What's Happening to Me? A Guide to Puberty and Growing Up for Girls

We will use a website called Pear Deck (learners just open another window to participate) where the learners can drag a dot to the girl, boy, or both parts of the slides. Each slide features a different change that occurs during puberty. Regardless of which answer the learners choose (only the teacher can see where they moved their dots), we will go over each change (and whether it happens to girls, boys, or both). I will keep the discussion clear, accurate, and work in humor whenever possible. We will start the class by acknowledging the fact that this topic often makes us feel uncomfortable, but I will also stress how important it is to have accurate information about what is happening to your body. 

The changes we discuss are: bodies sweating more, body hair grows thicker, nipples darken, body produces more sex hormones, you may get pimples, hair begins to grow on chest, testicles start to produce sperm, sexual and romantic feelings are stronger and more frequent, breasts grow bigger, wet dreams may begin, erections are more common, eggs mature in ovaries, skin becomes oilier, hair grows under arms, hips get wider, you grow nearly to your full height, menstruation begins, you might want to use deodorant, scrotum darkens in color, penis and testicles get bigger, uterus and vagina grow larger, voice gets squeaky and deepens, hair grows around genitals, muscles grow larger and you become stronger, you gain weight.

Learners do not need any prior knowledge for this class. No one will see if they move their dot to the wrong part of the slide. 

If your child is reluctant to sign up for a class about puberty, they might like to take the class with a few friends. That way they can giggle about it together. Most learners remark, after the class, that it was easier to hear about "this stuff" from a teacher they don't know.