A Family Life Science Unit for Early Adolescents: Ages Eleven Through Thirteen
Kathleen London and Frank Caparulo
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Give FeedbackReference Sources of Information
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Calderwood, Deryck Ph. D., N.Y.U. Sexuality Program, Personal Correspondence, 1980
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Cohen, Donald M.D. and Richard, Frank M.D.,
Mental Health In Children
(Westbury, New York, 1975), Chapter “Preadolescence: A Critical Phase of Biological and Psychological Development”.
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Dickens, Charles,
Tale of Two Cities
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Erikson, Erik,
Childhood and Society
(New York, 1963).
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Kagan, Jerome and Coles, Robert,
12 to 16 Early Adolescence
(New York, 1972).
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Self Incorporated
, Agency for Instructional Television (Indiana, 1975), Introduction.
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Cohen, Donald M.D., “Identity in Childhood and Adolescence: Conceptual and Programmatic Issues”. Unpublished manuscript.
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Frank, Richard A. M. D. and Donald Cohen, M.D. ”Psychosocial Development In Pre-Adolescence, A Twin Study”. Unpublished manuscript, 1976.
Course Outline
I. Social Growth and Development
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A. Adolesc ence
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1. Sex Roles—Male
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a. How it develops
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b. How it is learned
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c. How they are changing
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2. Sex Roles—Female
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a. How it develops
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b. How it is learned
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c. How they are changing
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B. Family
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1. Define family ( extended, two parent, one parent, foster, etc.)
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2. Discuss role of family
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3. Discuss roles of family members
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C. Peers
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1. Define friendships
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a. Discussion or writing assignments
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What a friend means to me . . .
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b. Why I like my friend
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2. Same sex friends
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3. Opposite sex friends
II. Human Growth and Development
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A. Puberty—explain briefly endocrine system
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1. Boy to Man
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a. average age of onset
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b. genital changes
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c. appearance of facial and body hair
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d. voice change (larynx enlargement)
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e. acne
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f. sweat glands
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g. nocturnal emissions
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2. Girl to Woman
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a. breast development
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b. hip development
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c. sweat glands
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d. menstruation
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e. appearance of body hair
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B. Reproductive System
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1. Male
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a. testicles (scrotom)
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b. sperm
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c. vas deferens
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d. urethra
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e. seminal vesicle
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f. prostate gland
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g. Cowper’ s gland
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h. penis
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2. Female
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a. ovaries
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b. fallopian tubes
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c. uterus
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d. cervix
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e. vagina
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f. menstrual cycle
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C. Conception
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1. sexual intercourse
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2. sperm
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3. egg
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D. Pregnancy and birth
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1. ammiotic sac and fluid
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2. fetal development
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3. genetics
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4. birth process
III. Sexual health Issues
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A. Hygiene
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B. Sexually transmitted diseases
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C. Health Care
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1. pediatrician and pediatric nurse practitioner
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2. obstetrician/gynecologist
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3. health care settings—clinic, private doctor,etc. 4. other health professionals in the health care setting
Sample Lessons:
I have chosen to include one lesson on social development, one on physiological changes, and one on pregnancy and childbirth.
I.
Sex Roles
(Gender Identity)
The rapid physical and emotional changes during early adolescence cause confusion about sexual identity. The current societal reappraisal of sex roles and sexual sterotypes provides neither a solid base for building a sexual identity, nor a means of resolving the confusion.
Lesson Objective:
To give students opportunities to understand how sex roles develop, broadly defined as how boys become masculine and girls become feminine and what is happening to “traditional” roles