Human Body Detectives

[desertflower]

Hello,

 

Anyone use this?  Pros, cons?

 

Is this like Magic School Bus?

 

I read some reviews, but they were from 4 years ago. 

 

Thanks for any info!

[Farrar]

Yeah, a bit like Magic Schoolbus, but honestly not as good. They're fine. I got them all on Educents when it was first starting up and you could get $10 free for joining. Then they had the ebook versions for really cheap and I used the money on them. We read them and they were okay - okay information, okay illustration, okay plot. I'd say they'd be best for early elementary. IIRC there was an activity to illustrate the concepts in each book, but it wasn't like a real experiment or anything. If they had been something I'd come across in the library, I'd have thought they were cute. Being sold more like a curriculum supplement, they come off as kind of lame. Context matters.

 

If you're looking for something fun for the human body, I'd suggest Blood and Guts by Linda Allison. Well written, perfect for mid to upper elementary, lots of fun projects.

 

Or, if you're more of a cut and paste family, Scholastic has a couple of human body books that are similar to Evan Moor History Pockets in style where kids make little models of body systems. I can't remember the titles but IIRC, Guesthollow's free anatomy program for elementary school schedules them...

[desertflower]

Thanks Farrar. I have the blood and guts book. You are right, it is good. :)