is respectful, and we're all able to learn effectively.

So Laura is reminding us that in RSHE, we should listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

And when disagreeing, we challenge the statement and not the person.

Andeep is reminding us to respect privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we don't use names or descriptions that can identify anyone, including ourselves.

Izzy is reminding us to choose a level of participation that suits us.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in a discussion, but we never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob is reminding us that in RSHE, there is no judgement.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without the fear of being judged.

So here are our key words for today's lesson.

Let's go through these definitions together.

So puberty, this is the process of changing from a child's body to an adult.

It usually starts between the ages of eight and 14.

Acne, a common skin condition that can cause spots and oily skin on the face, chest, and/or back.

Body odour, a smell that is caused by bacteria on the skin breaking down proteins in sweat.

It can become more noticeable during puberty as sweat glands become more active.

So here is the outline of today's lesson, and we're gonna start by looking at some of the changes that a person might experience during puberty.

We'll look at some physical changes and signs of puberty and also some emotional changes during puberty.

So puberty is when a child experiences the physical and hormonal changes that mark the start of the transition and change into adulthood.

It's also when young people start to become capable of reproduction or producing children.

So puberty happens at different times for different people.

Our nurse here is telling us that we are all different.

Everyone will experience puberty differently, whether that's the way that a person's body grows and develops, or at the time that a person starts puberty, we're all different.

So there's an average age for females to begin puberty, and this is 11 years old and the average age for males is 12.

However, it is possible for puberty to start anywhere between the ages of eight and 14.

And again, this process can take several years.

So let's check our understanding now about changes during puberty.

So puberty starts at different times for different people.

Is this true or false? I'd like you to pause the video here, have a think about your answer, and then we'll go through the correct one together.

Really well done if you said true.

Why is this true? Well, there's no exact age that a person will start puberty.

It's different for everyone.

However, most young people will start between the ages of eight to 14 years old.

Well done again if you've said true.

As you grow older, you'll notice lots of changes happening to your body as you begin to go through puberty.

And this change can be really exciting, but it can also be confusing and quite daunting as well.

But our doctor is reminding us of something amazing here.

She's saying, "Remember, everyone goes through puberty.

It's a really normal part of growing up.

We should try to celebrate our amazing bodies and the way that they adapt and change as you grow into being a young adult." So it's really important to remember here that no matter how confusing or daunting puberty can feel, it is a really amazing process and change that your bodies are going through, and it happens to everyone.

So here are some of the physical signs of puberty.

First is acne.

These are spots that can appear on the face, back and chest.

And this is caused by a buildup of oil underneath the skin.

And as this oil builds up, it can cause spots on the face, back and chest.

Hair growth, so you can grow facial hair, pubic hair, and hair on the chest.

Now, male bodies may experience more hair growth, particularly in places like the face, the chest or the back.

And this is caused by that hormone testosterone.

Body odour, so this is the sweat reacting to bacteria on the skin, and it starts to increase body odour.

So more physical changes is the development of muscles and growing taller.

Some people might even experience something called a growth spurt, which is where they grow tall quite quickly.

Male bodies will start to develop a larger penis and large testicles, and males will also develop a deeper voice.

Both male and female bodies will develop muscle strength and breast tissue, and female bodies will start to experience menstruation, also known as your period.

Now, puberty isn't just physical changes; there's also changes and developments happening in our brains as well.

And this can make puberty quite an emotional time.

And feelings can change quite quickly.

You might also experience new emotions that you haven't felt before.

Things like insecurity, romantic attraction, irritability, increased sensitivity, anxiety, risk taking behaviour, and even changing moods.

So feeling emotional during puberty is very common, and it's a shared experience of all young people.

A common feature of puberty is mood swings.

So quite rapidly changing emotions, feeling great one minute, and then feeling quite frustrated or insecure or upset the next.

This is completely typical during puberty.

However, it's really important to assume that if we see someone our age experiencing negative emotions, like anxiety or frustration or insecurity, that we don't just immediately assume that it's due to puberty.

