Integumentary System

Verse:

• Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. I Corinthians 12:27

• 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27

Book:
"The Skin You Live In" by Michael Tyler

In class we...

• had a room change because someone threw up. We learned first hand that vomiting is a component of the digestive and muscular system - amongst other things. At the end of this impromptu discussion, it was so encouraging to hear one student conclude "....and we are wonderfully made!"
  
• had a contest in class. Two teams "White Lightening" and "The Disney Kings" battled it out over anatomy. There were two levels of questions: easy and difficult. The teams whizzed by the easy questions and with a bit of deliberation every difficult question was correctly answered. It was a very close game, and each student won the grand prize a "Wonderfully Made" t-shirt.
  
• briefly learned some basics about our skin - the organ that keeps everything contained.
• learned that there are 3 layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer
• sloughed off some of our dead skin cells, since we learned that we constantly have new cells growing
• learned that melanin gives skin its color
• appreciated the differences in our skin by looking closely at photographs of our own faces
• cut out the photographs of our faces and taped it on our body
• were reminded again that we are ALL wonderfully made and are ONE in the body of Christ - regardless of our anatomy.
  

"Wonderfully Made" class Winter 2010

Our Liver

Verse:
I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Jeremiah 33:8


Book:
"Me and My Amazing Body" by Joan Sweeney

In class we ...

• located the liver in our body - some students said they could feel it.
  
• discussed the many functions of the liver

to cleanse the blood*

makes bile which helps digest fatty foods

stores glycogen


• discussed ways of keeping the liver healthy by eating less fatty foods and restricting the intake of toxins and chemicals
  
• reviewed many of the systems we covered earlier in the semester
  

Vocubalary words:

• liver
• bile
• digestion
• cholesterol
• glycogen

Websites:
This website may be a useful to review some of the basics covered in class.

Our Digestive System- pt. 2

schematic from the web

schematic drawn by the students

Verse:
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Psalm 51:6

Book:
"What Happens to a Hamburger?" by Paul Showers

In class we learned that ...

• we don't have to get grossed out by our intestines
• our digestive system is pretty much one very large tube from our mouth down past our large intestine
  
• we have sphincters around the stomach to control flow
  
• the adult small intestine (SI) is about 2" in diameter and about 21' long
• the intestines have to be really smushed up in order to fit inside our body
  
• the fats and proteins in the chyme is further digested in the SI with the help of pancreas, liver and gall bladder
• vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats are absorbed extensively in the SI
• food can stay in the SI for more than 4h to help facilitate the absorption process
• the inner surface of the SI is lined with finger-like projections (microvilli) to enhance the absorption process
• the nutrients are absorbed from the SI by lymph and blood vessels that look like more chicken feet
• eventually the blood will carry these nutrients to areas in our body of need
  
• the large intestine is about 3-4" in diameter and about 5' in length
• extra nutrients and water is absorbed in the large intestine
• another word for "poop" is feces or stool

Vocabulary words:

• intestines
• absorption
• sphincters
• pancreas
• liver
• gall bladder
• chyme
• microvilli
• feces

Videos:
The server was too slow so we didn't watch these videos
Digestive System - Video 1
The Stages of Digestion - Video 2

Helpful Website:
Kidshealth

Activities to do at home:

To visually demonstrate how
1) the food is pushed through the intestines in a pulsatile motion
2) the nutrients and water are absorbed through the microvilli
3) undigested waste is noticeably less than the starting material

• Take some old porous nylon stockings and cut off one leg, leaving an opening at each end.
• Cook some instant oatmeal, about 2-3 cups and cool.
• Cover the area - things can get a bit messy.
• Pack the oatmeal into one end and gently squeeze the oatmeal from one end to the other end.
• The porous hose will allow nutrients to escape and by the time you've reached the other end, only noticeably smaller amount should be left to be dumped out.

Our Digestive System- pt. 1

Verse:
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
Proverbs 25:21


Book:
"What Happens to a Hamburger?" by Paul Showers


In class we...

