Did you know that some thirty-trillion cells are currently working together in your body right now through an interconnected arrangement of tissues, organs, and body systems? The human body is one of my favorite units to cover in science class and in this post, I will share some of my go-to games and activities as well as some of the connections students fail to make in this unit (and how to correct that).
Digital Interactive Notebook (PPT and Google Versions)
Since there are 12 body systems that I go over with my middle school students, there tends to be a lot of information and sometimes students can mix up which system does what. So to give students a reference tool, I created a Digital Interactive Notebook with all of the body systems as well as dozens of activities, labs, and games.
Physical interactive notebooks are great. Until they're not. The gluing, cutting, scraps of paper all over my classroom, not to mention the time it takes to do all that, are some of the reasons I've steered away from using them. However, with these digital interactive slides, we can cover more without all the mess!
My students love being able to complete so many different activities, especially the peer work and labs I've included in the slides.
Depending on your class structure, you can use the slides as independent work (bell-ringer, exit-slip, homework), partner work, or even as whole class instruction. I typically use them in all of these ways to keep it interesting. There are so many human body middle school activities here that your kids will love!
Human Body Systems Scavenger Hunt
(Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ Systems)
One of the things my students sometimes fail to see is that specialized cells make up specific tissues, and that those tissues are connected to others to make organs which are a part of a larger organ system. They can memorize the order I listed above, but are sometimes unable to provide a specific example or evidence of this claim.
I'm all about the application when it comes to things like this, so I knew I needed a way for my students to better visualize how these terms relate to each other. The human body systems scavenger hunt provides students with a clue about a specialized cell. They must locate the correct cell, which I have taped on a wall in my room, and follow the corresponding clues to identify which tissue, organ, and organ system it belongs to.
The thing I love the most about this activity is that students will get to visualize different kinds of cells and compare their functions to each other. One of the things my students can have a harder time identifying is body tissue. For the scavenger hunt, I created images that combine a group of cells to make particular body tissues.
With 3 unique scavenger hunts, you'll have your students moving around the room searching for different cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. If your students need further review, simply give them another hunt to complete!
Another lightbulb moment we've had during this activity is that some cells, tissues, and organs can belong to more than one body system. For example, in my scavenger hunt, I have smooth muscle cells which make up stomach tissue. A student might immediately connect the stomach to the digestive system...and they would be right. But in the example I use, the stomach is classified as a muscle and a part of the muscular system...which is also true! It has opened up a great conversation about how interconnected the body systems are how they each depend on each other for the entire organism to function properly.
Human Body STEM Challenges
STEM challenges are a great way to add a hands-on approach to your body systems unit. One of the activities my students always enjoy is the Build a Working Hand STEM Challenge. In this activity, students use household items such as cardboard, rubber bands, string, straws, and tape to create a model hand that can clasp a cup or similar small object.
We've also made model lungs (like the one above) in the past and working "digestive systems." Science buddies has a great list of STEM challenges too.
Visualizations and Demonstrations
Something fun I like to do during our discussion about the immune or lymphatic system is a little demonstration on the transmission of germs using GLO GERM.
I give students a very small dab of the glo germ and tell them to wash their hands throughout the day as they normally would. That afternoon, I set up a black light and see how well they removed their "germs" from earlier. What's even more disturbing is to check their hands the following day...
Another simple demonstration I do with my students to help them understand the role of glands within the endocrine system is a to take a water bottle (a ziploc bag or something similar can work too) and fill it with colored water. I poke a small hole in the lid and label everything as shown below.
I explain that the water bottle is the gland and the liquid inside is a hormone.
Next, I explain that when the body receives a signal from the brain, certain glands will release their hormone to their targeted cells. I then pour the liquid into another container labeled "target cell."
I ask students to predict what will happen with the target cell when it receives the hormone. We then discuss how our bodies respond to different hormones like adrenaline, testosterone, or insulin.
Another really fun and quick demonstration is the Energy Stick. The tube has electrodes on either side that when held on either side, light up the tube and make a sound. Students can form a circle and create a circuit with their bodies! It's a great introduction to the nervous system!
Enjoy using some of these great hands-on techniques when teaching the human body and please share other ideas you may have below!
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