Module 2

FIRST DIMENSION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: PHYSICAL DIMENSION

Description of the Module

This module dwells on the physical development of the learners at various stages: pre-natal, infancy and
toddlerhood, early childhood, middle and late childhood, and adolescence. You will be able to trace the course of
the different biological processes that you went through. The module consists of five lessons. Lesson 1 focuses on
pre-natal development. This tackles about how human life begins at conception, the different periods in pre-natal
development as well as the hazards and teratology. Lesson 2 talks about development in infants and toddlers.
Specifically, it talks about the different physical changes undergone by infants such as height and weight, and
brain, sensory, and perceptual development. Lesson 3 discusses the physical changes that preschoolers undergo
which includes artistic development and nutrition and sleep. Lesson 4 is about the physical development of school
agers. Lesson 5 focuses on the physical development of adolescents that specifically tackles about sexual maturity,
growth spurt, and ideal body perceptions.

Purpose of the Module

This module aims to provide research-based knowledge of the different processes that learners of
different ages go through. These processes shape them as a learner and will influence how they learn.
Understanding these principles will help you prepare materials that are appropriate to their needs, motivations,
and interests. By studying the physical aspect of development, we can learn more about why they develop the
way they do and also the most effective ways to help them to develop as responsible citizens with positive
contributions to make.

Module Requirements
At the end of the module, you are requested to submit the following:

• Persuasive Letter
• Accomplished Physical Development Observation Checklist (Infants and Toddlers)
• Accomplished Physical Development Observation Checklist (Preschoolers)

Module Guide
The following are the activities in this Module with estimated time allotment for each learning activity.
This will serve as your guide as you proceed with this Module.

Learning Activities Suggested Time Allotment

1. Pre-Assessment 30 minutes
Test your prior knowledge by taking the Pre-Assessment.

2. Activity 30 minutes
Be engaged in an activity either as an individual or as a group.

3. Analysis 30 minutes
Answer the guide questions related to the Activity earlier.

4. Abstraction 1 hour & 15 minutes

Connect the concepts by reading the content in the Abstraction
phase.

45 minutes
5. Application
Apply what you learned by answering the questions or doing the
task required of you.

30 minutes
6. Post-Assessment
 To check whether you mastered the lesson, take the Post-
Assessment.

Suggested Time Frame Week 5-9

 MODULE

LESSON Pre-natal Period

Key Terms
conception zygote endoderm amnion
pre-natal period blastocyst ectoderm Teratology
germinal period trophoblast mesoderm
embryonic period embryo placenta
fetal period organogenesis umbilical cord

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Lesson, you are expected to describe the stages of prenatal development
and appreciate the significance of pre-natal care.

Learning Tasks

Activity
Small Group Discussion. Read the article “Life Before Birth” then answer the following questions.

Source: https://www.mccl.org/prenataldevelopment

1. What are your feelings and reactions about what you read?
2. Do you agree that that which is developing in the womb is a mere “blob of tissue” or “uterine
contents” as abortionists claim? Adhere your explanation.
Analysis
Here are questions for further discussion. This time, you are going to answer it individually.

1. Is it more reasonable to believe that that which is developing in the mother’s womb is a human being?

2. What are proofs that which is developing in the mother’s womb is a living human being?

3. Has any realization from today’s discussion changed your stand on abortion? Explain your answer.

4. What are the effects of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine on the developing embryo/fetus?
 Abstraction
How did you come to be who you are?

All the developmental theories, which we will lengthily discuss, dwelt on the developmental
process after birth. None of them was concerned with what development went on before birth. To make
the description of human development complete, it may be good to understand the beginnings of the
child and the adolescent. In Module 1, Lesson 1, you met Naschielle and Kenn. You were asked what they
were before they have become what and who they are at present. This is the concern of this Lesson – pre-

Human Life Begins at Conception

natal or antenatal development.

That which is in the mother’s womb is indeed a developing human being. An unborn baby of 8
weeks is not essentially different from one of 18 weeks or 28 weeks. From conception, the zygote, the
embryo, and the fetus are undeniably human life.

That fact that you have brown eyes and black, straight, or curly hair and the fact that you will turn
bald at the age 50 have been there already at the

Human life begins from the moment of The moment of conception: sperm and
conception. All that we have and all that we ovum unite to create a new organism.
are have been there at the moment of
conception (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

The Stages of Pre-natal Development

moment of conception. What were added in the process of

development is nutrition. The development that takes place in 3 stages proves that the developing
embryo in a mother’s womb is truly a human being.

The period from conception to birth is known as the pre-natal period. Typically, it lasts about 40
weeks. You know by now that the genetic blueprint guides our development during the pre-natal period
and after birth. Both genetic and environmental factors affect our development during the different
periods of pre-natal stage.

Pre-natal development is divided into three (3) periods – germinal, embryonic, and fetal (Corpuz, et al.,
2015).

1. Germinal (first two weeks after conception)

This period includes the following:
a) creation of the zygote,
b) continued cell division, and
c) the attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall (implantation).

https://garbhagnan.com/why-blastocyst-transfer-is-preferred-in-ivf-cycles/
 In the germinal period, the differentiation of cells already begins as inner and outer layers of
the organism are formed. The blastocyst, the inner layer of cells that develops during the germinal
period, develops later into the embryo. The trophoblast, the outer layer of cells that develops
also during the germinal period, later provides nutrition and support for the embryo (Nelson,
Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th ed., 2004).

2. Embryonic Period (2-8 weeks after conception)

In this stage, the name of the mass cells, zygote, becomes embryo. The following developments
take place:
a) cell differentiation intensifies;
b) life-support systems for the embryo develop; and
c) organs appear (organogenesis – process of organ formation during the first two months)

As the zygote gets attached to the wall of the uterus, two layers of cells are formed.

The embryo’s endoderm, the inner layer of cells, develops into the
digestive and respiratory systems.

The outer layer of cells is divided into two parts – the ectoderm and the
mesoderm. The ectoderm is the outermost layer which becomes the
nervous system, sensory receptors (eyes, ears, nose) and skin parts (nails,
hair). The mesoderm is the middle layer which becomes the circulatory,
skeletal, muscular, excretory, and reproductive systems. This process of
organ formation during the first two months of pre-natal development is
called organogenesis (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

As the three layers of the embryo form, the support systems for the embryo develop rapidly. These
life-support systems are the placenta, the umbilical cord, and the amnion.

