1. This document discusses the physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during adolescence, including puberty, body image, mood changes, stress, and developing sexuality and relationships. 2. It notes that puberty causes self-consciousness but that varying development timelines are normal. Emotions tend to fluctuate more during this period. 3. The document provides tips for managing stress, such as exercise, relaxation, and talking with trusted individuals. It also discusses topics like attraction, fantasies, and pornography in the context of healthy adolescent development.

1. Grade 8
Growth and Change
BY MR. B

2. What do developing adolescents need for a
successful journey?
• Love and Guidance from their families.
• The experience of Friendship.
• Interest and concern from caring adults.
• A maturing relationship with God

3. A Changing Appearance
• Secondary sexual characteristics are changes in our bodies like facial hair for
boys or the development of breasts for girls. These changes make us more self-
conscious.
• We tend to become concerned with our changing appearance and ask questions like:
• Is it normal to develop earlier or later than other people?
• Is it normal for some parts of the body to grow more quickly than others?
• The answer is YES! The timing of changes during puberty and temporary
awkwardness still worry and sometimes embarrass us.

4. Or there’s always this conversation starter!

5. Body Image
• Puberty leads to increased self-awareness, which often causes self-
consciousness and a tendency to obsess over small imperfections.
• It’s normal to have some concerns about appearance, but we can’t fixate on
them. Anything that prompts people to fixate on themselves is usually harmful.
• Need to develop a sense of perspective about our appearance. Looks are only
one aspect of who we are!

6. Mood
• Hormones involved in sexual development have an effect on moods
and feelings.
• Moods are a state of mind that is experienced at a particular time. Ex.
Restless, miserable, happy, irritable, hopeful, distracted, relaxed,
anxious etc.
• Everyone experiences moods, however developing peoples moods tend
to come and go more often than adults.

7. Stress
• These changes in our lives can be stressful.
• More is expected of us at home and school.
• We have outside activities and social lives can be complex.
• Stress can cause a person to feel distracted, anxious, or irritable.
• A bad mood can also make everyday stresses, like school work or family
obligations, seem enormous

8. Ideas for Managing Stress and Mood
• Talk to someone you trust if something is really bothering you or
you can’t get rid of a bad mood. Everyone needs help sometime
and it’s a sign of strength to ask for it.
• Feeling annoyed? Don’t take it out on others. Spend some time
alone – listen to music, read a book or a magazine, go for a walk or
run, or take a short nap.
• Regular physical exercise is an excellent way to combat bad moods
and stress.
• Learn some relaxation methods – deep breathing, visualization,
yoga etc.
• Eat good food and get enough sleep.
• Don’t leave things to the last minute

9. Survey Says…
• Top Stresses for Grade 7/8 Students:
• 1. School (Tests, Homework, Projects)
• 2. Family Difficulties (Fights, Divorce etc.)
• 3. Presenting In Front of a Group.
• Ways they manage stress:
• 1. Listen to music
• 2. Talk to Someone (Parents, Friends)
• 3. Deep Breathing

10. Sexual Attractions and Feelings
• What attracts one person to another?
• Appearance has something to do with it, but attraction is based on
more than looks.
• An attraction between people is sometimes described as “chemistry”
– a strong connection that cannot be described in words.

11. Sexual Attraction and Sexual Feelings
• Sexual attraction as well as physical sensations and urges have a biological
purpose – To ensure the human species survives by reproducing itself.
• Sexual attraction and feelings have a purpose in God’s plan of creation: to bring
about a strong, bond between man and woman and to encourage them to have
children.
• Sexual Feelings:
• Differences between males and females:
• Males typically become aroused sexually more quickly than females.
• They also react strongly to visual images that involved sexuality – pictures, movies,
videos and websites.

12. Romantic Fantasies
• It’s natural for people to think about the kind of relationship they
might have in the future.
• Romantic fantasies are a way of preparing for future relationships.
• They help people handle some of their feelings in a safe and
uncomplicated way.
• Not good to spend most of our time daydreaming and imagining the
perfect relationship.
• May ignore other aspects of lives - developing as a person, friendships,
family relationships, schoolwork etc.

13. Sexual Fantasies
• Not about relationships, but about the physical experience of sex
• When something prompts a person to think about sex, the body responds by
becoming sexually aroused.
• There may be a strong urge to act on these feelings which may lead to
masturbation.
• Need to have self discipline.
• May lead to self-centredness, and makes it difficult for people to grow in maturity.

14. Sexual Fantasies Cont.
• They are normal.
• People can’t control the images that pop into their mind or the way the body
responds to these thoughts.
• A decision to act on these sexual feelings and abuse the gift of sexuality in a
self-centred way is wrong.

15. Pornography
• Term used for films, websites, magazines, pictures and other written materials
that are sexually explicit and are intended to cause sexual arousal.
• Some young people are motivated by curiosity to look at pornography.
• Curiosity is completely normal, but looking at images with the only purpose of
arousing sexual feelings, has no connection to love or relationship.
• In the eyes of the church this is morally wrong
• Very easy to become addicted to watching pornography.

16. Some Pornography Facts
• In 2014 it is estimated that the worldwide pornography industry earned at least
97 billion dollars.
• In 2006, there were 4.2 million websites containing pornography.
• Approximately 20% of all internet pornography is illegal child pornography.
• In an anonymous survey of teens, 96% had internet access and 55.4% indicated
that they had visited a sexually explicit website.
• More than twice as many males as females visit pornography websites.

17. Pornography Cont.
• Distorts the meaning and purpose of sexuality by portraying people as things to
be used for sexual pleasure.
• Often connects sexuality with power, aggression, and violence.
• Image of females as objects of violence and males as sexual aggressors is a
corrupt and dangerous vision of human sexuality.
• Damages view and understanding of relationships between males and females.

19. Homosexuality
• It is a description of a person’s sexual orientation.
• A homosexual orientation is a predominant sexual
attraction to members of the same sex.
• A heterosexual orientation is a predominant sexual
attraction to the opposite sex.
• About 2-5% of the population is homosexual.

20. Why are some people Homosexual?
• Most likely due to a combination of genetic make-up as well as the influence of
their social environment.
• Regardless of the reason, in most cases, homosexuality is not something that is
deliberately chosen
Did you choose to be right/left
handed? Or were you born that
way?

21. Homosexuality Cont.
• Being attracted to a person of the same sex and having an intimate sexual
relationship are not the same thing.
• The church teaches that a homosexual orientation is not sinful, but sexual acts
between people of the same sex are morally wrong.
• This is also true for unmarried heterosexual people.

22. Remember!
• Masculinity and femininity are not defined by a person’s interests or behaviour.
• Negative comments about any aspect of a person’s sexuality (their body,
behaviour, appearance or interests) are unacceptable and harmful.
• We all need to realize that God’s plan for us is mysterious.
• All of us, heterosexual or homosexual, who are trying to live as good Christians,
struggle with our sexual feelings and desire for physical intimacy.
• All of us are called by God to honour and respect the gift of sexuality.