What do you do with Science models?

I feel like there are a lot of unused Biological charts and models sitting in the back of classrooms as decorations.  I have always wanted to have access to these beautiful models, but once I get one, how do you use it with a class full of 25+ students and ONE model? 

I inherited several of these in the classroom I moved into, and I've tried to find new ways to make use of them.
 


One way I've discovered is through station work.  As students move around the room, only 3-4 of them are investigating the model at a time. 



This works well some of the time, but I found recently on one of my models that it has screws on the back and can be taken apart!  This has allowed me to separate it into five parts and use it much more successfully.

I have students rotate through and I ask them to identify specific letters or numbers and then discuss the function of that part with their classmates as they progress. 


You could even ask them to find their favorite YouTube video explaining how that organ works, or connect it to diagrams in their text to make comparisons and find differences.  It's always nice to compare why an author chose to include or leave out certain information in their artwork.


I also have a lovely poster with overlays I use for the same purpose.  I feel like it's helping me get more use out of these resources that previously were just dusty decor.


If you've got access to some models you're not using, maybe you should revisit the options available for students to enjoy them, while getting up out of their seats and interacting with one another to help cement their memory of the information.


If you're interested in seeing what other things I like to do in my class, check out my store on TPT for free and paid items.  Thanks!

Circulatory STEM Challenge lab

Carolina offers a STEM Challenge lab for Anatomy & Physiology that has been a great addition to my Physiology class for the last two years. 

The students work their way through the inquiry process using pipets, tubes, and valves to model blood movement through a two chambered heart.




If you have the funds to try it in your classroom, it's well worth the investment.  I re-used a lot of the pieces in year two, and that helped cut down on the cost. 

Have students save their materials at the end and sort into separate bins for tubing, pipets, and connectors.  Almost all items in the kit are reusable.  The only thing I will need more of next year is the flexible tubing in longer lengths.  Students would also need more parafilm, but that's easily available outside the kit.





The hardest part for my students was not having explicit instructions to build the prototypes.  They are students who usually do really well following lab guidelines and the freedom to try things on their own was difficult.  By the third prototype they realized I wasn't going to tell them if they were right or wrong and got more comfortable trying things on their own.  There are multiple setups that meet the requirement in the instructions, so they can be creative!



It's so difficult to find something related to physiology that includes inquiry, and I would highly recommend this activity!

I would also recommend this for students who need a good homeschool activity about the Circulatory System, as it's very simple and instructions for the teacher are very clear with good sketches of the models.

Diagnosis Success: Making Anatomy and Physiology Come Alive

Last spring I purchased a few new books from NSTA, one of which is titled "Diagnosis Success: Making Anatomy and Physiology Come Alive" by NH Maller.  I've implemented most of the book now, so i feel good about speaking to its success in my classroom.

The students pretend to be doctors, including starting with "Medical School" where they research four medical conditions (later seen in their patients), and reading and signing the Hippocratic Oath.

The book has four anonymous celebrity patients, and encourages you to choose popular faces from the entertainment industry to connect students to their work.  Each patient has a chart and over the course of six lab tests, students identify which condition the patient has and creates a final diagnosis.

Teachers are encouraged to support each lab test with information about a different body system, and covers the Urinary, Digestive, Blood, Lymphatic, Respiratory, and Endocrine Systems through the labs.  This has taken more time than I anticipated, but the students have stayed engaged each time I bring back their "Celebrity" patients and updating their medical charts.  I've kept manila folders in the class for each group to keep their lab results and patient charts in, so they're always accessible.

Some of the labs are a bit gross (digestive by-products), or socially edgy (HIV test), but the students have really enjoyed the work and I think they see a more powerful connection to WHY we might want to know how the body systems work.

One of the best things is, when I had a question I was able to email the author from her website, and she responded to me the next day (question about materials needed for a lab).  She was very friendly and helpful, and was interested to hear how the implementation worked out in the classroom.

Overall, I think this term was very successful, and the increased student engagement was compliments of Maller and her new book.