(No, I have not been compensated in any way - I just love their labs!)
Today we used the Life Support for a Developing Baby lab kit, and it's both really engaging and full of information. It reinforces the idea that red blood cells do not diffuse across the membrane, but alcohol and viruses can cross and affect the baby.
Students build a model of the placenta from dialysis tubing and a cup of warm water. Substances diffuse across for 15 minutes while students analyze charts and build a puzzle of the baby-placenta-blood supply to reinforce their understanding of the anatomy.The chemical tests screen for alcohol and a virus in the baby's blood, and students see a dramatic result, comparing it to what birth defects may be caused during different stages of fetal development shown in the chart provided.
I think it's a great way to tie in the anatomy & physiology with the students' future real lives. It's always nice to get in a health lesson (Fetal Alcohol System) alongside the required science.
I also like to combine this lesson with the Human Fetal Growth lab I purchased from Teachers Pay Teachers. It has students measure and graph fetal growth in length and graph mass values for fetal development as well.
If you're interested in seeing MY teachers pay teachers store - check out Carrie's Chemistry and Anatomy for my own lessons.
