Gestation and birth in humans
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the growth of a foetus and the process of giving birth.
Key learning points
- A zygote divides to become an embryo, which then develops into a foetus made of different cells and tissues.
- The human gestation period is about 40 weeks.
- The foetus grows in an amniotic sac which is filled with amniotic fluid for protection.
- The mother provides all the nutrients that the growing foetus needs and gets rid of waste products through the placenta.
- During birth, the cervix opens and the uterus wall contracts to push the baby out through the vagina.
Keywords
Foetus - The foetus is the stage of human development between an embryo (at around 8 weeks) up to when the baby is born.
Umbilical cord - The umbilical cord joins the placenta to the foetus. It carries the nutrients and oxygen needed from the mother.
Contractions - Waves of muscle contractions in the uterus wall during childbirth push the baby down through the vagina.
Placenta - The placenta is an organ that is attached to the uterus wall; it provides the foetus with oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood.
Amniotic sac - The amniotic sac surrounds the foetus and contains fluid which protects it.
Common misconception
Mixing up the terms zygote, embryo and foetus. Thinking that the mother's blood mixes with the foetus' blood in the placenta.
The lesson explores how the zygote divides, grows and develops in stages including embryo and foetus until the baby is ready to be born. The foetal and mother's blood vessels are close to each other in the placenta but the blood doesn't mix.
Teacher tip
For the final task pupils might like to do a comic strip, or a stop-motion video using plasticine or white board drawings.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of nudity
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Humans reproduce via which type of reproduction?
Q2.What is the male sex cell (gamete) in humans called?
Q3.Which of the statements about a zygote is incorrect?
Q4.In human reproduction, fertilisation takes place in one of the two which are part of the female reproductive system.
Q5.True or false? On average, human females release one egg per menstrual cycle.
Q6.How many chromosomes does a human zygote have?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.On average, how long is the human gestation period?
Q2.Put the stages of human development into the correct order, from fertilisation to birth.
Q3.True or false? The amniotic sac contains amniotic fluid.
Q4.Which statements about the role of the placenta are incorrect?
Q5.Which of the following does the amniotic sac and fluid provide to the growing foetus?
Q6.Put the stages of human birth into the correct order.
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Gestation and birth in humans, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Gestation and birth in humans, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Reproduction in humans unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.