This is week six of our study through Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology with The Homeschool Scientist and the last Science Saturday before the New Year.
Breathe deep. One of the most relaxing things I fit into my day is just taking the time for a few deep breaths, and this week I was able to do more deep breathing than normal as we studied the respiratory system.
What you need
- Junior Notebooking Journal for Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology by Jeannie Fulbright
- 2 liter bottle
- 1 balloon
- Plastic grocery bags
- Packing tape
Day One
We started the study in what has become a habit, flipping through YouTube looking for educational videos about the respiratory system and then flipping through the text. I have found that the videos seem to make the children more aware of what is in the textbook… almost like it primes the pump.
Day Two
After asking the children to pay attention to their breathing for a moment, we got up and danced. And did jumping jacks. And ran around like crazy people. Then, stopped. I asked the children if they were breathing faster or slower now and of course, they were breathing faster.
After our exercising, we reviewed the textbook and labeled the diagram in our Junior Notebooking Journal for Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology by Jeannie Fulbright. Those words are a lot of fun but the kids were troopers. I expected them to tell me they were tired but they wrote out every letter.
As we went through the diagram, I would have the children tell me where that part was on their own body. Since they could not see their own soft palate and uvula, the kids thought it was loads of laughs to look (and poke) at mine.
Our final project was creating a lung. I admit that I had seen this model all over Pinterest and really wondered why it was so popular. After the lung was made, I knew… this thing is amazing and fun for everyone… even me!
The lung takes seconds to make: Just cut the top off a 2 liter bottle. Shove a balloon down into the neck and let the mouth of the ballon overlap the edges of the bottle. Then, cut circles from plastic bags and create a make-shift handle in the middle. (I used packaging tape to attach the mouth portion of another balloon.) Finally, tape the bag to the bottle.
As the children pull the handle, the balloon inside the bottle will expand. When they release the tension, the balloon deflates, mimicking respiration. Â Very, very cool.
Don’t forget to swing by The Homeschool Scientist and see how their studies went. Also remember that this is the last Science Saturday on Meet Penny until January 12th, but I promise to be back and better than ever after the holidays.
More Respiratory System Resources
- Respiratory System 3D (video)
- Heart & Lungs Buddy Book (PDF – coloring book)
- Human Respiratory System at Spell Outloud (lesson post)
- Working Respiratory System (animation)
- Free Powerpoint Presentations (website with links)
We have been enjoying the you tube and other online videos available. They make learning fun! I have been starting to search for them in more areas of our homeschool studies. You are right. The lung experiment is just cool!
YouTube is such a wonderful (and underused) resource for homeschoolers. I spend a lot of time there. 🙂
What’s the link for the lung experiment?
Oh my, LaToya. I am such a dork. I can’t believe I left it off: http://www.smm.org/heart/lessons/lesson7.htm
I really appreciate all the links. However, what I enjoy more are the smiles on your children faces, beautiful! It really is an inspiration to find children enjoying learning of what we as educators should be doing.
Thank you so much. I agree. When my children are smiling because they are enjoying our lessons, I definitely feel like I a fulfilling my call. 🙂