not specifically to reproduction.
My eighth grade science class started with human cells and their structure - membrane, nucleus, protoplasm, etc. From there we went on to organs and then covered every system in the body - circulatory, immune, skin, reproductive, endocrine, etc.
During that school year (1962-63), Life Magazine published an issue dedicated to DNA and the double helix. The teacher bought up several copies and used them as our text for several classes.
Knowledge of human biology has grown considerably over the years, but that 8th grade foundation made it possible to follow new developments since then.
In 10th grade, we had general biology that included the plant and animal systems, from one-celled microbes to viruses, bacteria, sea life, insects, reptiles, mammals, etc. Also covered plants, photosynthesis, plant reproduction, basics of genetics, and more. Disected frogs and worms, and tested each others' blood types.
With high school basics, people should be able to grasp general ideas in the news about illness, the immune system, and vaccines.
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