Category: Biology

Biology

The House You Live In

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This classic text is a great introduction to human anatomy (”the house you live in”), originally prepared back in 1904 for use in primary grades in New York schools. I really like the engaging way the lessons are given. The teacher very simply reviews the subject of the lesson (such as the heart, bones, muscles, etc.), then asks the students simple discussion questions that help them understand how the body works.

Included are both the questions for your students and the answers you want them to grasp, so it is easy to lead discussion in the direction you want it to go. No advance preparation is needed by the teacher.

We thing it would be a great idea to use this with  an anatomy coloring book or some more recent color illustrations. These Q&A lessons are so extremely well done, we think you’ll really, really enjoy using this lesson guide with your younger children (Grades 1-3).

To download this PDF ebook, RIGHT CLICK HERE and “save link” to your computer. Mac users, press the “control” key, thne click the link and save to your mac.

Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Classic Picture books, Critical Thinking, Lesson Plans, Living Books, Math, Physics, Science

Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science

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Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science by Patricia Bishop McKean (PDF ebook with multiple PDF files)

Patricia Bishop McKean compiled this wonderful ebook that pairs great picture books / young reader books (including such classics as Stellaluna, Follow the Drinking Court, Swimmy, Curious George, Morris’s Disappearing Bag and many more) with hands-on activities that demonstrate basic science concepts to young students. Subjects covered in the activities include earth science, astronomy, math, ecology, physics, chemistry, and process skills. It’s a great approach that makes both the stories AND the science lessons much more memorable.

From her introduction:

Each children’s picture book is linked to a simple, basic science activity. By showing teachers how to “hook” their students by reading a familiar or new story and then doing a related hands-on, minds-on science activity, I have helped teachers feel more comfortable with teaching science.  Sometimes the story comes before the activity, and sometimes it comes after the activity. The activity will stand alone, as will the reading of the story, but if the hook captivates the mind of the student, the memory of the science concept should last in the student’s mind.

About the format:

Each book & accompanying science activity has its own PDF file, so there’s lots of PDFs to download here, making it a little more complicated than just downloading a single PDF file. But it is worth the effort. Check it out and see if you don’t agree. Use the menu on the site to navigate between sections of the collection.

CLICK HERE to go to the website!

Biology

The Human Heart

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Did you know that the human heart beats about 100,000 times a day, 35 million times a year, and two and a half billion times in an average lifetime?

Did you know that, on any given day, your heart beats roughly 100,000 times and your blood travels about 12,000 miles as it circulates throughout your body?

Did you know the average heart pumps more that a gallon of blood a minute?

Did you know a kid’s heart is about the size of a fist… and an adult’s heart is the size of two fists?

Today we’re sharing this great collection of links from “Education World” all about the human heart. You’ll learn how the heart works, take an interactive tour of the heart, learn about the heart’s electrical system, blood flow and blood supply, see some amazing videos, and much more.

Click here then follow the links!