This document provides information about puberty, including what it is, common changes that occur, and differences between boys and girls. It explains that puberty is when the body begins changing into an adult due to sex hormones. Common changes in boys include growth of genitals and body/facial hair, while girls experience breast development and menstruation. It notes that these changes happen to all individuals at different rates and that no two people experience puberty exactly the same. The document aims to inform students about typical pubertal development.

1. Puberty: Body changes &
differences
Part 1
PSHE: Personal Wellbeing
© Changing Faces 2009 Registered Charity No. 1011222 Charity registered in Scotland SC039725

2.  What is puberty?
 What changes can we expect?
 A look at the differences between
girls and boys and amongst each
other
What this lesson will cover…

3. What is puberty?
 Puberty is the time in life when you begin to
become an adult. This means a lot of changing and
growing – both inside and out.
 Some of the changes that happen in puberty are
also known as adolescence.
 Puberty starts because of sex hormones (chemicals
in our bodies that send messages about our
development).

4. Changes in boys
 Penis & testes size ( or willy & balls)
 Body & facial hair
 Pubic hair (the hair around our sex organs)
 Body shape
 Voice change (or voice breaking)
 Body odor (our smell) & acne (spots)

5. Changes in girls
 Breast development
 Body hair (e.g. on our legs, arms,
underarms) & pubic hair (the hair around
our sex organs)
 Menstruation (a monthly bleed or period)
 Body shape
 Body odor (our smell) & acne (spots)

6. Differences amongst boys
 Penis & testes:
– All look different and vary in size and shape
 Body & facial hair:
– Some men have lots of facial hair, while others have very little
– Not all men develop chest hair
 Pubic hair:
– Like the hair on our head, pubic hair varies in colour and thickness
 Body shape & muscle:
– Growth spurts happen to different boys at different times and in
different ways; people are all different shapes and sizes
– One side of the body might develop faster than the other
 Voice change:
– Happens to different boys at different times and in different ways;
everybody sounds different.
 Body odour & acne:
– Both result from an increase in hormone levels and affect everyone
differently.

7. Differences amongst girls
 Breast development:
– Breasts are all different shapes and sizes
 Body hair & pubic hair:
– As with boys the colour and thickness of body hair and pubic hair varies
between girls
 Menstruation (a monthly bleed or ‘period’):
– Girls can start their period within a big range of ages; it could be at age
8, or it could be at 16
– No two girls’ periods are exactly alike, some last 2 days, others a week
 Body shape:
– Hip size varies between girls, as does overall size and shape
 Body odor & acne:
– Just like boys, odor and acne result from an increase in hormone levels
and affect everyone differently

8. Quiz revisited
1. Puberty is when a child’s body changes into an adult body - TRUE
2. Girls mature quicker than boys - FALSE
3. Puberty can change how we look, sound, feel and even smell - TRUE
4. Puberty starts at the same time for everyone - FALSE
5. All boys develop chest hair - FALSE
6. In puberty one side of our body can develop faster than the other - TRUE
7. In puberty both girls and boys develop hair on their sex organs - TRUE
8. Adolescents are people who are moody and have spots - FALSE
9. All girls develop big breasts during puberty - FALSE
10. Everybody goes through puberty - TRUE

9. Where to go for more info
on puberty?
 Friends: They’re going through the same thing too, so
don’t be embarrassed to talk things through with each
other
 Parents: They went through it too, so they do
understand
 Teachers, school counsellors or other adults in school:
They are always around to talk to and discuss individual
worries
 Internet: there are lots of useful websites to help
answer your questions