1. 2.1.2 My body is changing
I recognise that how my body changes can affect how I feel about myself and how I may behave (HWB 2-47a)
I can describe the physical and emotional changes during puberty, understand why they are taking place and the importance of personal hygiene (HWB 2-48a)
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2. What is puberty?
Puberty is the time in your life when your body begins to change, this change helps your body prepare for when you eventually become an adult. Some changes you can see, and some changes you can’t see as they happen inside your body. It is also a time when your emotions can make you feel things very strongly. Some of the changes that happen to boys and girls are so that when you are grown up your body is ready to have sex and make a baby.
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3. When does puberty happen?
This is different for everybody. Some changes in your body might be happening now, some will happen when your body is ready at a later time, this might be when you are still in primary school, but it might be when you are a bit older and you have moved up to secondary school.
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4. When we go through puberty what happens to…
Hair
Voices
Body shape
Skin
Smell
Breasts
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5. Hair
For both boys and girls, hair can grow on your face, around your genitals (private parts), arm pits (under your arms) and on your body.
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6. Skin
Both girls and boys can get spots (acne). Spots happen because your skin gets oilier.
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7. Body shape
Boys can get broader across the shoulders and for girls they can be more round around their hips or thighs.
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8. Breasts
Boys can get broader across the shoulders and for girls they can be more round around their hips or thighs.
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9. Voices
Boy’s voices can get deeper. Girls voices might become deeper too.
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10. Created by Kues - Freepik.com
Smell
Created by Kues - Freepik.com
Boys and girls sweat more when they go through puberty, bacteria grow in this sweat and can make it smell. It is important for girls and boys to be aware that they might be smellier, so it is important to wash and change clothes regularly.
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11. Periods. Another word for periods is menstruation.
A girl has her period when her body gets ready to be pregnant and have a baby. Of course, having a baby is something that a girl does when she is grown-up, but the girl’s body is preparing for when this might happen. A girl’s period usually happens once a month. During her period, a girl has some blood that comes out of her vagina. When a girl has her period, she will wear a sanitary towel or tampon, this captures the blood.
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12. More about periods (menstruation)
When a baby girl is born she has all the eggs she will ever need already in her ovaries. The egg is one part of what is needed to make a baby.
When a girl reaches puberty, her ovaries will release an egg every month.
The egg travels from the ovary along the fallopian tube, eventually arriving at the uterus/womb.
Every month the uterus prepares to receive a fertilised egg by making a thick soft spongy lining.
The egg needs to meet with the sperm from the man to become fertilised. When this happens, it is the start of making a baby. If the egg isn’t fertilised by the end of 21 days then the uterus’s lining breaks up.
The lining passes out of the uterus through the vagina and this is what is known as a period.
To soak up the flow of lining, a girl can use a sanitary towel or tampon.
During a period, girls can feel that it is a bit painful or uncomfortable. Having a period can also make a girl feel emotional, which can cause her to seem a bit moody.
It is important to know that a girl can still do anything she wants when having a period.
You might be a bit worried about your first period, it’s good to talk with a trusted adult about any worries or questions.
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13. Erections and wet dreams.
An erection is the word for a penis that has become stiff. Sometimes this can happen without the boy wanting it to happen, it can be a bit embarrassing when this happens.
At the same time the, boy’s testes are making sperm. The sperm mixes with other fluids to make semen.
For the semen to come out, the boy’s penis needs to be stiff. When the semen comes out, it is called ejaculation.
It can happen in the night when a boy is asleep, this is called a wet dream because the fluid comes out. Wet dreams are normal. If it happens, you might need to use a tissue to clean up the semen, and make sure you change your pyjamas or pants.
You might be a bit worried about erections or wet dreams, it’s good to talk with a trusted adult about any worries or question.
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