We should see if anything else might be causing these feelings.

So let's do a quick check for understanding now about some of those changes and those signs that puberty has started.

So which of these is not a physical sign of starting puberty? Is it developing acne, starting your period, increased sensitivity, or developing muscles? I'd like you to pause the video now, have a little look through those options and then we'll join back together in a moment and go through the correct answer.

Really well done if you said increased sensitivity.

How did we know it was increased sensitivity? Well, increased sensitivity is a hormonal change.

It's an emotional change.

The hormones in our bodies can sometimes lead to our emotions becoming stronger and more intense.

It can also lead to what we referred to before as mood swings, so rapidly changing emotions.

So really well done if you've got the answer correct there.

So now let's have a think about why these changes happen.

Hormones from the brain trigger the start of puberty.

And what hormones are, they are chemical messengers made in the brain that tell the body what to do.

So our nurse here on the left is telling us that for males, puberty means an increase in the hormone testosterone, which is made in the testicles.

Our doctor on the right here are saying that for female bodies, puberty means an increase in the hormone oestrogen, and this triggers the growth and release of eggs from the ovaries.

So Laura thinks it is really embarrassing to talk about puberty.

She says you can learn everything that you need to know about it from reading information online.

But Laura's teacher disagrees.

They say it might feel embarrassing at first, but puberty happens to everyone, and you'll actually feel better if you talk about it with someone.

And although there are some reliable websites online, a lot of information on the internet is incorrect and can actually be purposefully false.

If we can understand the different experiences that young people have during puberty, we can learn to understand and support each other better.

So no matter how embarrassed or uncomfortable you feel about talking about puberty, remember everybody goes through it.

And it's really important that if you have any concerns whatsoever, that you speak to a trusted adult.

When we experience lots of physical and emotional changes, it's really understandable that we might feel confused.

It's important that we have the correct information and advice to help us understand and manage these changes.

And we can get this information from a range of places.

We can get it from a trusted adult, we can get it from reliable websites, and we can also get advice from a medical professional.

So let's check our understanding now about those changes during puberty.

So Laura, as we saw before, isn't quite sure where to get advice about puberty.

I would like for you to try to name three different places that Laura could go to in order to get reliable advice.

I'd like you to pause the video here, have a think about those three different places, and then we'll go through the correct answers together.

Excellent work.

So some of the answers that you might have said are reliable websites, a trusted adult, or a medical professional.

Well done if you've got those three sources of reliable advice correct.

Now we are going to put our learning to practise.

So on your worksheet, you can see the outline of a person and around this person, I would like for you to list the changes that occur during puberty.

And you're going to do that around the outline of the figure.

So you're gonna pause the video here, have a think about some of those changes that occurred during puberty.

Remember to think about emotional changes and physical changes.

And then we'll join back together in a few moments, and we'll go through some of the possible things that you could have listed.

So your completed diagram might look something like this.

So we have menstruation, developing breasts, a deeper voice, body odour, hair growth, acne, penis and testicles developing in size, emotional changes, and growing muscles.

Well done if you listed any of those things down about changes that take place during puberty.

Moving on now to the second part of our lesson, and we're gonna have a think about managing some of those changes that take place during puberty.

It is common to feel worried about changes experienced during puberty occurring faster or slower than other people.

Good friends will help to reassure each other that everyone is different, and we should try not to compare ourselves to our friends and peers.

So Sofia here is saying, "Some of my friends in school have already developed breasts and are wearing bras.

I haven't yet.

Is this unusual?" The doctor here is reassuring Sofia, and she's reminding her that everyone develops at different times, but if you are worried, then you can always ask for help.

So our nurse here is saying that some of the symptoms of puberty can be really difficult to adjust to, and it can make people feel quite self-conscious.

But our doctors reminding us that none of these symptoms last forever.

Nurses reminding us that what we see in the media isn't a representation of normal.

Our bodies don't have to match up, and we are all different.

