Growing and Changing
Understanding physical and emotional changes as children grow, and recognising new responsibilities.
TL;DR:As 3rd Year students enter a period of significant physical and social transition, 'Growing and Changing' provides a vital space to discuss development. This topic covers the physical milestones of growth since infancy and the accompanying shift in social roles. It connects deeply to the 'Myself: Growing and Changing' strand of the NCCA curriculum, emphasizing that change is a natural, ongoing process that affects everyone differently.
About This Topic
As 3rd Year students enter a period of significant physical and social transition, 'Growing and Changing' provides a vital space to discuss development. This topic covers the physical milestones of growth since infancy and the accompanying shift in social roles. It connects deeply to the 'Myself: Growing and Changing' strand of the NCCA curriculum, emphasizing that change is a natural, ongoing process that affects everyone differently.
Students also explore the concept of responsibility, linking their physical growth to their ability to contribute more to their families and school community. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of growth and use collaborative investigations to compare their experiences with their peers.
Key Questions
- How have I grown since I was a baby?
- What new responsibilities do I have?
- How do my feelings change as I grow?
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionEveryone grows at the same rate and in the same way.
What to Teach Instead
Explain that growth is highly individual and influenced by many factors. Using a gallery walk to show diverse growth stories helps students visualize and accept these differences.
Common MisconceptionGrowing up only means getting bigger physically.
What to Teach Instead
Emphasize that emotional and social growth is just as important. Collaborative discussions about changing interests and responsibilities help surface this broader definition of maturity.
Active Learning Ideas
See all activities→Inquiry Circle
The Timeline of Me
Students work in pairs to create a comparative timeline showing physical changes and new responsibilities they have gained at ages 3, 6, and 9.
Gallery Walk
Responsibility Posters
Small groups design posters illustrating a 'New Responsibility' for a 9-year-old. Students walk around the room, adding sticky notes with tips on how to handle that responsibility successfully.
Think-Pair-Share
Changing Feelings
Students discuss how their reactions to certain situations (like a scraped knee or a lost toy) have changed as they have grown older, focusing on emotional maturity.