1. Grade 5 Health Unit 3 Understanding Puberty – A Time of Change
Managing Stress
Grade 5 Health Unit 3 Understanding Puberty – A Time of Change

2. Healthy Living In Grade 5, the units in Health are:
Health Awareness + Action = Power
Making Personal Choices about Health Behaviour
Understanding Puberty: A Time of Change

3. Unit 3 (May-June) Understanding Puberty: A Time of Change
What is Puberty?
Changes in Puberty in Males
Changes in Puberty in Females
Emotional and Interpersonal Stresses
Managing Stress

4. 4. Emotional and Interpersonal Stresses
describe emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty
apply coping skills while identifying strategies that they can apply to manage stress

5. Before we begin…
Ask questions as you have them and/or write them down and hand them in at the end of each topic
Everyone hands in a piece of paper with a question on it at the end of every topic. (If you don’t have a question, write a line or two from a song or poem.)
GROUND RULES…

6. GROUND RULES Giggling is okay - this can be embarrassing for you.
Respect what other’s say; no put-downs.
Okay to pass, i.e., not answer a question.
Understand other’s feelings - be sensitive and respect their differences.
No personal questions or stories from student or teacher.
Discuss puberty topics responsibly outside the classroom.

7. GROUND RULES
Remember - there are no dumb questions, only questions that need answers.
Use correct names for body parts - ask if you can’t remember.
Let the teacher know if you want to speak to him/her privately.
Expect the teacher to respect confidentiality except if she/he is required by law to disclose information, e.g., sexual abuse.
Speak for yourself; use “I” statements and don’t point at others.

8. Managing Stress Let’s review some ways the body changes at puberty
Hair growth under arms, on legs, and in the pubic area
weight gain
Males become more muscular, get a deeper voice, and grow facial or body hair
Females menstruate for the first time
Changes at puberty can cause personal, emotional and relationship stresses which can be both positive and negative.

9. Managing Stress

10. Managing Stress
Write down one stressor related to puberty on a slip of paper. Examples?
getting in a disagreement with a sibling
demands of family
death of a pet
money problems at home
losing a friend because of a disagreement
pressure from peers
having a crush on someone for the first time
body changes
new relationships
learning new information

11. Managing Stress Mix all of the cards together
Everyone picks up a card at random
Get into groups of 4
Write a scenario based on the selected stressor
Plan and perform a role-play of the situation demonstrating how the main character(s) choose to effectively solve the problem and manage the stress
Were the role-plays were successful in helping to solve the problem and manage stress?
Are there were other ways that their role play could have dealt with stress related to puberty?

12. Managing Stress Within My Control Outside of My Control
Reflect upon the stress management strategies you brainstormed, remember that these strategies are especially crucial for managing stressors that are beyond your control.

13. Managing Stress
A common factor that enhances all relationships and reduces stress is showing support to others.
You are to perform three acts of kindness during the remainder of the day.
Brainstorm individually what these acts of kindness could be.
Then, work in partners and share one of your ideas for an act of kindness. When forming partners, work with a classmate they may not talk to as often.
Record what happened when you performed the acts of kindness throughout the rest of the day.
During the next class, identify how you felt after completing the act and how the person felt who received it.
Doing nice things for others helps create a positive school environment, which can help reduce stress levels for everyone.

14. QUESTION TIME!
Everyone hands in a piece of paper with a question on it.
(If you truly don’t have a question, write a line or two from a song or poem.)