Our bodies: Skin and brains

 

We all have one, and we're all learning how to control, maintain and strengthen it ... it's our body!
Last year, when I would ask, "What would you like to learn about?" Lil would always answer, "How things work!" When I asked what kinds of things, she didn't have too many specifics. As preparing for this school year, I felt inspired to teach about how our bodies work.

 

We believe we lived before we came to earth, and that part of the Great Plan of Salvation included coming to earth to obtain a physical body. We know that because Satan was cast out of heaven for rebellion, he does not have a body. And there's proof everywhere that Satan would like us to feel miserable about our bodies, and he'd love for us to use our bodies unrighteously. That being said, the body is a big deal!

 

Our Poe Gnomes started by a mini-unit on nutrition (sorry, no pics - it was mostly just reading during lunch time for a couple weeks). Then they traced their bodies, as we talked about the important role of skin.

Next up was the brain. Grandma Poe had given us a "build a brain" set - so the gnomes got their hands busy right from the start. We talked about how important it is to protect our brain and to nourish it.

 

We learned what conditions are necessary for the brain to conduct optimum learning and concentration, which served helpful throughout the week! I'd only have to say, "When our emotions are high, we can't learn as well - come back in a minute and we'll try again." or "Let's do jumping jacks and get the blood pumping to our brain before we try to learn that one." or "Everyone drink a big glass of water so our brain is happy." All the Poe gnomes understood these points as truth and would happily comply.

We also made these paper brain buckets, which accurately identify different lobes. They even give picture hints to what each lobe's main responsibility is.

One day we dove into a different brain kit that has sticky parts. By the end of this day, the girls could easily identify the cerebellum, cerebrum and brain stem. They know that the brain stem connects to the spinal cord, and the skull protects the brain as it floats within the skull. Tweezers, little scissors and other tools came with this kit; so the kids conducted many brain surgeries before actually putting the puzzle together. It proved difficult to construct ... but three brains are better than one. :) They eventually got it.