My students need a skeleton in the classroom; I teach Teen Health and Life Science. People learn best when they can engage their eyes, ears, and hands.
There are a number of concepts that are difficult for my students because they only have access pictures of human skeletons. Students are to learn about the muscle/bone relationships that make our arms third class levers. I will be able to demonstrate this relationship with a skeleton.
I teach 12-13 year old urban students in a diverse community; many languages and economic backgrounds are represented.
They are curious about the changes their bodies are going through but they are exposed to more inaccurate information then accurate information. This is an opportunity to increase the exposure they have to accurate information about their bodies because it supports the rationale for a healthy diet, an exercise program and safety procedures.
My Project
I know the power of teaching science by having the students out of their seats and learning by using their hands, eyes, ears and their social connections. This is the most potent form of learning because I don't do the teaching, they are teaching themselves. My work is in the preparation.
That is why having a human skeleton will be an often used learning tool. I have seen students in other schools that have a skeleton visited and manipulated daily by students even though they are not in class.
I can't know the future impact on students. I do know that if I constantly provide opportunities for students to learn by teaching themselves, they begin to love learning and they never forget what they taught themselves.
I have chosen this project because students relate better to three dimensional objects than to two dimensional pictures.
My task is to prepare the learning environment. The information I am to present is about their bodies as they go through their middle school and high school years. A life-like human skeleton will be a teaching tool the students will use often, even when they do not have to.
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