The placenta is a life-support system that consists of

a disk-shaped group of tissues in which small blood
vessels from the mother and the offspring intertwine
but do not join. The umbilical cord contains two
arteries and one vein that connects the baby to the
placenta. The amnion is a bag or an envelope that
contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo
floats. All these embryo life-support systems develop
from the fertilized egg and not from the mother’s
body (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

3. Fetal Period (2 months to 7 months after conception)

Growth and development continue dramatically during this period. Organ systems mature to the
point at which life can be sustained outside the womb.
 Teratology and Hazards to Pre-natal Development

Teratology is the field that investigates the causes of congenital (birth) defects. A teratogen is an
environmental agent which causes birth defects. It comes from the Greek word “tera” which means
“monster”.

Below are clusters of hazards to pre-natal development (Corpuz, et al., 2015):

1. Prescription and non-prescription drugs – Antibiotic is an example of a prescription drug

that can be harmful. Examples of non-prescription drugs are diet pills, aspirin, and coffee.
Thalidomide when taken in by pregnant mothers has a negative effect on the developing
fetus as proven by the thalidomide tragedy in the 1960s.

2. Psychoactive Drugs – These include nicotine, caffeine, and illegal drugs such as marijuana,
cocaine, and heroin.

3. Environmental Hazards – These include radiation in jobsites and X-rays, environmental

pollutants, toxic wastes, and prolonged exposure to heat in saunas and bath tubs.

4. Other maternal factors – such as Rubella (German measles), syphilis, genital herpes, AIDS,
nutrition, high anxiety and stress, age (too early or too late, beyond 30). These are believed
to cause genetic problems in the newborn.

5. Paternal Factors – Fathers’ exposure to lead, radiation, certain pesticides and

petrochemicals may cause abnormalities in sperm that lead to miscarriage or diseases
such as childhood cancer.
As in the case of older mothers, older fathers also may place their offspring at risk
for certain defects (Santrock, 2002).
Application
Persuasive Letter. Pretend you are a “Junior”, 4 months old in the womb your mother is concentrating on
doing abortion. Write her a letter convincing her that you are a human being developing contrary to what
she and other pro-abortionists are thinking. Describe to her the development that has already taken place
in 4 months. Reflect what you learned on pre-natal development in this Lesson. Follow the format below:

Font: Arial narrow

Font size: 12
Margins: Normal (Top: 1”; Bottom: 1”; Left: 1”; Right: 1”)
Orientation: Portrait
Paper size: 8.5”x13” (long)
Spacing: 1.5
The letter shall include Introduction, Body, and Conclusion and
should be 200-300 words.

Your persuasive letter will be rated based on the rubric below.

Persuasive Letter Rubric

Criteria Excellent Very Good Satisfactory Needs
(4 points) (3) (2) Improvement
(1)
Ideas Ideas were Ideas were Ideas were The letter seemed
expressed in a expressed in a somewhat to be a collection
clear and pretty clear organized, but of unrelated
organized fashion. manner, but the were not very sentences. It was
It was easy to organization could clear. It took more very difficult to
figure out what have been better. than one reading figure out what
the letter was to figure out what the letter was
about. the letter was about.
about.
Sentences & Sentences and All sentences are Most sentences Many sentence
Paragraphs paragraphs are complete and are complete and fragments or run-
complete, well- well-constructed well-constructed. on sentences OR
constructed and of (no fragments, no Paragraphing paragraphing
varied structure. run-ons). needs some work. needs lots of work.
Each new idea Paragraphing is Some new ideas All ideas are
starts a new generally done start new grouped into one
paragraph. well. Most new paragraphs. paragraph.
ideas start new
paragraphs.
Grammar & Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes
Spelling errors in grammar errors in grammar errors in grammar more than 4 errors
(conventions) or spelling. and/or spelling. and/or spelling in grammar and/or
spelling.
Capitalization and Writer makes no Writer makes 1-2 Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes
Punctuation errors in errors in errors in more than 4 errors
capitalization and capitalization and capitalization and in capitalization
punctuation. punctuation. punctuation. and punctuation.
Language/Audience The language is One word is not Two words are not More than three
appropriate for appropriate for appropriate for words are not
the audience. the audience. the audience. appropriate for
the audience.

Total
Source: https://www.murrieta.k12.ca.us/cms/lib5/ca01000508/centricity/domain/906/friendly_letter_rubric.pdf
https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?sp=yes&code=T5478C&
References:
Books
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M.R., Borabo, H., & Lucido, P. (2018). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.
Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing. ISBN:978-621-8035-48-5

Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L., & Lucido, P.I. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at
Learners at Different Life Stages. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

E-Books
Beckett, C & Taylor, H. (2016). Human Growth and Development (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. (2015) The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (4th ed.). Pearson
Education, Inc.

Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V.L. (2016). Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.

Levine, L.E. & Munch, J. (2016). Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence: An Active Learning Approach.
SAGE Publications, Inc.

Ormrod, J.E., Andermamn, E.M., & Anderman, L. (2017). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (9th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.

Rathus, S.A. (2017). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

 MODULE
Physical Development of Infants
LESSON
and Toddlers

Key Terms
cephalocaudal trend reflexes
proximodistal trend gross motor skills
myelination fine motor skills

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Lesson, you should be able to accomplish a physical development
observation checklist based on your observation of an infant and toddler.

Learning Tasks

Activity
Study the figure below. Look closely at the changes in the sizes of the human body parts as a person grows.

Changes in Proportions of the Human Body Growth

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/santrock-ppt-ch03-110105082403-phpapp02/95/dev-psychch3keynote-3-728.jpg?cb=1294241179

Write your observations here.

Analysis
Guide Questions:

1. What do you notice about the size of the head in relation to the other parts of the body as a person
grows older?

2. Does physical development begin from the top or below? From the side to the center? Explain your
answer.
Abstraction
We have just traced the developmental process before birth. We shall continue to trace the
developmental process by following the infant or the baby who is just born up to when he reaches age 2.
The period that comes after pre-natal or antenatal stage is infancy which, in turn, is followed toddlerhood.
Infancy and toddlerhood span the first two years of life.

