Puberty in humans and sexual maturity
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe the changes that take place in human females and males during puberty and why these changes are necessary.
Key learning points
- During puberty in humans, the male and female bodies undergo changes.
- The reproductive systems mature to enable adult humans to reproduce.
- Other changes also prepare the body for reproduction.
- The changes happen because of sex hormones being produced.
- Females and males undergo some common changes but also changes that are specific to each sex.
Keywords
Puberty - Puberty is a name for the physical and psychological changes that take place when a child becomes an adult.
Hormones - Hormones are the chemical messengers released by, and transported around, the body.
Reproduction - Reproduction is the process of producing offspring.
Common misconception
Puberty happens overnight.
A clear slide with a guide to timings of puberty stating that it takes place over several years.
Teacher tip
Ask pupils what changes they think the human body undergoes during puberty, to initiate a class discussion.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of nudity
Depiction or discussion of sexual content
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is stored in the nucleus of a cell?
Q2.True or false? Humans reproduce by asexual reproduction.
Q3.How do humans grow?
Q4.What does reproduction produce?
Q5.What is produced when a sperm fertilises an egg?
Q6.Who is correct?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keyword to the definition.
Q2.Choose the name of the substance that controls puberty.
Q3.Match the changes in reproductive system to a boy or a girl.
Q4.Choose the physical change that is not associated with puberty.
Q5.Choose the two glands that release the sex hormones.
Q6.Which organs would you find in the female human reproductive system?
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Puberty in humans and sexual maturity, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 science lesson on: Puberty in humans and sexual maturity, 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.