And that's really, really important to remember that we are all different, and the way that a person's body changes and develops during puberty and the time that those changes in developments happen are going to be different for everyone.

However, if you are worried, then, talking to someone can be really helpful.

This could be anyone, it could be a parent or a carer, a teacher, an older sibling, a medical professional, or another trusted adult.

Everyone experiences puberty, so they will definitely understand.

It's nothing to be embarrassed or concerned about.

Everyone goes through it.

And we should make sure that we feel comfortable talking to people if we have any concerns.

I'm gonna check our understanding now about managing some of those changes during puberty.

So if you are struggling to manage changes during puberty, you could ask a trusted adult, ask the internet or ask a friend.

I'd like you to pause the video now and have a think about who you could go to to manage those changes during puberty, and then we'll join back together in a moment and go through those answers.

Really well done if you said to ask a trusted adult.

And the reason why we ask a trusted adult is that they have been through puberty themselves.

They'll have a really good understanding of what puberty's like, and they can help you to manage some of those changes.

When it comes to the internet, we can't be certain that the stuff that we read online is reliable.

So it's important to talk to a trusted adult.

One of the changes that young people experience during puberty is acne.

And this can happen on different areas of the body, but it's most common for acne to appear on the face, the back, the chest, the neck, and the shoulders.

Now developing acne during puberty is common, and it's a sign that puberty is happening.

This is not a sign of being dirty.

Acne is a common skin condition, and it's just a natural part of our bodies growing and developing.

Remember, it's just a buildup of oil underneath the skin.

And as we go through puberty, that oil production becomes more active, making acne more likely.

So acne is caused by overactive oil glands in the skin and a buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells.

And this leads to swelling, redness in pores.

So Izzy here is saying that her sister told her that one way to get rid of acne is to squeeze the spots.

She says it helps to get the dirt out of the pores.

Is this true? Well, although it can be really tempting to squeeze the spots, this should not be done.

And the reason why it shouldn't be done is that it can actually force the dirt deeper into your skin.

It can spread dirt, which can increase the breakout.

It can cause scarring, which will make acne take longer to heal, and it can even cause infection and become painful.

So there's lots of different ways to manage acne.

And these include washing the affected area regularly with an unscented cleanser.

Scented cleansers might cause that sensitive skin to become more irritated, so it's important to use an unscented cleanser.

Avoiding using too many products or even putting makeup directly on the spots.

'Cause what this can do is it can cause the dirt and bacteria to spread.

If acne is painful or it's infected, we've got to keep it clean and avoid touching the skin.

And the reason why we should avoid touching the skin, it's because of the oil that we have on our fingertips.

And when we touch our face, we're transferring that oil to our face.

And this can cause acne to worsen or even become infected.

If acne continues, it gets worse, or you cause distress by it, you can see a medical professional for advice.

Doctors can prescribe special medicated ointments that people can put on acne to help clear it faster.

So let's check our understanding now.

So Izzy is really struggling with acne.

Choose two of the options listed that could help her to manage it.

I'd like you to read through those three options, have a think about your answers, and then we'll go through them together.

Well done for giving that a go, and an extra well done if you said A, that Izzy should use a non-scented face wash regularly on the affected areas to keep her skin clean and see that if the acne is painful or it's causing distress, that she should see a medical professional for advice.

As we said, expensive or scented face washers, they're not often more effective than cheaper ones.

And all your acne needs is an unscented face wash to stop it from feeling more irritated or spreading the bacteria around the face.

So really well done if you said A and C.

So sweat or perspiration comes from the sweat glands in your body.

And during puberty, what happens is these glands become more active and different chemicals are produced.

So when these chemicals meet the bacteria on your skin, this creates body odour.

And this happens particularly under your arms. Now an increase in body odour during puberty is very common, but it can make a person feel more uncomfortable.

It could also make them feel a bit self-conscious.

But there are things that you can do to very easily manage body odour.

