Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

Understanding Puberty

This topic explores the amazing journey our bodies take as we grow up. We'll learn about the changes called puberty and see how they are a normal and natural part of becoming a young adult.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SPHE Curriculum: Myself - Growing and changing

• 15–25 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 20 min · Whole Class

Anonymous Question Box

Set up a sealed box in the classroom where pupils can submit anonymous questions about puberty on slips of paper. Dedicate time to read out and answer the questions with the whole class, ensuring a safe and open environment.

Identify the main physical changes that occur in boys and girls during puberty.

Facilitation Tip

Group similar questions together to answer them thematically and maintain the flow of discussion.

What to look for

Use an 'Exit Ticket' where pupils anonymously write down one new thing they learned and one question they still have on a piece of paper before leaving the class.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 25 min · Small Groups

Timeline Sorting Challenge

In small groups, pupils receive a set of cards detailing various physical changes. They must work together to place them on a large timeline, creating separate lines for the typical progression in boys and girls.

Explain why puberty is a natural part of growing up.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage discussion within groups about why they are placing a change at a certain point on the timeline.

What to look for

Observe and listen to small group discussions during the 'Timeline Sorting Challenge' to gauge understanding and identify any remaining misconceptions.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 15 min · Whole Class

Fact or Myth?

Present the class with a series of statements about puberty. Pupils move to one side of the room for 'Fact' and the other for 'Myth', then discuss their reasoning before the correct answer is revealed.

Compare the typical timeline of puberty for boys and girls.

Facilitation Tip

Use this activity to proactively address common misconceptions in a fun, interactive way.

What to look for

Provide pupils with a simple checklist of puberty topics. They can tick whether they feel they 'understand it well', 'know a little', or 'want to learn more'.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Create a safe and respectful atmosphere from the outset by establishing clear ground rules for discussion. Use an anonymous question box to encourage all pupils to participate without fear of embarrassment. It is vital to normalise the experience by repeatedly stressing that everyone develops at their own pace. Be prepared to answer questions honestly and in an age-appropriate manner, referring to your school's RSE policy.

By the end of these activities, pupils will be able to identify the key physical changes of puberty for boys and girls and explain why everyone's experience is unique.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Puberty happens to everyone at the exact same age, like on your 12th birthday.

  Puberty is a process that can start at different times for everyone, typically between the ages of 8 and 14 for girls and 9 and 15 for boys. It's completely normal for friends to start developing at different times.

• Getting your period is a sign that you are ill or something is wrong with your body.

  Menstruation, or getting a period, is a natural and healthy sign that a girl's body is maturing and is able to have a baby in the future. It is a normal part of growing up for females.

• Only your body changes during puberty; you still feel the same inside.

  Puberty involves emotional and social changes as well as physical ones. It's common to experience mood swings, new feelings, and a desire for more independence due to changing hormones.

• If you are tall, it means you have started puberty.

  While a 'growth spurt' is a key part of puberty, people are naturally different heights. Height alone doesn't indicate whether or not someone has started puberty.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation