1. Natural Sciences Grade 7
Term 1: Life and Living
Sexual Reproduction in Humans (Part 1)
(PPT 5)

2. Topic 3 Sexual Reproduction
The Human Life Cycle
Natural Sciences – Grade 7

3. The purpose of sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction allows humans to reproduce (have a baby).
This means, the male sex cells need to find and join the female sex cell.
Fertilisation happens when these two cells join together.
Human male sex cells are called sperms.
Human female sex cells are called eggs.
Refer to the diagramme on the next slide to explain this more clearly.
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

4. Male and female sex cell join to develop into a baby
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

5. The Human Life Cycle Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Explain that after a baby is born, it goes through many stages of development.
As a young child, it grows physically and mentally.
When the child becomes a teenager, the body and mind start to get ready to begin a family and become fully adult.
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

6. Puberty Humans are born with reproductive organs.
Our reproductive organs develop when we are between 9 and 18 years old.
This period is called adolescence.
Puberty is the first part of adolescence when most changes happen in our bodies:
In girls, puberty starts between ages 7 and 13.
In boys, puberty starts between ages 9 and
15.
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

7. Puberty This is when your body changes from a child to an adult.
The process is controlled by hormones.
Hormones are produced by glands such as the pituitary gland in your brain.
Humans go through different changes:
Physical = the way we look
Emotional = the way we feel
Psychological = the way we think
Explain that an older person thinks differently to a child. This is because of the changes that have taken place within that person.
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

8. Puberty You start becoming interested in the opposite sex.
It is natural to feel this way.
This does not mean that you must have sex.
You can learn to control your thoughts and feelings.
This means that you must act responsibly.
Opposite sex – for a boy, the opposite sex is a girl, and reversed.
Responsible – to act in a way that is good for yourself and other people (accountable).
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7

9. Puberty and changes to the sex organs
Many of the physical changes during puberty happen inside the body where we cannot see them.
Other changes happen to the sex organs.
Boys sometimes refer to their private part as a winky or a toti or other names. But the proper word is a penis.
Girls sometimes call their private part a flower or other name, but the proper word is a vagina.
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7
Natural Sciences - Grade 7