The newborn is not as helpless as you think. The activities needed to

sustain life functions are present in the newborn – it breathes, it
sucks, it swallows, and discharges bodily wastes (Corpuz, et al.,
2015).

The newborns in their first week of life are able to indicate what direction a sound is coming from,
can distinguish their mother’s voice from the voices of other women, and can imitate simple gestures like
tongue protrusion and mouth opening.

Cephalocaudal and Proximodistal Patterns

As you learned in Module 1, Lesson 1, the cephalocaudal

trend is the postnatal growth from conception to 5 months when the
head grows more than the body. Development proceeds from the
cephalic or head region to the caudal or tail region. This
cephalocaudal trend of growth that applies to the development of the
fetus also applies in the first months after birth. Infants learns to use
their upper limbs before their lower limbs. The same pattern occurs
in the head area because the top parts of the head – the eyes and the
brain – grow faster than the lower parts such as the jaw.

The proximodistal trend is the pre-natal growth from 5

months to birth when the fetus grows from the inside of the body
outwards. This also applies in the first months after birth as shown in
the earlier maturation of muscular control of the trunk and the arms, (a) cephalocaudal and (b) proximodistal patterns
followed by that of the hands and fingers (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

Height and Weight

• It’s normal for newborn babies to drop 5 to 10 percent of their body weight within a couple of
weeks of birth due to their adjustment to neonatal feeding. Once they adjust to sucking,
swallowing and digesting, they grow rapidly.
• Breastfed babies are typically heavier than the bottle-fed babies through the first 6 months. After
6 months, breastfed babies usually weigh less than bottle-fed babies.
• In general, an infant’s length increases by about 30% in the first five months.
• A baby’s weight usually triples during the first year but slows down in the second year of life.
• Low percentages are not a cause for alarm as long as infants progress along a natural curve of
steady development (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

Brain Development

The brain develops at an amazing rate before and after birth. Just before birth the newborns have
most, but not all, brain cells. The neural connections among these cells develop at a rapid rate.
• Among the most dramatic changes in the brain in the first 2 years of life are the spreading
connections of dendrites to each other. Remember neurons, dendrites, axon, and synapses? You
discussed them in your General Psychology class.
 Figure 2.1 Structure of a neuron.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-the-main-parts-of-a-neuron_fig1_267411352

Myelination or myelinization, the process by which the axons are covered

and insulated by layers of fat cells, begins prenatally and continues after birth.
The process of myelination or myelinization increases the speed at which
information travels through the nervous system (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

• At birth, the newborn’s brain is about 25% of its adult weight. By the second birthday, the brain
is about 75% of its adult weight.
• Shortly after birth, a baby’s brain produces trillions more connections between neurons than it
can possibly use. The brain eliminates connections that are seldom or never used. The infant’s
brain is literally waiting for experiences to determine how connections are made (Corpuz, et al.,
2015).

Motor Development

Along this aspect of motor development, infants and toddlers begin from reflexes, to gross motor
skills and fine motor skills.

Reflexes

The newborn’s movements are governed by basic reflexes which are, of

course automatic, built-in responses that serve as survival mechanisms
before they have the opportunity to learn.

Some reflexes present in the newborn – coughing, blinking, and yawning –

persist throughout life. Others disappear as the brain functions mature and
voluntary control over behavior starts developing (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

There are many different reflexes. Some of the most common reflexes that babies have are:

1. Sucking Reflex – initiated when something touches the roof of an infant’s mouth. Infants have a
strong sucking reflex which helps to ensure they can latch unto bottle or breast. The sucking reflex is
very strong in some infants and they may need to suck on a pacifier for comfort.

2. Rooting Reflex – most evident when an infant’s cheek is stroked. The baby responds by turning his
or her head in the direction of the touch and opening their mouth for feeding.

3. Gripping Reflex – babies will grasp anything that is placed in their palm. The strength of this grip is
strong, and most babies can support their entire weight in their grip.

4. Babinski/Curling Reflex – when the inner sole of a baby’s foot is stroked the infant respond by
curling his or her toes. When the outer sole of a baby’s foot is stroked, the infant will respond by
spreading out their toes.
 5. Startle/Moro Reflex – infants will respond to sudden sounds or movements by throwing their arms
and legs out, and throwing their heads back. Most infants will usually cry when startled and proceed
to pull their limbs back into their bodies.

6. Galant Reflex – shown when an infant’s middle or lower back is stroked next to the spinal cord. The
baby will respond by curving his or her body toward the side which is being stroked.

7. Tonic Neck Reflex – demonstrated in infants who are placed on their abdomens. Whenever side the
child’s head is facing, the limbs on that side will straighten, while the opposite limbs will curl (Corpuz,
et al., 2015).

Gross Motor Skills

Study the Figure below. See how you developed in your gross motor skills.

Figure 2.2 Milestones in Gross Motor Development.

Source: https://images.slideplayer.com/14/4267245/slides/slide_6.jpg

It is always a source of excitement for parents to witness dramatic changes in the infant’s first
year of life. This dramatic motor development is shown in babies unable to even lift their heads to being
able to grab things off the cabinet, to chase the ball and to walk away from parent.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are skills that involve a refined use of the small muscles controlling the hand,
finger and thumb. The development of these skills allows one to be able to complete tasks such as writing,
drawing and buttoning.
The ability to exhibit fine motor skills involve activities that involve precise eye-hand coordination.
Initially, infants show only crude shoulder and elbow movements, but later they show wrist movements,
hand rotation and coordination of the thumb and forefinger.

Sensory and Perceptual Development

The newborn senses the world into which he is born through his senses of vision, hearing, touch,
taste and smell. As he advances physically his sensory and perceptual abilities also develop. What are
some research findings regarding newborns’ visual perception?

Can newborns see?

