Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Human Body: Reproductive System

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5-10 minutes)

The Objectives stage is fundamental to structure the focus of the lesson, clearly outlining what is expected for students to learn and understand. This section serves as a compass for subsequent activities, ensuring that both the teacher and students are aligned regarding learning goals. Furthermore, the objectives outlined here guide the assessment of students' content absorption, helping to measure the success of the applied flipped classroom methodology.

Main Objectives:

1. Ensure that students understand the anatomy of the male and female reproductive systems, identifying their main organs and respective functions.

2. Explore the process of puberty, detailing the physical and emotional changes that occur and the role of sex hormones during this period.

3. Discuss the impact of sex hormones on behavior and physical development during and after puberty.

Introduction

Duration: (15-20 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students and connect the knowledge they have acquired at home with practical application in the classroom. The problem situations encourage students to think critically about the topic, applying their knowledge to solve practical and real issues. The contextualization helps to understand the relevance of studying the reproductive system, not only for biology but also for everyday life and public health.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Considering prior studies, ask students about a possible situation where a teenager faces physical and emotional transformations during puberty. Request them to identify which organs are involved and how sex hormones act in these changes.

2. Present a scenario where a couple faces difficulties conceiving. Ask students to discuss the functioning of the reproductive organs of both sexes and how different conditions can affect fertility.

Contextualization

Explain the importance of the reproductive system through curiosities, such as the fact that the uterus is one of the strongest organs in the human body, capable of expanding up to 500 times its size during pregnancy. Also, contextualize the relevance of studying the reproductive system in understanding public health issues, such as the prevention of STDs and the promotion of reproductive health.

Development

Duration: (75 - 80 minutes)

The Development section is designed to allow students to apply and deepen their knowledge of the reproductive system and sex hormones in a practical and interactive way. The suggested activities aim to consolidate learning through playful and collaborative methods, where students can explore the concepts creatively and engagingly, facilitating a deeper and more lasting understanding of the topic.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Hormonal Journey

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand in detail the effects of hormones during puberty and how they influence the individual's physical and emotional development.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups to represent a 'journey' through the different stages of puberty, using dramatizations and posters to illustrate hormonal changes and their effects on the human body. Each group will be responsible for a specific stage, from the onset of hormonal production to the final physical and psychological transformations.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of no more than 5 students.

• Assign each group a specific stage of puberty to research and present.

• Students must create posters illustrating the hormonal processes and their physical and emotional consequences.

• Prepare a dramatization or creative presentation to explain the designated stage to the rest of the class.

• Utilize available materials in the classroom to create the posters and prepare the presentations.

Activity 2 - The Fertility Map

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Understand the fertilization process and the functions of the different reproductive organs, as well as discuss factors that affect fertility.

- Description: Students, in groups, will create an interactive 'map' that details the fertilization process, from the formation of gametes to fertilization. They will use recyclable materials to build three-dimensional models of the male and female reproductive organs, demonstrating the path taken by the gametes.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute recyclable materials and other supplies for building the models.

• Each group must build specific parts of the reproductive system, male or female, and explain their functions.

• Assemble a large 'map' in the room, where each group will add its part, explaining the fertilization process to peers.

• Conduct a discussion on how different conditions can affect fertility based on the constructed models.

Activity 3 - Unraveling Hormones

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Deepen knowledge about sex hormones and their impact on human development in an interactive and fun way.

- Description: This board game created by the students involves questions and challenges about the impact of sex hormones on the body during and after puberty. Each group will create parts of the game that address different hormones and their functions, and everyone will play to test and expand their knowledge.

- Instructions:

• Divide into groups to create different sections of a board game about hormones.

• Develop question cards, challenges, and rewards that address the effects of hormones.

• Set up the board in the classroom, integrating all sections created by the groups.

• Play the board game, with each team explaining the rules and information contained in its section of the game.

• Debate answers and correct concepts as necessary during the game.

Feedback

Duration: (10-15 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan aims to consolidate the knowledge acquired by students throughout the practical session, allowing them to share insights and learnings. The group discussion helps validate individual and collective understanding, as well as providing a space for reflection on the practical implications of knowledge about the reproductive system in everyday life and public health.

Group Discussion

Begin the group discussion with a general review, asking students how they felt during the activities and what they found most challenging. Then, guide them to share each group's conclusions about the topics addressed, such as the role of hormones during puberty and the fertilization process. Encourage each group to explain the reasoning behind their presentations and models, promoting an environment of knowledge and experience exchange.

Key Questions

1. What are the main functions of the sex hormones you identified during the activities?

2. How do changes during puberty affect adolescents emotionally and physically?

3. In what way can knowledge about fertilization impact reproductive health decisions?

Conclusion

Duration: (10-15 minutes)

The conclusion stage is vital to ensure that students understand and retain the central concepts discussed during the lesson. By summarizing and connecting theory to practice, the teacher reinforces learning and highlights the relevance of studying the reproductive system in everyday life and medical practice. This section also provides a moment for reflection on how knowledge can be applied in contexts outside the classroom, preparing students to use this information responsibly and informed.

Summary

To conclude, the teacher should recap the main points covered during the lesson, reiterating the anatomy and functions of the reproductive system organs, the impact of sex hormones, and the fertilization process. This review helps strengthen students' retention of knowledge.

Theory Connection

Explain how practical activities, such as the dramatization of puberty and the construction of the fertility map, allowed for the direct application of the concepts studied at home, connecting theory with interactive practices and demonstrating the relevance of the topics addressed in real life.

Closing

Finally, highlight the importance of the knowledge acquired about the reproductive system and sex hormones for personal and public health, emphasizing how this understanding can influence reproductive health decisions and the overall well-being of individuals.