• did a great job reviewing material we learned before spring break
• defined digestion to be the breakdown of food and conversion to energy
• identified two forms of breakdown: chemical and mechanical
• learned that saliva and digestive juices in the stomach help with the chemical breakdown of food
• learned that mechanical breakdown occurs when we chew food, when the esophagus squeezes the food down into the stomach, and when the stomach churns the food for hours
• better appreciated why our parents tell us to "chew your food well"
  
• in the stomach the food changes appearance and looks thick and soupy called chyme
  
• appreciated the fact that our epiglottis helps prevent food from going down our trachea
• reviewed that smooth muscles are involuntary muscles and are heavily involved in digestion
• we duplicated this part of the digestive process using a tightly sealed plastic bag, crackers, saliva, and vinegar and observed the changes in appearance of food 1) before breakdown, 2) after mechanical breakdown, 3) after chemical breakdown (Note to self: this experiment grossed out some students)
• we colored, cut, and pasted our paper stomachs on to our body
  

Vocabulary words:

• digestion
• saliva
• chemical breakdown
• mechanical breakdown
• epiglottis
• esophagus
• bolus
• chyme
• sphincter

Video:
We didn't watch any videos in class, but here are two that nicely reviews what we learned.
Stomach Digestion
Digestion

Our Muscular System

Verse:
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Books:

"Understanding your Muscles & Bones" Usborne Science for Beginners, Rebecca Treays

In class we...

• estimated the number of muscles in our body and compared this to the number of bones (about 600 muscles and about 200 bones)
• demonstrated how we use muscles by creating various facial expressions
• identified the three types of muscles:

1. smooth (involuntary) for digestion and breathing
2. cardiac (heart)
3. skeletal (voluntary)

• determined the purpose of skeletal muscles is primarily to give power for movement
• learned that oxygen fuels the muscles and quickly reviewed the respiratory system
• realized that we need tendons to help attach the muscle to the bone
• used Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers and yarn to learn that many muscle fibers next to each other adds strength and power.
• learned how muscles (triceps and biceps) work in concert with one
  
  another to create movement using rulers, balloon and yarn
• identified our largest muscle: the gluteus maximus
• we colored, cut and paste our leg muscles to our body

Vocabulary words:

• involuntary muscles
• smooth muscles
• cardiac muscle
• skeletal muscle
• voluntary muscle
• oxygen
• tendons
• striated muscle
• muscle fiber
• triceps
• biceps
• quadriceps
• gluteus maximus

Video:

While cleaning up, we played this video in the corner of the room as review.

Things to do at home:

• We talked about how beef would be a great specimen to better observe the muscle fibers and its alignment. However, we made sure not to be caught "playing with our food."
• Sprint in place and feel the lactic acid build-up
  

Our Skeletal System

Verse:
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.
Proverbs 15:30

Books:

• "Your Bones" by Terri DeGezelle
  

In class we...

• learned the components of our bone
• learned how to maintain healthy bones
• discussed the two primary functions of our skeletal system
  
• learned a new song with a familiar tune - sang cranium, clavicle, patella, metatarsals to the tune of "head and shoulders, knees and toes"
  
• identified the largest and smallest bone in our bodies
• discussed and fully appreciated bone joints
• observed calcium and phosphorus depleted bone and compared it to normal bone
• analyzed several x-rays and identified bones and other organs in our body, while observing the difference between a broken bone and a healthy bone
  
• cut and pasted our feet and leg bones onto our body

Vocabulary words:

• skeletal system
• cranium
• clavicle
• patella
• metatarsals
• ball and socket joint
• pivot joint
• door hinge joint
• calcium
• phosphorus

Video:
We did not watch any videos in class. This is a list of videos you can view if you are interested.

• a 3D visual video representation of the human skeleton
• an informative video if you can ignore the mispronunciations and understand the accent
• an Italian Halloween skeleton teaching students the names of the skeletal system
• a short skeleton dance video
• two skeletons square dancing
  
• a skeleton dancing the latino cumbia
  

Useful Websites:

• http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/bones.html
• http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/body/pg000124.html

Activities to do at home:
You can demonstrate the importance of the eating healthful foods that contain the minerals calcium and phosphorus for healthy bones by performing this easy experiment. We observed the end results in class.