• The newborn’s vision is about 10 to 30 times lower than normal adult vision.
 • In an experiment conducted by Robert Fantz (1963, cited by Santrock, 2002), it was found out that
infants preferred to look at patterns such as faces and concentric circles rather than at color or
brightness.
• Among the first few things that babies learn to recognize is their mother’s face, as mother feeds
and nurses them.
Can newborns hear?
• The sense of hearing in an infant develops much before the birth of the baby. When in the womb,
the baby hears his/her mother’s heartbeats, the grumbling of his/her stomach, the mother’s voice
and music. How soothing it must have been for you to listen to your mother’s lullaby.
• Infants’ sensory thresholds are somewhat higher than those of adult which means that stimulus
must be louder to be heard by a newborn than by an adult.
Can newborns differentiate odors?
• In an experiment conducted by MacFarlane (1975) “young infants who were breastfed showed a
clear preference for smelling their mother’s breast pad when they were 6 days old. This
preference did not show when the babies were only two days old. This shows that it requires
several days of experience to recognize their mother’s breast pad odor.”
Can newborns feel pain? Do they respond to touch?
• They do feel pain. Newborn males show a higher level of cortisol (an indicator of stress) after a
circumcision than prior to the surgery (Taddio, et al., 1997, cited by Santrock, 2002).
• Babies respond to touch. In the earlier part of this Lesson on motor development, you learned
that a newborn automatically sucks an object placed in his/her mouth, or a touch of the cheek
makes the newborn turn his/her head toward the side that was touched in an apparent effort to
find something to suck.
Can newborns distinguish the different tastes?
• In a study conducted with babies only two hour old, babies made different facial expressions when
they tasted sweet, sour and bitter solutions (Rosentein and Oster, 1988, cited by Santrock, 2002).
• When saccharin was added to the amniotic fluid of a near-term fetus, increased swallowing was
observed (Corpuz, et al., 2015).
Application
Observe an infant/toddler based on the milestones listed on the Physical Development Observation
Checklist (Infants and Toddlers) below. Limit your observation to your home or neighborhood only. Check
“observed” if the indicators were observed on/performed by the child, and “not observed” if otherwise.
Observe only the indicators that apply to the age of your subject.

Physical Development Observation Checklist (Infants and Toddlers)

Name: Section Code:

What Infants And Toddlers Can Do: Physical Skills

lifted from the questionnaire of Philippine Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) (Corpuz, et al., 2015)
Name of Subject (use an alias/nickname) Age:

Physical Health Not

Observed
observed
0-6 months Startles to loud sounds
Visually follows a moving object from side to side
Visually follows a moving object up and down
Reacts to pain by crying
Withdraws or cries when in contact with something hot
Withdraws or reacts with surprise when in contact with
something cold
Reacts with pleasure/smiles or relaxed expression when
he/she tastes something delicious
Reacts by making a face/frowns/grimaces when he/she tastes
something he/she does not like
7-12 months Reacts with pleasure when he/she smells something nice
Reacts by making a face when he/she smells something fouls
Pushes and/or pulls moderately heavy objects (e.g.. chairs, large
boxes)
Walks without tiring easily
13-18 Play without tiring easily, able to keep pace with playmates
months Participates actively in games, outdoor play and other exercises
19-24 Sustains physical activities (e.g. dancing, outdoor games,
months swimming) for at least 3-5 minutes
Motor Skills Development (Gross Motor Skills) Not
Observed
observed
0-6 months Holds head steadily
Moves arms and legs equally to reach at dangling object
Rolls over
Bounces when held standing, briefly bearing weight on legs
Sits with support
Starting to crawl but not yet very good at this
7-12 months Sits steadily without support
Creeps or crawls with ease as a primary means of moving
around
Stands without support
Stands from a sitting position without any help
Squats from standing position with ease
Stands from standing position with ease
Bends over easily without falling
Stands from a bent position without falling
Walks sideways by holding onto the sides of crib or furniture
(cruises)
Walks with one hand held
13-18 Walks without support
months Walks backwards
Walks up the stairs with hand held, 2 feet on each step
Walks down stairs with hand held, 2 feet on each step
 Jumps in place
Climbs onto a steady elevated surface (e.g. bed, adult chair or
bangko etc.)
Kicks a ball but with little control of direction
Throws a ball but with little control of direction
Throws a ball but with little control of speed
Runs without tripping or falling
Maintains balance (walking on a low, narrow ledge, between 2
lines without assistance
Moves with music when he hears it
Can move body to imitate familiar animals
Can move body to imitate another person/TV character
19-24 Walks up the stairs with alternating feet, without help
months Walks down the stairs with alternating feet without help
Kicks a ball with a control of direction
Throws a ball with control of direction
Throws a ball with control of speed
Motor Skills Development (Fine Motor Skills) Not
Observed
observed
0-6 months Hands open most of the time
Bring both hands together towards dangling object/toy
Uses either hand interchangeably to grasp objects
Uses all 5 fingers in a ranking motion to get food/toy placed on
a flat surface
Grasps objects with the same hand most of the time (hand
preference emerging)
7-12 months Pulls toys by string
Bangs 2 large blocks together
Picks up objects with thumb and index fingers
Grasps and transfer objects from hand to hand
Grasps objects with the same hand all the time (definite hand
preference established)
13-18 Puts small objects in/out of container
months Unscrew lids
Unwraps candy/food
Holds thick pencil or crayon with palmar grip (e. g. all 5 fingers
wrapped around pencil)
19- 24 Colors with strokes going out of the lines
months

Note: Put the documentation on the next page.

 Reflection

Having learned the physical development of infants and toddlers, and based on the
observation that you conducted, as a future parent or as caregiver of children, reflect on:
what you should do more often for infants and toddlers

what you should refrain from doing to facilitate their growth and development

References
Books
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M.R., Borabo, H., & Lucido, P. (2018). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.
Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing. ISBN:978-621-8035-48-5
Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L., & Lucido, P.I. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at
Learners at Different Life Stages. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

E-Books
Beckett, C & Taylor, H. (2016). Human Growth and Development (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. (2015) The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (4th ed.). Pearson
Education, Inc.
Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V.L. (2016). Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Levine, L.E. & Munch, J. (2016). Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence: An Active Learning Approach.
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ormrod, J.E., Andermamn, E.M., & Anderman, L. (2017). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (9th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.
Rathus, S.A. (2017). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
 MODULE
Physical Development in Early Childhood
LESSON
(Preschoolers)

Key Terms
center of gravity manipulative skills
locomotor skills fine motor skills
non-locomotor skills gross motor skills

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Lesson, you should be able to accomplish a physical development
observation checklist based on your observation of a preschooler.

