3.1 Understanding physical changes

Life orientation

Grade 5

Personal development

Module 15

Understanding physical changes

Understanding of and respect for physical changes

In his drama As you like it , the famous English author and poet, William Shakespeare, described the seven phases of life in a section known as All the world’s a stage or The seven Ages of Man . Here, in a sensitive but humoristic way, he discusses the different stages that we all move through in the course of our lifetime; from being a newborn baby till we reach old age (if we are fortunate enough to live that long). Try to find this excerpt in your school library or on the Internet, or ask your English teacher about this poem.

All the world's a stage

All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like a snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lined,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth stage shifts

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice

Turning again towards childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

(Taken from Everyman¹s Dictionary of Quotations and Proverbs )

Shakespeare sees the seven phases of life as follows:

the infant

the schoolboy

the lover

the soldier (or young professional)

justice (the adult professional)

the pantaloon (older person)

second childhood (the aged person losing his/her senses)

Activity:

To illustrate the seven stages of man on a poster

[lo 3.2]

The seven stages of man

1. Use large sheets newspaper print or poster cardboard sheets.
2. Divide the paper in seven roughly equal sections (in pencil).
3. In each section write a caption indicating the various phases in chronological order (according to age).
4. Find and cut out pictures from magazines that illustrate these life phases. Try to draw pictures of yourself. Then paste the pictures together as a collage (slightly overlapping each other) inside the groups where they belong. Remember to look for pictures of boys and girls, men and women of all ethnic groups.
5. Draw arrows to indicate the course of development and ageing.

After having studied the pictures in detail, discuss the main differences between the various age groups. Then draw a table on the reverse side of the poster, indicating the seven phases and the main physical attributes of each group, e.g.:

Assessment

LO 3

Personal Development

The learner will be able to use acquired life skills to achieve and extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in his or her world.

We know this when the learner:

3.1 identifies personal successes and develops an action plan for continued positive self-concept formation;

3.2 shows an understanding of and respect for body changes;

3.3 appropriately expresses and copes with a range of emotions;

3.4 explores and evaluates ways of responding effectively to violent situations and contexts;

3.5 reflects on how feedback can be given and received;

3.6 develops and implements a personalised study method.

Memorandum

Modules 14-18 focus on the development of the intellectual potential of each learner and on establishing correct study methods. Learners are equipped to effectively deal with the emotions and peer pressure that may increasingly cause problems as they approach adolescence. Educators are encouraged to make use of the input of experts such as psychologists and counsellors to add value to this aspect