Activities to Teach Students About Body Systems: Perception and Motion
As teachers, it’s important to make learning about the human body fun and interactive for students. By incorporating activities that emphasize perception and motion, students can better understand how their bodies function.
Activity #1: Body Mapping
In this activity, students are given a large piece of paper and are instructed to lay down on it. They are then instructed to trace their entire body onto the paper. Once the outline is complete, students label different parts of their body and discuss different systems involved in each part (i.e. the respiratory system in the lungs, the digestive system in the stomach).
Activity #2: Mirror Mirror
For this activity, students are split into pairs. One student is blindfolded or closes their eyes, while the other student performs an action such as jumping, clapping, or rubbing their hands together. The blindfolded student must then guess what action their partner performed solely based on the sound or sensation they felt.
Activity #3: The Senses Game
In this game, students are given a variety of items such as cotton balls, marbles, or different types of fabric swatches. They are then blindfolded or asked to close their eyes and must guess what texture each item is solely based on touch. This activity emphasizes the importance of touch and the nervous system’s ability to perceive different sensations.
Activity #4: Muscle Mania
In this activity, students are given a set of resistance bands and asked to perform different exercises such as squats, lunges, and bicep curls. While working out, students can discuss different muscles used in each exercise and the importance of staying physically active for overall health.
Activity #5: Bone Building
For this activity, students are given a variety of materials such as toothpicks, bendy straws, and clay. They are then tasked with building a model of a human bone, such as the femur or humerus. This activity emphasizes the importance of calcium and other minerals for bone health.
Overall, by incorporating activities that emphasize perception and motion, students can better understand the complexity and importance of the human body’s various systems. As they participate in these activities, students will have fun while learning, and their understanding of the material will stick with them for years to come.