Learning Tasks:

Activity
Picture Analysis. Examine the pictures below. Think about the physical characteristics of preschoolers.
Put a caption for the pictures.

Place your caption here.

Place your caption here.

Place your caption here.

 Place your caption here.

Analysis
From the captions you wrote for the pictures, what physical characteristics of preschoolers came out?
Write them below.

Write your response here.

Abstraction
From the activity, you were able to see a glimpse of preschoolers’ physical development. They
love to move. They enjoy being active. They are also interested to work with their fingers, like with blocks.
They have a more balanced stance than toddlers. Read on and you will learn more about the typical
physical development of preschoolers, the important concerns and issues, and how teachers and
caregivers can help maximize the preschoolers’ growth and development.

The preschooler years is commonly known as “the years before formal

schooling begins.” It roughly covers 3-5 years of age. The preschool years is very
important as it lays foundation to later development (Corpuz, et al., 2015).

Although it is known as the years before formal school, it is by no way less important than the
grade school years. At this stage, preschoolers achieve many developmental milestones. As such, pre-
service teachers who might be interested to teach and care for preschoolers need to be knowledgeable
about them to be truly an intentional and effective teacher.

Significant Changes in Physical

The preschooler moves from the unsteady stance of toddlerhood to a more steady bearing. They
no longer “toddle”, that wobbly way that toddlers walk. This also allows the preschooler to move more
“successfully” than the toddler. Some say that the later part of the preschooler years, at around 5 or 6, is
the best time to begin learning skills that require balance like riding a bike or skating.

The center of gravity refers to a point at which body-weight is evenly

distributed.

Toddlers have their center of gravity at a high level, about the chest level.
This is why they have difficulty doing sudden movements without falling
down. Preschoolers, on the other hand, have their center of gravity at a
lower level, right about near the belly button. This gives them more
ability to be stable and balanced than the toddler.

Physical growth increases in the preschool years, although it is much slower in pace than in infancy
and toddlerhood. At around 3 years of age, preschoolers move, from the remaining bay-like features of
the toddler, toward a more slender appearance of a child. The trunk, arms, and legs become longer.

By the time the child reaches three years old, all primary or deciduous, or what are also called
“baby or milk” teeth are already in place. The permanent teeth which will begin to come out by age six
are also developing. The preschooler years are therefore a time to instill habits of good dental hygiene.
 Gross and Fine Motor Development

Gross motor development refers to acquiring skills that involve the large
muscles. These gross motor skills are categorized into three: locomotor, non-
locomotor, and manipulative skills.

1. Locomotor skills are those that involve going from one place to
another, like walking, running, climbing, skipping, hopping, creeping,
galloping, and dodging.
2. Non-locomotor skills are those where the child stays in place, like
bending, stretching, turning, and swaying.
3. Manipulative skills are those that involve projecting and receiving
objects, like throwing, striking, bouncing, catching, and dribbling.

Preschoolers are generally physically active. Level of activity is highest around three and becomes a
little less as the preschooler gets older. Preschoolers should be provided with a variety of appropriate
activities which will allow them to use their large muscles. Regular physical activity helps preschoolers
build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints, control weight and build lean muscles, prevent or
delay hypertension, reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and increase capacity for learning.

Fine motor development refers to acquiring the ability to use the

smaller muscles in the arm, hands, and fingers purposefully.

Some of the skills included here are picking, squeezing, pounding,

and opening things, holding, and using a writing equipment. It also
involves self-help skills like using the spoon and fork when eating,
buttoning, zipping, combing, and brushing.

Different environments provide different experiences with fine motor skills. For example, the
availability of information and communications technology in large urban areas makes younger and
younger children proficient in keyboarding and manipulation of the mouse or gaming console like the PSP.
While other children use their fine motor skills in digging soil, making toys out of sticks, cans and bottle
caps, still others enjoy clay, play dough, and finger paint.

By the end of the preschool years, most children manage to hold pencil with their thumb and fingers,
draw pictures, write letters, use scissors, do stringing, and threading activities. They can also do self-help
skills like eating and dressing up independently. Significant progress in fine motor skills can be expected
or preschoolers especially if they are aptly supported and appropriate activities are provided form them.

Handedness, or the preference of the use of one hand over the other, is usually established around 4
years of age. Earlier than this, preschoolers can be observed to do tasks using their hands interchangeably.
We can observe a preschooler shifting the crayon from left to right and back again while working on a
coloring activity.
 Preschoolers’ Artistic Development

At the heart of the preschooler years is their interest to draw and make other forms of artistic
expressions. This form of fine motor activity is relevant to preschoolers. Viktor Lowenfeld studied this and
came up with the stages of drawing in early childhood:

Stage 1. Scribbling Stage.

This stage begins with large zigzag lines which later become
circular markings. Soon, discrete shapes are drawn. The child
may start to name his/her drawing towards the end of this
stage.

Stage 2. Preschematic Stage.

May already include early representations. At this
point adults may be able to recognize the
drawings. Children at this stage tend to give the
same names to their drawings several times.
Drawings usually comprise of a prominent head
with basic elements. Later, arms, legs, hands, and
even facial features are included.

Stage 3. Schematic Stage.

More elaborate scenes are depicted. Children
usually draw from experience and exposure.
Drawings may include houses, tress, the sun and
sky and people. Initially, they may appear floating
in air but eventually drawings appear to follow a
ground line.

Everyone who observes a preschooler go through these stages of drawing would surely say one
thing: that the preschooler drew the same drawing maybe a hundred times! Repetition is the hallmark or
early drawing. Also important to remember is that the preschoolers’ representations or drawings does
only involve fine motor skills, but also cognitive skills. Children’s drawings allow us have a glimpse of how
they understand themselves and the world around them.

Preschoolers’ Nutrition and Sleep

The kind of nutrition a preschooler gets has far-reaching effect on his physical growth and
development. The preschooler’s nutritional status is the result of what nutrients he or she actually takes
in checked against the nutritional requirement for his/her age. Obviously, having too much or too little
both have their negative effects. Here in the Philippines, we can see preschoolers not having enough food
and those who are not just overweight but obese. The celebration of the Nutrition Month every July is
aimed at advocating for proper nutrition.

