Human Growth and Development: Puberty – JSS2 Basic Science Lesson Note (First Term)

Puberty is the stage of life between childhood and adulthood when the body matures and becomes able to reproduce.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define puberty and say how it starts;
2. state the differences between boys and girls at puberty;
3. list strategies for handling pubertal changes;
4. list the steps in decision-making;
5. describe some aspects of emotional development during adolescence.

What is puberty?

Puberty is the biological stage when a child’s body matures into an adult body, and it marks the start of adolescence.

• Adolescence: the period of growth from childhood to adulthood, which begins with puberty.
• Hormones: chemical substances that control the body’s growth and development.
• Sex hormones: hormones made by the reproductive organs that cause the changes of puberty.
• Reproductive organs: the ovaries in females and the testes in males.
• Secondary sexual characteristics: body changes of puberty, such as a deeper voice in boys and breast development in girls.

At what age does puberty begin?

• Girls: most reach puberty between 9 and 13 years.
• Boys: most reach puberty between 12 and 14 years.
• Individual differences: children grow at different rates, so some mature later than others.

How does puberty start?

Puberty starts when the pituitary gland at the base of the brain releases hormones that act on the reproductive organs.

1. The pituitary gland produces hormones.
2. The hormones travel in the blood to the ovaries in females and the testes in males.
3. The ovaries or testes then produce sex hormones.
4. The sex hormones cause the physical and emotional changes in the adolescent.

What are the differences between boys and girls at puberty?

Boys and girls both grow quickly at puberty, but some changes belong to one sex only.

Changes in boys

• Voice: it becomes deeper.
• Semen: it is discharged during sleep.
• Shoulders: they become broader.

Changes in girls

• Breasts: they develop.
• Menstruation: it begins.
• Hips: they become broader.

Table of differences

What are the kinds of pubertal changes?

There are four kinds of pubertal change: physical, emotional, social and internal.

• Physical changes: changes you can see, such as height, voice, breasts and body hair.
• Emotional changes: changes in moods and feelings, such as sadness or irritation.
• Social changes: changes in how the adolescent relates to family, friends and the peer group.
• Internal changes: changes inside the body, such as the activity of hormones and reproductive organs.

How can pubertal changes be handled in boys and girls?

Pubertal changes are handled by using basic coping strategies.

• Challenges faced: adolescents often feel a heightened sense of sexuality and a great deal of confusion.
• Identity: they struggle to form an identity.
• Independence: they may have false feelings of independence.
• Values: they have questions about conformity and confusion about values and views of life.

What are the strategies for handling pubertal changes?

• Personal hygiene and cleanliness: bathe regularly and wear clean clothes, since sweating increases at puberty.
• Self-acceptance: accept your body and know that the changes are normal.
• Emotional development: learn to understand and control your moods and feelings.
• Developing decision-making skills: learn to make wise choices using a clear set of steps.

What are the steps in decision-making?

1. Identify and define a problem.
2. Gather information about the problem.
3. Consider the advantages and the disadvantages.
4. Consider personal and family values about the possible alternatives.
5. Consider the impact of your decision on other people around you.
6. Choose the one option that will have the best outcome.
7. Decide and act on the decision cautiously.
8. Evaluate the outcome of your decision.

How does emotional development affect adolescents?

Emotional changes come with the physical changes of adolescence, and hormones affect a young person’s moods and emotions.

• Ups and downs: being a teenager can be difficult for both boys and girls.
• Examples: feelings of sadness and depression, and shifting feelings about family and friends.
• Reassurance: adolescents need to know that these changes are a normal part of growing.
• Interest in sexuality: it increases as boys and girls enter puberty.
• Maturity gap: sexual maturity comes before emotional maturity, social maturity and economic independence.
• Health risks: premarital sex carries health risks, so decisions made at this stage can affect the rest of a person’s life.

What are the aspects of emotional development in adolescence?

1. Self-consciousness: the adolescent worries about how others see them.
2. Desire for independence: the adolescent wants to act more freely.
3. Discomfort: rapid physical development can make the adolescent feel uneasy.
4. Mood swings: feelings change quickly and often.
5. Egocentric tendencies: the adolescent thinks mostly about themselves.
6. Anger and disillusionment: these appear when one’s ideas are not met.
7. Secrecy: adolescents become isolated and seek more privacy.
8. Inquisitiveness: they ask many questions and want to find things out.
9. Need for acceptance: they struggle to be accepted by the peer group.

Evaluation

1. What is puberty?
2. Which gland starts puberty, and what does it produce?
3. State three differences between boys and girls at puberty.
4. How can a teenager handle pubertal changes?
5. List the steps in decision-making.

Assignment

List five aspects of emotional development experienced during adolescence. Then explain two strategies a teenager can use to handle pubertal changes.