Has anyone taught a co-op class on the Human Body?

[kristavws]

I am going to be teaching 2 classes on human body in our co-op this year. One class consists of 5-6 year olds, and the other class 7-9 year olds. I have decided to use My Body by Teacher Created Resources as the "spine" for this class. I will also be utilizing some of the printouts from Evan Moor's Giant Science Book, which I already had. I will also be dissecting a number of sheep organs for both classes (I will dissect, they will watch).

 

If you have taught a class on this topic for this age range, would you mind sharing your experience? Am I missing anything that would really improve the quality of the classes?

 

Thanks - Krista

[Alana in Canada]

A long time ago someone posted an idea about having the kids draw an outline of their bodies, full size on paper. (We went to Ikea and got one of their rolls).

 

Then, when we studied a particular organ or system, we either drew or used a picture to paste) on their bodies. I did that with my kids and they just loved it.

 

But of course, I had only two. Don't know if you'd have room for that!

[Karen in CO]

I taught a class to a mixed group of 5-9 year olds. They enjoyed it.

 

Some ideas:

• There are a couple of versions of the Dem Bones song that are enjoyable to learn the names of the major bones. There is even a scholastic video with a picture book version of Dem Bones. The kids liked that a lot.
  
• The Magic School Bus video on digestion is great. Their book on the senses is very good too.
  
• There is an experiment you can do with iodine and crackers to show how digestion breaks down food, but this works better if kids already know a little about the process.
  
• Talk to your dentist to see if you can borrow some mouth models and maybe some sample tooth brushes for when you cover the teeth.
  
• If you have a good rapport with your doctor, you might be able to borrow some of those lung, nose or knee models that the drug reps give out. Also ask about x rays. My ds had recently broken his collar bone and the kids really connected with seeing how it mended and comparing the x-rays.
  
• When we covered skin, I added in a demonstration of germs and hand-washing. I had kid put lotion on their hands, then some touch some glitter that I had "sneezed" to represent germs. We then proceeded to touch some other things, and shake hands and such. We noted how fast the germs spread. Then we washed hands and experimented with warm and cold water, with and without soap, and timed how long it takes for the "germs" to be washed off.
  
• When you dissect, make sure it is in a ventilated room and keep and eye on the squeamish kids - I had to take one to her mom because she didn't feel well.
  
• There are some paper models of skeletons online that you can photo copy, cut out and attach with brads. These are fun to make and are great for Halloween.

 

Here is the lesson plan for what I did in my co-op class. We did not do even half of the experiments I have listed in the plan, but I always planned for more experiments or activities in case one flopped.

[Jennefer@SSA]

A long time ago someone posted an idea about having the kids draw an outline of their bodies, full size on paper. (We went to Ikea and got one of their rolls).

 

Then, when we studied a particular organ or system, we either drew or used a picture to paste) on their bodies. I did that with my kids and they just loved it.

 

This is exactly what I did but instead of using the cut outs from the My Body book you mentioned we used 3-D materials (sponges I painted red for the heart, pink balloons for the lungs, clear tubing for the large intestine...) It was expensive to buy all the materials but the kids LOVED it!!!

 

When we did the digestive system we stopped and had a snack and talked about how the food was moving through our bodies. They loved that as well.

 

I used a book that I can't find on Amazon to show (You could use any basic human body book that goes through the body) but I would read a section, we would discuss and then they would go add that section to their body. It was perfect for the younger age group because they weren't required to sit for long periods.

 

At the end I had a model of the human body, very similar to this one sitting out for kids to play with along with this Melissa and Doug puzzle and a few other books I had checked out from the library.

 

Hope that helps and that your class is a huge hit!

[Karen in CO]

When we did the digestive system we stopped and had a snack and talked about how the food was moving through our bodies. They loved that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Also have them see if they can swallow upside down. I always find it fascinating to see how many kids believe that they can't. It is just something many haven't thought of before. btw, it does work mostly by gravity in birds.

[angela in ohio]

I taught a "My Body" class a few years ago for 4-7 yo. Each week we talked about a different body system, colored those parts and put them on the body, and did a hands-on experiment. The two that stand out were the one where you use a rubber band to simulate a muscle and the one where you create "poo" with graham crackers and water and a fake digestive system. I'm sure you can google for those. For senses, we did the one where you eat a potato, a pear, and an apple with your nose plugged. I do remember I had to shrink the organs from the "My Body" book a bit to fit on the littler ones' body cut-outs.

[Beth in SW WA]

Reviving this old thread....

 

These ideas a great. I'm not doing a co-op class (just here w/ my girls).

 

Jennifer, your 3-d ideas sound wonderful. Could you please share more specifics?

 

Karen, my dear friend is a dentist. I'll sweet-talk her for some models.

 

I heard Wal-Mart has a skeleton.

 

Has anyone used this?

http://www.timberdoodle.com/3_D_Torso_Puzzle_p/268-206.htm

 

Thanks!!

[hsbeth]

Thanks for reviving this one, Beth. That 3-d model looks great for the price. I will be teaching a co-op class for 4-5th graders next year. One semester is supposed to be on environmental and one on the human body.

[Jennefer@SSA]

Reviving this old thread....

 

Jennifer, your 3-d ideas sound wonderful. Could you please share more specifics?

 

Thanks!!

 

For the lungs we used small pink balloons. For the heart we used sponges I spray painted red. For the stomach we used a gray balloon. For the large intestine we used some clear tubing I got at Home Depot (plumbing section if I remember correctly) and for the small intestines we used rope that we twisted all up. I can't remember what we used for the brain but it may have been another sponge I painted gray. We were working with younger kids so we didn't add kidney, liver or any other organs although we did discuss them a bit.

 

All this was added to a human body model we drew of each child on a piece of butcher paper.

 

We had lots of fun with this project and most of the kids saved theirs for a long time afterward.

[leaird]

I have taught two human body co-op classes and am currently preparing to teach a third. Here is what I used as best I can remember:

 

K-2nd graders: My Body by TCM, Easy Make & Learn Projects: Human Body by Scholastic, Organic Puppet Theater, and lots of fun books to learn about each system instead of the boring nonfiction titles that our library carries.

 

3rd-5th graders: The Body Book by Scholastic, Head to Toe Science, and Blood and Guts

 

I will be teaching 5th & 6th graders next year using the new Apologia Human Anatomy & Physiology book. I will use Head to Toe Science and Blood and Guts to add extra hands-on activities because they are fabulous resources!

[Beth in SW WA]

Thank you, Jennefer, for adding those details.

 

I purchased from Amazon: My Body, Head to Toe & The Body Book. I'm excited.:001_smile:

 

I still need the Apologia book & journal.

 

Dd 8th grade will be helping to teach this since she'll be doing a year of human anatomy.

 

Thanks again!

[Quiver0f10]

I taught a co-op K-2 class last year and we used My Body by TCM, Head to Toe Science, and The Kingfisher First Human Body Encylopedia.

[Beth in SW WA]

Hi Jean,

 

Do I need 2 copies of The Body Book or do I make copies of the body parts? Did you buy any 3-d models, skeleton, etc. I love the idea of asking dentist/doctors for models.

[Quiver0f10]

Hi Jean,

 

Do I need 2 copies of The Body Book or do I make copies of the body parts? Did you buy any 3-d models, skeleton, etc. I love the idea of asking dentist/doctors for models.

 

I made copies. I found a large roll of paper at a teaching supply store for under $12 to use for the body background. I didn't buy any models but it would be great if you could find some!

[Beth in SW WA]

Thanks!