Reproductive systems revision

6. Explain:

"Most of this lesson will be revising what you may have covered in Year 5. It is important to revise this information to see how much you remember and how much you have learned since then before we move on to other topics in RSE."

7. Ask groups:

❓ What are 3 ways that male and female bodies are the same?

(Similarities - both usually have legs, arms, eyes, nipples, toes, hair, etc. Both can usually talk, dance, eat, etc)

❓ What are 3 ways that they are different?

(Differences - Males usually have a penis, females usually have a vulva, females usually have larger breasts than males (and females can usually produce milk to feed babies), males usually have more facial hair than females, females usually have a uterus, males usually have testicles, etc).

Teaching Tip:  This is a good opportunity to remind students of the diversity of bodies. Some people have disabilities, injuries or illnesses that mean their bodies may look or function in different ways. Everyone has a unique body that deserves respect. 

Using inclusive language such as 'usually' and 'may' is a simple way to help make all people feel more included. Avoid using words like 'normally' and 'always' as it can make any other variation seem abnormal and negative.

8. Remind students:

"Both male and female reproductive systems play an important role in reproduction.

❓ What does reproduction mean?"

(Reproduce means to make more of, to multiply)

"Many of the differences between male and female bodies are to do with their reproductive organs/system.  These are the parts of the body that are needed to create a baby. Today we are going to look at the parts of the male and female reproductive system and what their functions.

❓ What does function mean?

(Function means 'what they do' or 'their job')." 

9. Provide each group with a large piece of poster paper and a 'goodie bag'. If students have completed this activity in Year 5 and would like to try something different, you can create mini plasticine models instead (or offer groups the choice). 
10. Instruct half of the groups to create the 'male reproductive system' and the other half to create the 'female reproductive system' using the items in the bag.
11. They do not need to use everything in the bag and they can label the parts using coloured markers. If they are using plasticine to create models, they can use cut up paper or sticky notes and pipecleaners to create labels and arrows.
12. This activity can be a formative assessment activity and you may wish to take photographs of the models to record prior knowledge before moving on to the next step.
13. Invite students to do a 'walk around' to see all of the models. Ask volunteers to share a description of their model so far.

Teaching tip: In RSE it is important to avoid calling upon specific students for contributions. Alway ask for volunteers and remind students of their 'right to pass' as part of the group agreement. 

14. Provide each group with a copy of the Teacher resource: male/female reproductive system labelled diagrams and/or copies of Puberty so that they can add/make corrections to their models.

Teaching tip: The focus of this activity should not be on labelling the more complex parts and knowing their detailed medical functions. Whilst it is important that students know the correct names for body parts such as the penis, testicles, vulva, vagina, uterus/womb and clitoris, it is not important for students to know all of the reproductive organ technical terms for every reproductive part. For example, knowing that sperm travels through tubes that run from the testicles to the tip of the penis and out of the body is more important than labelling the epididymis and vas deferens. Understanding that there are glands that add fluid to the semen is more important than being able to spell the names of the different glands. This activity is to help students to understand how the parts are connected and the basic functions to help understand future concepts of puberty, menstruation and conception.

15. Invite volunteers to share their learnings and additions to their models.

16. Invite volunteers from the class to use the magno-mate to describe the parts of the reproductive system.

(The Magno-mate reproductive kit is available for purchase or hire from Sexual Health Quarters.  Alternatively, use the Teacher resource: Male and female reproductive systems - labelled). 

Clarify any misconceptions and fill any gaps not covered by the student explanations.

e.g. For female reproductive system:

"The ovaries are where the eggs are made and stored. They also make hormones. Most females are born with all of the (immature) eggs that they will ever have. These tubes (fallopian tubes) carry the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. The uterus is where a baby grows during pregnancy. The vagina is the passageway from the uterus to the outside of the body. It is where the baby comes out and the penis goes in during sexual intercourse. The vulva is the name for the outside sexual parts - the inner lips, outer lips and the clitoris. The clitoris has lots of nerve endings, like the penis and is very sensitive. The outer lips usually become covered in hair during puberty. Both the inner and outer lips come in many different shapes, sizes and colours. This is the bladder, where urine (wee) collects. This tube (urethra) carries urine out of the body from the bladder. The opening is just in front of the opening of the vagina. This is the anus, where faeces (poo) comes out.

e.g. For male reproductive system

"The scrotum is the sack that holds the testicles. This is where the sperm are made. Millions of sperm are made every day. The testicles also make hormones. This is the penis, it comes in a range of sizes, shapes and colours. It has lots of nerve endings and is very sensitive. The penis has spongey tissue that can fill with blood and make the penis go hard (erection). These are the tubes that carry sperm from each of the testicles to the outside of the body through the tip of the penis. These glands make fluid that make part of the semen (which carries the sperm). This tube (urethra) runs from the bladder to the opening in the tip of the penis. It carries urine (wee) and semen out of the body. The bladder is where urine collects. The fold of skin that covers the head of the penis is called the foreskin. Some people have part or all of this skin removed (often as a baby) - this is called being circumcised. This is the anus, where faeces (poo) comes out. During puberty, hair may grow around the pubic area."

17. Remind students:

"Everyone's body is different. Just as people have different height and hair colour, people also have differences in their reproductive organs. Penises, breasts and vulvas all come in different shapes, sizes and colours (despite what we see in the media).

Some people are born with natural variations in reproductive organs (and hormones and chromosomes) that don't fit into the typical medical definitions for male and female bodies that we have looked at today. This is called intersex.

Our bodies change over time. Puberty is the time when the body changes from a child to an adult. The changes to the reproductive organs are what makes it possible for people to have babies. We will be looking at these changes over the next few lessons."

The most important thing to remember is that everyone has a unique body that deserves respect."

Teaching tip: Establishing a question box when starting any RSE program is useful to allow students to ask questions anonymously and have them answered in a safe environment. Read Essential information: Question box guide for how to set up the system and how to answer tricky questions. 

18. Provide students with time to write questions for the question box. 
19. If the question box is already set up, you may like to choose some questions related to the reproductive systems to answer.