This fifth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" looks at the issue of sexual maturation in early adolescence via four articles. "The Counselor's Impact on Middle-Grade Students," by Hershel Thornburg, examines physical, intellectual, and social developmental tasks of early adolescence. "Contraceptive and Sexuality Knowledge Among Inner-City Middle School Students from Minority Groups," by Peggy Smith, Mariam Chacko, and Ana Bermudez, describes reported sexuality and contraceptive knowledge of inner-city middle school adolescents from minority groups who participated in a free physical examination program. Differences by sex, race, and ethnicity are mentioned; trends and potential implementation of the findings for the school counselor are highlighted. "The Pregnant Adolescent: Counseling Issues in School Settings," by Peggy Smith, looks at adolescent sexuality and cognitive development, considers pregnancy outcomes, and discusses the family's role in the counseling process. "Pregnancy Counseling for Teenagers," by John Eddy, Ernest McCray, David Stilson, and Nancy DeNardo, provides an approach to counseling the pregnant adolescent using a step-by-step method. It describes the use of a structured interview providing both the client and the school counselor with a positive experience. (NB)