It is important for preschoolers to get sufficient amount of rest and sleep. Preschoolers benefit
from about 10-12 hours of sleep each day. It is when they are asleep that vital biological process that
affect physical and cognitive development take place. During sleep, especially in the dream state (rapid
eye movement stage), growth hormones are released. Blood supply to the muscles are likewise increased
helping preschoolers regain energy. At this stage while dreaming, increased brain activity is also attained.
Application
Observe an infant/toddler based on the milestones listed on the Physical Development Observation
Checklist (Preschoolers) below. Limit your observation to your home or neighborhood only. Check
“observed” if the indicators were observed on/performed by the child, and “not observed” if otherwise.
Observe only the indicators that apply to the age of your subject. Document your observation.

Physical Development Observation Checklist (Preschoolers)

Name: Section Code:
What Preschoolers Can Do: Physical Skills
lifted from the questionnaire of Philippine Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) (Corpuz, et al., 2015)
Name of Subject (use an alias/nickname) Age:

Motor Skills Development (Gross Motor Skills) Not

Observed
observed
36-48 months Hops 1 to 3 steps on preferred foot
Skips (with alternating feet)
Jumps and turns
Stands on one leg without falling for at least 5 seconds
Throws a ball overhead with control of direction
Throws a ball overhead with control of speed
Kicks a ball with control of speed
Motor Skills Development (Fine Motor Skills) Not
Observed
observed
36-48 months Consistently turns pages of a picture or story book one
page at a time, looking at pictures with interest
Purposefully copies diagonal lines
Purposefully bisects a cross
Purposefully copies a square
Purposefully copies a triangle
Cuts with scissors following a line
49-60 months Copies a simple pattern of different basic shapes
Draws a human figure (head, eyes, mouth, trunk, arms,
legs, etc.) without prompts
Draws a house without prompts using geometric forms
Colors with strokes staying within the lines
Personal Care and Hygiene (Self-Help Skills) Not
Observed
observed
36-48 months Pours from pitcher without spillage
Feeds self using spoon without spillage
Dresses without assistance except for buttons and tying
laces
Puts on socks independently
49-60 months Feeds self using fingers without spillage
Prepares own food
Dresses without assistance, including buttoning and tying
Wipes/cleans him/herself after a bowel movement
Brushes teeth after meals without having to be told
Washes and dries face independently without having to
be told
Takes a bath independently without having to be told

Note: Put the documentation on the next page.

 Reflection
In 100-150 words, make a reflection about the Lesson.

From this Lesson on the Physical Development of Preschoolers, and from the observation
that I conducted, I learned that…

References
Books
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M.R., Borabo, H., & Lucido, P. (2018). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.
Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing. ISBN:978-621-8035-48-5
Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L., & Lucido, P.I. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at
Learners at Different Life Stages. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

E-Books
Beckett, C & Taylor, H. (2016). Human Growth and Development (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. (2015) The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (4th ed.). Pearson
Education, Inc.
Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V.L. (2016). Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Levine, L.E. & Munch, J. (2016). Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence: An Active Learning Approach.
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ormrod, J.E., Andermamn, E.M., & Anderman, L. (2017). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (9th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.
Rathus, S.A. (2017). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
 MODULE
Physical Development in Middle and Late
LESSON
Childhood (School-Agers)

Key Terms
coordination speed
balance power
static balance growth spurts
dynamic balance

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Lesson, you should be able to enumerate ways and practices on how
teachers can aid school-age children in successfully developing physically.

Learning Tasks

Activity
Observe at least 2 school-age children (Grades 1-6); boy and girl. Discuss the physical characteristics that
you have observed. Follow the format below:

Child #1 Child #2
Profile Profile
Nickname/alias: Nickname/alias:

Age: Age:

Grade Level: Grade Level:

My Observations My Observations
Analysis
1. Based on the observations you have made, what can you conclude about the general physical
characteristics of children in their elementary years?

2. What activities were commonly done by these children which help them to develop physically?

3. Based on your observations and readings, do boys follow a different growth pattern compared to the
girls? Explain your answer.
Abstraction

Middle Childhood

Middle childhood is the stage between 6-12 years old when children undergo so many different
changes – physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Children in this stage receive less attention
than children in infancy or early childhood. The support of the family and friends of the child is very
important during this phase of development.

Physical growth during the primary school years is slow but steady. During this stage, physical
development involves:
1) having good muscle control and coordination;
2) developing eye-hand coordination;
3) having good personal hygiene; and
4) being aware of good safety habits (Corpuz et al., 2015).

Height and Weight

In this development stage, children will have started their elementary grades, specifically their
primary years – Grades 1 to 3.
• This period of gradual and steady growth will give children time to get used to the changes in their
bodies. An average increase in height of a little over two inches a year in both boys and girls will
introduce them to many different activities that they can now do with greater accuracy.
• Most children will have slimmer appearance compared to their preschool years because of the
shifts in accumulation and location of their body fats. A child’s legs are longer and more
proportioned to the body than they were before.
• A number of factors could indicate how much a child grows, or how much changes in the body
will take place (Corpuz et al., 2015):
▪ genes ▪ exercise
▪ food ▪ medical conditions
▪ climate ▪ diseases/illness

Bones and Muscles

• Childhood years are the peak of bone-producing years. This is the best time to teach children of
good dietary and exercise habits to help them have strong, healthy bones throughout their lives.
• Because children’s bones have proportionally more water and protein-like materials and fewer
minerals than adults, ensuring adequate calcium intake will greatly help them in strengthening
bones and muscles.
Motor Development
Young school-aged children are gaining control over the major muscles of their bodies. Most
children have a good sense of balance. They like testing their muscle strength and skills. They enjoy doing
real-life tasks and activities. They pretend and fantasize less often because they are more attuned with
everything that is happening around them.

Children in this stage like to move a lot – they run, skip, hop,
jump, tumble, roll, and dance. Because their gross motor
skills are already developed, they can perform activities like
catching a ball with one hand, tying their shoelaces, they can
manage zippers and buttons (Corpuz et al., 2015).
 Performing unimanual (require the use of one hand) and bi-manual (require the use of two
hands) activities become easier. Children’s graphic activities, such as writing and drawing, are now more
controlled but are still developing. They can print their names and copy simple designs, letters, and
shapes. They hold pencils, crayons, utensils correctly with supervision.

