Bodies: Lesson 1!

We had a great time yesterday getting started on learning about the body. I decided to take a systems approach and teach the kids that our bodies are a bunch of machines that work in concert together. First, we talked about the heart, and how it is a pump to move blood through the body, and that blood carries oxygen and nourishment to all the parts of our body, and it carries away what the body has used up.

The idea for how I should have set up the hand pump only occurred to me about 30 minutes before everyone arrived, so instead of a little hand pump that could circulate water, we had this leaky thing that I swear is not filled with pink zinfandel:


Leaky or no, the kids liked trying to get each other wet with it:


Next, we talked about the skeletal system and how it both supports and protects, and everyone built a Lego skeleton:




Finally, we talked about the brain, and how it talks to the rest of the body using nerves. Then the kids got to make the ballerina spin by touching the wire "nerve" to the battery "brain."


Then we put together what we'd learned by pairing up and tracing bodies, then drawing what's inside:





The final products:


Jack and Spencer's:


They really got into the bones and eyeballs, and each of them drew his own mouth. Which makes sense, they both have a lot to say!

Lily and Fiona's:


I LOVE the stomach with the whole apple in it, including a path for the apple to exit the body. The stomach also had a spider in it, which, Lily explained to me, is why this patient is dead and a skeleton.

Sarah and Caiden's:

Theirs had a strawberry in the stomach, and Caiden drew a great-looking brain.


It was definitely as much a learning experience for me as for the kids. There was only one breakdown, and it was because Jack was disappointed that he wasn't going to have time to finish his lego skeleton before we had to move on. (Note to teachers: if you're going to play with legos, leave them for the end of the class!) Other than that burp, the kids were great - curious, ready to learn, good with instructions, focused on what we were learning. I had a great time, and I hope Lynn and Heather (THANK YOU for helping out!) and the kids did, too.

Once I have a better idea of the kids' chemistry, I think things will be even smoother. Next week we'll be *doing* a little chemistry as we learn about the nutrients that keep our bodies healthy. We also have a stethoscope on loan, and we'll be listening to our heartbeats and seeing how they change when we exercise.

Thanks again for sharing your kids and your expertise with us - I think it's going to be a fun year!