Human Growth and Development (4th grade)
Every year in the Spring, the elementary schools in the Plymouth District have a Parent Night regarding the lesson on Human Growth and Development with the 4th grade students. At the Parent Night, school counselors and the school nurse share the materials that will be presented to students and discuss the content of the curriculum (lesson). Parents are free to ask questions and decide if the lesson is appropriate for their student. If parents decide their family would rather present this information to their child, the parent needs to write a letter to their Principal excusing their student from that day's lesson.
The day the Human Growth and Development lesson occurs, the girls will go with the school nurse, school counselor and female teacher and the boys go with the male teachers. Students watch a 20 minute video explaining the physical changes that occur in puberty. Boys watch the boys video and girls watch the girls video. After the video, students can write down anonymous questions and the teachers will read the appropriate questions out loud and age appropriately answer the questions. Reproductive type questions are turned back to the families for answers.
Students recieve a booklet that explains the physical changes for each gender and the students are requested to not share these materials with the opposite sex or any students younger than themselves.
Parents who are unable to attend the parent night you can go to this website to view the videos that the students are shown. http://www.pgschoolprograms.com/ Go to the parents tab and scroll down to preview the videos.
Here are some books that could be helpful resources for your family to further the discussion of natural changes:
"What's Happening to Me?" A Guide to Puberty
"It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health"
"Boys Guide to Becoming a Teen"
"Boys Body Book"
"Girls Body Book"
"The Care and Keeping of You"
"Where Did I Come From?"
*You may want to look through the books first to make sure the material is appropriate for your child and your family values.*
The day the Human Growth and Development lesson occurs, the girls will go with the school nurse, school counselor and female teacher and the boys go with the male teachers. Students watch a 20 minute video explaining the physical changes that occur in puberty. Boys watch the boys video and girls watch the girls video. After the video, students can write down anonymous questions and the teachers will read the appropriate questions out loud and age appropriately answer the questions. Reproductive type questions are turned back to the families for answers.
Students recieve a booklet that explains the physical changes for each gender and the students are requested to not share these materials with the opposite sex or any students younger than themselves.
Parents who are unable to attend the parent night you can go to this website to view the videos that the students are shown. http://www.pgschoolprograms.com/ Go to the parents tab and scroll down to preview the videos.
Here are some books that could be helpful resources for your family to further the discussion of natural changes:
"What's Happening to Me?" A Guide to Puberty
"It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health"
"Boys Guide to Becoming a Teen"
"Boys Body Book"
"Girls Body Book"
"The Care and Keeping of You"
"Where Did I Come From?"
*You may want to look through the books first to make sure the material is appropriate for your child and your family values.*