Motor development skills include coordination, balance, speed, agility, and power. Let us look into the
definitions of the different motor skills.

Coordination is a series of movements organized and tied to occur in a particular

way to bring about a particular result (Strickland, 2000). The more complex the
movement is, the greater coordination is required. Children develop eye-hand and
eye-foot coordination when they play games and sports.

Balance is the child’s ability to maintain to maintain the equilibrium or stability of

his/her body in different positions. Balance is a basic skill needed especially in this
stage, when children are very active. During this time, children have improved
balancing skills.
Static balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium in a fixed position, like
balancing on one foot.
Dynamic balance is the ability to maintain equilibrium while moving (Owens,
2006).

Speed is the ability to cover a great distance in the shortest possible time while
agility is one’s ability to quickly change or shift the direction of the body. These
skills are extremely important in most sports.

Late Childhood

Does physical growth slow down or speed up in late childhood? Is this what they call the “troublesome age”?

Children in their late childhood stage always seem to be in a hurry. They get so busy with their school work,
interacting with their friends, exploring other possible activities, but this period of physical development seems
to take on a leisurely pace.

Children at this stage have growth spurts – sudden boost in height

and weight – which are usually accompanied by increase in
appetite and food intake (Corpuz et al., 2015).

Increase in body fats also occurs in preparation for growth that

occurs during adolescence. The body fat increase occurs earlier in
girls and is greater in quantity.

• On the average, girls are generally as much as two (2) years ahead of boys in terms of physical maturity.
Puberty may begin early. Budding breast for girls – which is the initial sign of puberty. Some girls may also
start menstrual period as early as 8 and some as late 13.
• Many of the bodily structures like the liver, muscles, skeletons, kidneys and face follow a normal curve of
development for both girls and boys. Other structures like the brain, intestine and other organs and bodily
systems mature at their own time, thus, affecting growth patterns.
• Girls appear to be “chubby” while boys tend to have more lean body mass per inch of height than girls.
These are all normal part of development. These differences in body composition become very significant
during adolescence.
• At this stage, children may become concerned about their physical appearance. Girls, especially, may
become more concerned about their weight and decide to eat less. Boys may become aware of their
stature and muscle size and strength (Corpuz et al., 2015).
Application
Observe at least two (2) children in their middle and late childhood (6-12 years). Describe the
physical characteristics of these children and write them down below. Document your observation.

Child #1 Child #2

Age

Grade Level

Height

Weight
Balance

Speed

Coordination of
Movements

Note: Put the documentation on the next page.

 Reflection

Having learned the physical development of school-age children, and based on the
observation that you conducted, as a future teacher, reflect on:

what ideas you can give in order to help primary school children (Grades 1 to 3) develop physically

how you should design activities so that children in their late childhood, who are often concerned about
their physical appearance, might be guided into the right direction

References
Books
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M.R., Borabo, H., & Lucido, P. (2018). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.
Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing. ISBN:978-621-8035-48-5
Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L., & Lucido, P.I. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at
Learners at Different Life Stages. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

E-Books
Beckett, C & Taylor, H. (2016). Human Growth and Development (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. (2015) The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (4th ed.). Pearson
Education, Inc.
Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V.L. (2016). Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Levine, L.E. & Munch, J. (2016). Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence: An Active Learning Approach.
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ormrod, J.E., Andermamn, E.M., & Anderman, L. (2017). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (9th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.
Rathus, S.A. (2017). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
 MODULE
Physical Development of
LESSON
Adolescents (High School Learners)

Key Terms
growth spurt estrogen
gonadotropic hormones menarche
gonads spermache
testosterone

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Lesson, you should be able to describe physical and sexual changes
accompanying puberty.

Learning Tasks:

Activity
Think-Pair-Share. Share your real-life experiences along the following aspects:

1. Individual perceptions whether your growth was slow or fast, smooth or by spurts, etc. Any sense of
curiosity or concern (especially as to such incidences as menstruation for girls and wet dreams for
boys).

2. How your self-image (esteem) was affected by your physical growth (possibly too thin or plump, lanky
or short, homely-looking, etc.)

3. Parental relationship during these years, as you may have sought more independence, privacy, etc.
Analysis
Ask the same questions above to a sibling/cousin/friend of the same age (adolescent). Share your
responses and answer the following questions:

1. Was there anything common in the experiences shared?

Write your response here.

2. Was there anything unique?

Write your response here.

Abstraction

“When will it happen?”

“Why is my voice acting so funny?”
“How tall will I be?”
“Why do I get pimples?”
“Why am I getting hairy?”
“Why is mine not like his?”
“What’s happening to me?”

Perhaps no other period of life is as exciting—and as bewildering—as adolescence.

Except for infancy, more changes occur during adolescence than during any other time of life.The
period of adolescence begins with biological changes of puberty and ends with the role and work of adult
life. The specific ages for this period varies from person to person but distinct phases have been identified.
The advent of puberty may come early for some others. But everyone goes through these stages. These
stages are:

1) Early Adolescence – characterized by puberty mostly occurring between ages 10-13;

2) Middle Adolescence – characterized by identity issues within the ages 14 and 16; and
3) Late Adolescence – marks the transition in adulthood at ages 17 and 20 (Corpuz, et al,
2015).

Adolescence is a period of transition in terms of physical, cognitive

and socio-emotional changes, physical transition being particularly coupled
with sexual transformation.

The aspect of individuality in adolescent development is unique to

each individual, although there are common issues that depend on race and
culture – changes in parent-adolescent relationship, exploration, need for
more privacy, and idealization of others (Corpuz, et al, 2015).

The Growth Spurts

Throughout life, the growth hormone conditions gradual increases in body size, and weight, but
hormones flooding occurs during adolescence causing an acceleration known as the growth spurt. Body
changes include change in body dimensions (leg length, shoulder width, trunk length). The phenomenon
commonly results in the feeling of awkwardness and unfamiliarity with bodily changes.
• In girls, the growth spurt generally begins at age 10 reaching its peak at age 11 and-a-half, and
decreasing at age 13, while slow continual growth occurs for several more years.
• Boys begin their growth spurt later than girls at around age 12, reaching a peak at 14 and declining
at age 15 and-a-half (Corpuz, et al, 2015).

