Fundamentals of Human Growth and Development - Alexandria City ...

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEVELOPING FETUS/
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PREGNANT FEMALE
Purpose: To give students specific information pertaining to the characteristics of the developing
fetus and of pregnancy
To provide students with the opportunity to work in groups and to gather data.
To provide students with the opportunity to organize results of their research and to
present data orally to the class
To have students record research results from each group in chart form
Time Required: 3 class periods
Materials: A Child is Born
Masculinity and Femininity
Additional resource material (if desired)
Butcher paper
Marking pens
Tape
Note making Guide (one per student)
Procedure: Day 1: Class is divided into nine groups of 2-4 students. Each group is assigned one
month of a pregnancy. Students are directed to organize their desks in such a way as to
facilitate group interaction and to begin searching through resource materials for
information pertaining to the directed to gather data concerning the physical development
of the fetus (embryo) during the month of pregnancy assigned to them and the
physical/emotional state of the mother during that month. Students must also find a
graphic illustration of the developing fetus for their month. They are to take notes
Day 2: Groups are to divide the tasks of 1) Listing the characteristics of the fetus on the
butcher paper, 2) Listing the characteristics of the mother on the butcher paper, and 3)
Drawing the illustration of the fetus on the butcher paper. Note: A sample butcher paper
illustration should be provided showing students how the paper should be arranged.)
Day 3: Students reconvene as a class. Each student should be provided with a Note
making Guide (see attached). Beginning with Month 1, each group will present the
group’s findings to the class. (Groups may elect spokesman or alternate presentation of
the data.) Class will take notes on the guide as each group presents. Completed projects
are displayed, in progressive order, in the classroom.
Reproduction Unit 29