• clean two chicken bones and let them dry overnight
• soak one in vinegar (acid that pulls calcium and phosphorus out of the bones)
• soak the other in water as a control
• after a few days of soaking observe the white calcium precipitate in the bottle containing vinegar
• observe that the chicken bone in vinegar is softer and not as rigid as the bone soaked in water

Our Spleen, Pancreas, and Gall Bladder

Verse:

Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14

Book:

"Living with Diabetes" by Jenny Bryan

Things we did:

• learned the functions of the three different organs
• learned that people can live even after they have their gall bladder surgically removed
• learned the role of red blood cells and white blood cells
• learned the function of bile
• learned the function of insulin
• learned about the two forms of diabetes
• discussed alternate routes of insulin administration besides using injections
• appreciated that sugar (glucose) is important for our body
• played a game to better understand the roles of these organs in food digestion
• colored, cut and pasted our spleen, gall bladder and pancreas on to our body

Vocabulary:

• spleen
• white blood cells
• red blood cells
• gall bladder
• bile
• pancreas
• insulin
• diabetes

Helpful Websites:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/diabetes_basics/what/type1.html#

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ccSfdyBEo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6rHYc0X0jw&NR=1

We talked about the different types of "sugars" and the other "-ose" in class. We did not watch this video, but I thought this would be a humorous way to learn more about glucose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJvAL-iiLnQ&NR=1

Our Urinary System

Verse:
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:2

Books:
"The Human Body" by Mary Elting

Things we did:

• learned that it is essential that we have at least one kidney to survive
• located our kidneys
  
• learned that kidneys, particularly the nephrons, filter waste out of the blood and that it flows through at least 400 times per day
  
• learned that kidneys create homeostasis or creates balance of water and minerals
• learned that kidneys send out chemicals informing the body when it needs new red blood cells
• learned that water in = water out
  
• discusses several different ways to ingest water and lose water
• learned that lighter colored urine means it contains more water and that is good!

• identified the parts of the urinary system and pathway of urine
• urinary tract infections can be common. Another reason why it is good to drink a lot of water.
• colored our kidneys and bladder, cut and pasted it on our body
• recreated the urinary system using fruit slices gummy candy for the kidneys, shoestring twizzlers for the uretha and ureters, and a bulging grape for the bladder
  

Vocabulary Words:

• kidneys
• nephrons
• filtration
• ureters
• bladder
• uretha
• homeostasis

Video:
We didn't watch this in class, but I thought this would be a nice re-cap
http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?lic=1&article_set=59257&cat_id=20607

Useful Websites:
http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/kidneys.html#

Note: Today we had an usually high number of students needing to visit the restroom - all but two.

Our Lungs

Verse:

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6

Books:

• "You Breathe In, You Breath Out All about Your Lungs" by David A. Adler
• "How Do Your Lungs Work?" by Don L. Curry

Things we did:

• identified the parts of the body involved in respiration using a bunch of grapes
  
• followed the respiratory pathway from our nose and mouth through the alveoli
• learned about oxygen and carbon dioxide blood gas exchange
• revisited the pathway of oxygenated blood through heart and body
• learned that cigarette smoking can damage our lungs and our body
• colored, cut and glued our lungs to our body

Vocabulary Words:

• cilia
• trachea
• bronchi
• bronchioles
• alveoli
• epiglottis
• diaphragm

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps64D3Juv5A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixMzP5oWngM

Helpful Websites:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/lungs.html
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=2406
http://www.brainpopjr.com/health/bodies/lungs/grownups.weml

Activities to do at home:
I like to use playdough whenever I can for the students to better learn about the organ they are studying. Making the lung with playdough is a great hands on activity you can do. I used pink playdough for the lungs and the blue playdough shows the respiratory pathway from the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

Our Heart

Verse:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Books:

• “How Does Your Heart Work?” by Don L. Curry
• “Hear Your Heart” by Paul Showers

Things we did:

• identified the parts of the heart
• learned the circulatory pathway
• learned about systolic and diastolic pressures
• checked our own resting and non-resting heart rates using stethoscopes
• found our carotid and ulnar pulse using our fingers. Our resting heart rate was much slower.
• identified a few diseases of the heart: hypertension, coronary artery disease, ventricular tachycardia, afibrillation, heart attacks
• colored, cut and glued our heart on to our body.