Briefly, all the muscular and skeletal dimensions appear to take part in the growth spurt during
adolescence.
 Sexual Maturity

The series of hormonal changes accompanying

puberty is complex. Hormones are recognized to be
powerful and highly specialized chemical substances
that interact with body cell. The triggering by the
hormones of the hypothalamus glands on hormones of
the pituitary glands signal the entire process of sexual
maturation. During the process, gonadotropic
hormones are secreted by the anterior pituitary.
Gonads, which are the ovaries in the female and the
testis in the male, are then stimulated by the
gonadotropic hormones, in turn stimulating their own
hormones. When the male testis is stimulated by the
Source:https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Hypothalamic%E2%80%9
gonadotropic hormones, testosterone is secreted, 3pituitary%E2%80%93gonadal_axis
while estrogen is secreted when the female is stimulated.

Secondary male sex characteristics are stimulated by testosterone, comprised by the growth of
the testis and scrotum (recognized to be the first sign of puberty), penis and first pubic hair, the capacity
for ejaculation, the growth spurt, voice change, facial hair development/ beard growth. Occurring late in
puberty, the lowering of the voice, caused by the enlargement of the larynx and double lengthening of
the vocal cords, is viewed to be the most obvious aspect of adolescent development.

In girls, estrogen secretion triggers the beginning of breast enlargement, the appearance of pubic
hair, the widening of the hips, a growth spurt, and menarche (first menstruation). The elevation of the
female breast is the first external sign of puberty in girls, while the growth of the uterus and vagina
accompanies enlargement of the breast. There are differences in reaching menarche in accordance with
ethnic differences.

In contrast with menarche, spermache signals the first sign of puberty and sexual maturity in boys.
At about age 12 or 13, boys experience the enlargement of the testis and the manufacture of sperm in
the scrotum, most likely experiencing the first ejaculation of semen- a sticky fluid produced by the
prostate gland. The need to discharge semen occurs more or less periodically following pressure caused
by the production of seminal fluid by the prostate gland. Nocturnal emissions or “wet dreams” occur
during sleep often caused by sexual dreams.

Instinctively, adolescents become aware of changes in sexuality, thus undergoing a period of

exploration and adjustment. Masturbation or manipulation of sexual organs is caused by conscious
fantasizing, both among boys and girls. It is important to note that science and religion differ in their
regard to masturbation. Modern medical science sees it as an inevitable transitional phenomenon among
adolescents. On the other hand, religion generally regards it as gravely sinful, ascribing sin even to sexual
fantasies. In the end, while the growing youth need not feel guilty about natural sexual urges, they need
to be forewarned about habitually giving in these urges. Outgrowing the acts of masturbation is
wholesome especially during adulthood when males and females need to relate to each other in a mature
relationship (Corpuz, et al, 2015).

Adolescent Sleeping Habit

Studies show that teenagers are not getting enough sleep, and would want more sleep. Actually,
lack of sleep is likely caused by changes in adolescent behavioral patterns. Teens often stay up late
because they enjoy it, especially with the advent of internet music listening, video watching, chatting, and
blogging. About 90% of teenager high school student report going to bed later than midnight. Socializing
with peers add to the problem, causing difficulties in waking up early and causing teenager to struggle to
stay alert and function productively.

Shorter sleep time also contributes to increased levels of depression, daytime sleepiness, and
problems with sleeping. The school and teachers should therefore take time to impart healthy sleeping
habits, to prevent fluctuations in moodiness and anemic conditions among teens (Corpuz, et al, 2015).
 Pluses and Minuses in Early or Late Maturation
Early or late maturation deserves due consideration, as this can be a factor for adolescent
acceptance and comfort or satisfaction with his/her body image. Among girls, physical changes are more
dramatic, but perceptions of not being well developed as compared with their peers can be a cause for
timidity or shyness, if not frustration.

In the case of late maturing boys, the slack in growth in the body build, strength, motor
performance and coordination may inhibit their performance in curricular and extra-curricular activities,
such as sports. Being physically weaker, shorter and slimmer would make them less apt to be outstanding
in leadership activities and in sports. On top of these, late maturing teens are seen by their peers as being
more childish, more inhibited, less independent, less self-assuring, and less worthy of leadership roles
(Corpuz, et al, 2015).

Adolescents and Nutrition

It is a recognized fact that teens are the poorest eaters among age group, as they often skip meals,
frequently take snack foods (hamburger, fries, pizza, soft drinks, etc.) at fast- food eateries. Necessary for
adolescent years are sufficient amounts of vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, iron, riboflavin and vitamin D. Magic
diet schemes suggested by advertising and magazines to lose weight, give a radiant hair, whiten the skin,
etc. should be met with caution.

The Ideal Body

Most adolescence desire an “ideal body”, which is the same as being attractive or handsome in
face (features of the eyes, nose, lips, hair, etc.) and in body (tall and muscular for boys and tall and slender
for girls). It’s important that adolescent feel confident about their body image. The physical features of
the human body (facial looks, body size, color of skin, etc.) depend on genetic heritage witch must
generally be respected (Corpuz, et al, 2015).
Application
Cite at least 5 big ideas from this lesson. Give a concrete application of each in your personal life.

Big Idea from the Lesson Concrete Application in my Life

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
References
Books
Corpuz, B., Lucas, M.R., Borabo, H., & Lucido, P. (2018). The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles.
Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing. ISBN:978-621-8035-48-5
Corpuz, B.B., Lucas, M.R.D., Borabo, H.G.L., & Lucido, P.I. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at
Learners at Different Life Stages. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

E-Books
Beckett, C & Taylor, H. (2016). Human Growth and Development (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. (2015) The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals (4th ed.). Pearson
Education, Inc.
Gillibrand, R., Lam, V., & O’Donnell, V.L. (2016). Developmental Psychology (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Levine, L.E. & Munch, J. (2016). Child Development from Infancy to Adolescence: An Active Learning Approach.
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Ormrod, J.E., Andermamn, E.M., & Anderman, L. (2017). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners (9th ed.).
Pearson Education Limited.
Rathus, S.A. (2017). Childhood and Adolescence: Voyages in Development (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Santrock, J.W. (2011). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

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