I Am Growing
FoundationFrom baby to child, our height and weight keep growing, and baby teeth make way for permanent teeth.
- Growth has stages: babyhood, toddler stage and childhood.
- Growing up means gaining height and weight and swapping baby teeth for permanent teeth.
- Measure and record height and weight to watch yourself grow.
文體小知識：說明文按階段說明成長的變化，一步一步帶你認識長大的秘密。
§Text Passage
1Kittens grow into cats, saplings grow into trees, and we are growing every day too. Human growth has stages: from birth to about one year old is babyhood, from one to about six is the toddler stage, and from about six to twelve is childhood. We Primary 1 pupils are just entering childhood.
2In every stage the body changes clearly. A baby can only lie at first, then learns to turn over, sit up and crawl, then to stand holding things and walk; height and weight grow very fast in these years. Toddlers learn to run, jump and speak full sentences, and can eat and dress by themselves.
3In childhood our arms and legs grow stronger, and we can ride bicycles, skip rope and play ball games. Height and weight keep increasing, so last year's uniform is too short and the shoes must be new again. Permanent teeth begin to replace baby teeth: at about six, baby teeth fall out one by one and big white new teeth grow in.
4We can measure growth with a height ruler and a scale and write the numbers in a growth record, for example on every birthday. Looking at the record, the numbers grow bigger each time — that is the proof of growing up. Comparing baby photos with how we look now also shows many changes.
5Growing up is more than body changes; it also means learning new skills: tying shoelaces, packing the schoolbag, helping with housework and caring for little brothers and sisters. A balanced diet, regular exercise and enough sleep help us grow healthily. Let us measure and record, and treasure every day of growing up!
1Summary 重點摘要
From baby to child, our height and weight keep growing, and baby teeth make way for permanent teeth.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
To become taller and heavier and learn more skills.
A child from birth to about one year old.
A child of about one to six who learns to walk and talk.
A person of about six to twelve, studying in primary school.
The length from the feet to the top of the head.
How heavy the body is.
The first set of teeth in childhood, which fall out.
The new teeth that grow after baby teeth fall out and never change again.
To find height or weight with a ruler or a scale.
A chart of the numbers measured each time.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know the three stages of growthHuman growth is like climbing stairs: babyhood from birth to about one year old, the toddler stage from one to about six, and childhood from about six to twelve. Each stage brings body changes and new skills. Knowing our own stage helps us understand why the body keeps changing, and teaches us to care for younger babies and toddlers, such as little brothers and sisters at home.
- Step 2: Changes in babyhoodA newborn baby can only cry and sleep, with a soft body needing adults for everything. After a few months the baby lifts the head, turns over and sits up; at about one year the baby crawls and walks holding things. In this year height and weight grow fastest of all, so babies quickly need bigger clothes. Growing the first baby teeth is another sign of babyhood, usually the two middle front teeth on the lower jaw — very cute.
- Step 3: Changes in the toddler stageThe toddler stage is the fastest time for learning skills: children learn to walk, run and climb stairs, speak in full sentences, and eat with a spoon, dress and use the toilet by themselves. Height and weight rise steadily, and the twenty baby teeth are complete. Toddlers are full of curiosity and love asking why, wanting to try everything. The skills and good habits learned then build an important base for primary school.
- Step 4: Changes in childhoodNow we are in Primary 1, at the start of childhood: our arms and legs are stronger, and we can ride bicycles, skip rope and play ball games. Height and weight keep growing — last year's uniform is short and the shoes are new again. At about six, baby teeth loosen and fall out and permanent teeth grow in. Permanent teeth stay with us for life, so brushing carefully morning and night matters even more. We also learn to write, read and help at home, growing in skill as well as in body.
- Step 5: Measure and record growthTo know whether we are growing, measure and record: use a height ruler or tape measure for height, a scale for weight, and write the numbers in a growth record. Stand straight without shoes and use the same ruler and scale each time, so the numbers are true. Many families mark height lines on the door frame, higher and higher — a happy sight. Bigger numbers are the best proof of growing up.
- Step 6: Grow up healthilyGrowth needs the help of nutrition and exercise: eat balanced meals, and calcium-rich milk makes bones strong; one hour of exercise a day builds stronger muscles; go to bed before nine, because sleep helps us grow. While teeth are changing, brush morning and night to keep them clean, so the permanent teeth grow neat and healthy. Growing up also means learning to care for ourselves and for others — a good child healthy in body and heart.
5Worked example Example
Example: Ming's growth record says: at birth, fifty centimetres and three kilograms; at one year, seventy-five centimetres and nine kilograms; at six, one hundred and fifteen centimetres and twenty kilograms. What can you see from the record?
- Compare the first year first: from birth to one year, height grew twenty-five centimetres and weight six kilograms — the fastest growth of all.
- Then compare one to six: in five years, height grew forty centimetres and weight eleven kilograms, rising steadily.
- The numbers grow bigger each time, showing Ming kept growing; babies grow fastest, then growth becomes steady.
- Measure height and weight again this year and compare with last year, and you will see how much you have grown.
- Answer: The record shows Ming's height and weight kept increasing: fastest in babyhood, then steadily. This proves he is growing. We can also measure and record our own height and weight regularly to watch ourselves grow.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What do we call the stage from birth to about one year old?
Q2What happens to the teeth at about six years old?
Q3What if a permanent tooth decays?
Q4Which tool measures height?
Q5Why do we record height and weight?
8Recap Recap
- Growth has stages: babyhood, toddler stage and childhood.
- Growing up means gaining height and weight and swapping baby teeth for permanent teeth.
- Measure and record height and weight to watch yourself grow.
- Permanent teeth come only once — brush morning and night.
- Balanced diet, exercise and sleep help us grow healthily.