Vocabulary Words:

• atrium
• ventricle
• valves
• oxygenated blood
• arteries
• veins
• pulse
• stethoscope
• systole
• diastole
  

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZDJgFDdk0

Websites:
http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/heart.html#

Our Brain

Verse:
Psalm 26:2 Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;

Books:

• “How Does Your Brain Work?” by Don L. Curry
• “Big Head!” by Dr. Pete Rowan
• “Looking into my Body” by Reader’s Digest
• “The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses” by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen
• World Book presents “My Body”
• “Your Brain How You Got It and How it Works” by Tabitha M. Powledge

Things we did in class:

• identified the parts of brain, learned their functions. We learned how our senses are dictated by the brain. Ex. Wiggle your large toe.
• identified some diseases of the brain: Alzheimer's, stroke, and seizures
• colored, cut and glued our brain on to our body.
• used playdough to identify the parts of the brain: right and left cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem
  
  
  
  
  
  

Vocabulary Words:

• neuron
• right cerebrum
• left cerebrum
• cerebellum
• brain stem
• spinal cord
• nerves
• senses
  

Video:
We did not see this video. However, I felt like this would be a fun video to help become familiar with the parts of the brain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li5nMsXg1Lk

Useful websites
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmodel.html
http://www.focuseducation.com.au/CoolStuff/build_a_brain/brain.html

First Day of Class and Syllabus

On our first day of class we spent some time getting to know each other in the class.

Verse:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

We pondered on some questions and answers such as

Who made us?

Why did God make us?

What does the Bible say about our bodies?

I read excerpts from 1 Corinthians 12 and tried to emphasize that as a class unit, we needed to work together and follow the classroom rules.

We drew the body outlines of each student in the class! Phew! That was a lot of work. We played with two different kind of skeleton puzzles.

We perused through some books.

Books:
Human Body
The Human Body by Mary Elting
The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
What is a Bellybutton?
Looking into My Body – by Reader’s Digest

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week	Date	Topic	Verse	Student Presenter
1	2/2	Introduction	Psalm 139:14
2	2/9	Brain	Psalm 26:2	Ben W.
3	2/16	Heart	Proverbs 3:5	Dominic B.
4	2/23	Lungs	Psalm 150:6	Sophie H.
5	3/2	Kidneys/Bladder	Psalm 51:2	Joshua H.
6	3/9	Spleen/Pancreas/Gall Bladder	Proverbs 24:13	Ella J.
7	3/16	Skeleton	Proverbs 15:30	Alex K.
8	3/23	Muscles	2 Corinthians 12:10	Josie L.

S

P

R

I

N

G

B

R

E

A

K

9	4/13	Stomach	Proverbs 25:21	Mark N.
10	4/20	Intestines	Psalm 51:6	Parker S.
11	4/27	Liver	Jeremiah 33:8	Dominic T.
12	5/4	Review	Luke 10:27	Emma V.

The Preamble

I've always struggled with how to get parents in on the learning that the students do while at Explorers. I know as a parent, I don't get much feedback from my newly minted 6yo as to what she learns in class. I wish there was a way I could be a fly on the wall of my daughter's classroom so we could continue the conversations that were initiated in class.

I want to afford the parents of my "wonderfully made" students this opportunity to have a pulse on what we do in the classroom.

I contemplated the paper method. To be honest with you, I wasn't even sure the weekly sheet of paper would make it into the right hands. There was also the cost of copying to consider.

I contemplated inundating your email box each week, but I wasn't sure one more Explorer-related email would be well received.

So I'm going to try this method and see how well this goes. I'm hoping to include links to various websites so you and your child could easily revisit the things we learned in class. I'm not a proficient blogger. This will be a new learned skill as we go through the semester. My personal goal is to have the topics from the previous class posted prior to the next class.

Thanks,
Liz