You could use a deodorant or antiperspirant, which reduces the bacteria that reacts with the sweat.

And there are lots of different types of deodorant or antiperspirant out there.

There are roll-ons, there are sticks, there are sprays, there are lots of different types of deodorant.

And the one that you use is just personal preference.

You could make sure to wash with soap regularly and always after exercising.

And you should wear clean, loose clothing to prevent them from absorbing the sweat and the smell and change your clothes regularly.

So three really easy ways to manage body odour.

So Sam is saying that her body odour is starting to become quite strong.

She's seen that you can buy scented body sprays and she's asking is that enough to get rid of it? Now, although body odour can be embarrassing, and it can be tempting to hide the smell with strong perfumes, this won't actually solve the problem of the bacteria which causes the sweat to smell.

Instead, use a deodorant or an antiperspirant, which reduces the bacteria that causes the body odour.

If your body odour is causing you distress, if you notice there's a significant change in the smell, or if you start regularly sweating more than before, you can go and see a medical professional for advice.

Now let's check our understanding here.

So what should Lucas do? I want you to try and think of at least one suggestion.

So Lucas is saying, "I used to wear my sports kit all day, but now I've noticed it's started to smell.

I find it embarrassing because I think others can smell it too.

I don't want to give up playing sport, but I'm not sure what to do." I want you to read Lucas's statement, and I want you to try and think of one thing that Lucas could do to help manage this issue.

So what should Lucas do? I asked you to think of one suggestion and your advice that you gave Lucas might have included that Lucas should wash his sports kit regularly.

Lucas could bring a set of clothes to get changed into after exercising.

He could use a deodorant or an antiperspirant to reduce the bacteria.

Or if his body odour continues to concern him, the smell changes, then Lucas should see a medical professional for help and advice.

Well done if you mentioned any one of those four things.

Now we're gonna put our learning into practise.

On your worksheet is a grid.

And I would like for you to complete the grid by giving advice for how to manage changes during puberty.

You should try to aim for two to three pieces of advice per problem.

So you're going to read through the issues that the person has on the left and you are going to give them two to three pieces of advice in that column to the right.

You're gonna pause the video here for a few minutes, have a think about your answers and write them down, and then we'll go through some possible pieces of advice that you could have given.

Really well done for giving that a go.

So let's have a think about some possible pieces of advice that you could have given.

We'll start with the first problem.

They've said, "My hair is really greasy, and my acne is getting worse.

What can I do to improve this?" So the advice that you could have given here is to say to wash the face regularly with an unscented soap or cleanser.

Avoiding using too many products on the skin, and if the acne is really challenging or causing you distress to see a medical professional.

Next, they've said, "I've squeezed some of the spots, but they've become really sore now.

It's really embarrassing.

What can I do to help?" The advice you could have given here is to avoid wearing makeup or putting too many products on the spots because this can add more dirt and bacteria.

To leave the skin alone, avoid touching it and give it time to heal.

You could have said that if the squeezed spots become very swollen or even infected, then to seek medical help.

And a big well done if you mentioned any of those pieces of advice in your answers.

We have done some excellent learning today.

So let's have a little look at a summary of what we have done so far.

So today we were looking at changes in puberty and when to seek help.

And puberty happens at different times for different people, but it normally occurs between the ages of eight and 17.

Body odour and acne are particularly common changes for young people, but it can make them feel self-conscious.

There are lots of things that can be done to help manage acne and body odour, but if people find them particularly upsetting or they don't improve over time, then it's advisable to seek medical advice from a professional.

Finally, sharing experiences can also help young people to realise that everyone goes through puberty, and they are not alone in their struggles.

Now if any of the topics covered in today's lesson affect you in any way, there are some places that you can go to to get support.

So first we have the NHS website, which is advice about health and prevention and includes how to access services, or Childline, a website and phone line, which is able to offer confidential advice and support.

And I'd like to end by saying a big well done for all of your amazing work that you've done during today's lesson.

I look forward to seeing you in another RSHE lesson soon.