Young Explorers: Discovering Our World · 1st Year · Ourselves: Senses and Growth · Autumn Term

Growing Up: Changes Over Time

Students will compare their current abilities and physical characteristics to those when they were younger, recognizing patterns of growth.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Living Things
• NCCA: Primary - Myself

About This Topic

Students examine personal growth by comparing their current physical features and abilities to those from babyhood and a year ago. They use baby photos to note changes in height, weight, teeth, and hair, while reflecting on skills like crawling to walking, babbling to speaking full sentences, or scribbling to drawing shapes. This process highlights steady patterns of development in living things, directly tied to NCCA Primary strands on Myself and Living Things.

Growth study builds comparison skills, observation, and an understanding that humans, like other organisms, change over time through stages. Students assess indicators such as gaining strength for jumping higher, improved coordination for throwing balls, or better senses for identifying smells and sounds. These connections prepare them for broader biology concepts while nurturing self-esteem through positive recognition of progress.

Active learning excels with this topic because personal experiences make growth relatable and engaging. When students create timelines with family photos, measure body parts against past tracings, or demonstrate abilities in pairs, they actively construct knowledge from evidence, retain concepts longer, and discuss variations confidently.

Key Questions

1. Compare your current abilities with those you possessed as a baby.
2. Differentiate between what you can do now versus a year ago.
3. Assess the indicators that demonstrate ongoing growth and development.

Learning Objectives

• Compare physical characteristics, such as height and hair color, from baby photos to current images.
• Differentiate between motor skills demonstrated as a baby (e.g., crawling) and current skills (e.g., riding a bike).
• Identify at least three indicators of ongoing growth and development, such as increased vocabulary or improved coordination.
• Analyze personal changes over time by creating a simple timeline of abilities.

Before You Start

My Body

Why: Students need a basic understanding of their own body parts and functions before comparing changes over time.

Comparing Objects

Why: The ability to identify similarities and differences is fundamental to comparing past and present abilities and characteristics.

Key Vocabulary

Growth	The process of increasing in physical size, or developing over time. This includes getting taller, stronger, and learning new skills.
Development	The process of change and improvement in abilities and skills. It refers to how we learn to do new things and become more capable.
Milestone	A significant point or stage in development. For babies, this might be learning to walk or say their first words.
Physical Characteristics	The features of your body, like your height, eye color, hair color, and the number of teeth you have.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Growth happens all at once, like a sudden jump.

What to Teach Instead

Growth occurs gradually over time. Personal timelines with dated photos help students sequence changes and see steady progress, while peer sharing reveals everyone grows at their own pace through daily activities.

Common Misconception

Babies look exactly like tiny versions of grown-ups.

What to Teach Instead

Babies have distinct features like larger heads and softer features that proportion out. Comparing photos side-by-side in small groups lets students spot proportional changes, fostering accurate mental models through visual evidence.

Common Misconception

Growth only means getting bigger in size.

What to Teach Instead

Growth includes skills and abilities too. Demonstrating motor skills in pairs shows how coordination improves, helping students expand their definition beyond physical size via hands-on experience.

Active Learning Ideas

Timeline Station: My Growth Story

Provide paper strips for students to glue baby photos, recent photos, and drawings of abilities like 'crawled' to 'ran'. Label changes with simple words. Groups share one change per person, noting patterns. Display timelines on walls.

45 min·Small Groups

Measurement Pairs: Then and Now

Pairs trace hand spans and foot lengths on paper, then compare to parent-provided baby measurements or estimates. Discuss: 'How has my hand changed?' Record differences on charts. Extend to height marks on a class door.

30 min·Pairs

Ability Demo Circle: Baby vs Now

In a circle, students volunteer to act out a baby limitation like wobbly standing, then show current skill like hopping. Class claps and notes changes on a shared board. Rotate volunteers for full participation.

35 min·Whole Class

Growth Pattern Hunt: Individual Journals

Students draw or write three changes from last year, like 'taller, tie shoes, read words'. Add weekly updates on strength or skills. Share journals in pairs at term end.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Pediatricians track a child's growth using growth charts, comparing measurements like height and weight to established averages to ensure healthy development.
• Parents often create scrapbooks or digital albums with baby photos and videos to document and celebrate a child's early developmental milestones.
• Physical therapists help individuals regain or improve motor skills after injury or illness, assessing their current abilities and designing exercises to foster growth and development.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a worksheet showing two columns: 'When I Was a Baby' and 'Now'. Ask them to draw or write one physical change and one skill change they have experienced.

Quick Check

Ask students to stand up if they can do a specific action (e.g., 'Stand up if you can now tie your shoelaces, but couldn't when you were a baby'). Discuss the changes observed.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'What is one thing you can do now that you are very proud of, and how is it different from when you were younger?' Encourage students to share their thoughts and listen to classmates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are effective ways to teach growth changes in 1st class?

Start with baby photos and family stories to spark interest, then move to measurements and skill demos. Align with NCCA by linking to Living Things strand through observation of patterns. Use class timelines to visualize progress, ensuring all students contribute personally for inclusivity and engagement across abilities.

How can students compare baby abilities to now?

Collect baby photos and milestone lists from parents. Students sort cards with skills like 'roll over' vs 'skip', then demonstrate differences. This builds comparison vocabulary and connects past to present, reinforcing that development follows predictable yet individual paths in human living things.

What indicators show ongoing growth and development?

Track height, weight, teeth eruption, motor skills like throwing farther, and cognitive gains like naming colours. Weekly journals or class charts make these visible. Discussions help students predict future changes, tying personal evidence to scientific concepts of living organism stages.

How does active learning help teach growth changes?

Active methods like photo timelines, body measurements, and skill role-plays make abstract time-based changes concrete and personal. Students handle evidence themselves, discuss in groups to notice patterns and variations, and build ownership. This boosts retention, self-awareness, and skills like observation, outperforming passive lectures for 1st class engagement.