Background Information for Human Body Science
On this page, you'll find links that fellow
teachers and KSN staff have recommended. These
links are tools to help guide your background
research on the topics covered within your kit.
general
anatomy and human biology |
circulatory system | digestive system | musculo-skeletal system | respiratory system | health and nutrition | the senses
General Anatomy and Human
Biology
Human Body
This animated site will walk you
through the human body in great detail. Go at your
own pace and follow your particular
interests—there's a lot of useful
information. Click on the flashing buttons to
reach recent human body related news stories.
The
Virtual Body
This dramatic site requires a Java-enabled
browsers, but it's well worth a look if your
computer can support it. Virtual tours of the
brain, heart, skeleton, and digestive tract will
be particularly relevant for you and your
students. Well-labeled diagrams and impressive
animations (watch a heart beat and guide blood
flow) should help to provide a fuller
understanding. The text is written at an adult
level, but you may want to share some images with
your students.
You've Got to Have a System
The Franklin Institute
provides simple overviews of the human
circulatory, respiratory, and excretory systems.
These pages could be very handy if you're seeking
to brush up on your background knowledge quickly.
Human
Anatomy Online: Innerbody.com
This site pictorially explores the ten body
systems, allowing users to tour the systems freely, clicking
on particular parts to receive further details. Much of the
information is more technical than you are likely to
require, but be sure to click on the animations, which may
assist your class.
Gray's Anatomy Online
As this is a recognized
medical reference, this resource is undoubtedly more
advanced than you need, but the first link under each
system/body part tends to be more general.
Related kits: All kits
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Circulatory System
The Heart: An
Online Exploration
This site from The Franklin Institute explores the heart's
development and structure; examines blood and blood vessels;
explains how to have a healthy heart and how to monitor your
heart's health; and looks back at the history of heart
science. This site also recommends resource materials,
activities, and a brief glossary.
National
Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute: Health
Information
This site
from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute presents
straightforward, up-to-date, readable information on
circulatory, heart, and blood diseases (also lung diseases
and sleeping
disorders) and articles on how to live with or prevent them.
Some of the
health concerns addressed: healthy heart, blood pressure,
cholesterol and
obesity. Although they are likely to be more technical,
look also at "News
& Press Releases" links for the latest news on the
same subjects.
Related kits: Human Body Systems (Insights), Human
Body Systems (STC)
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Digestive System
How Stuff Works: Foods
You might enjoy surfing this collection of
articles designed to help you understand facts about food.
Learn fascinating things about how specific foods are made,
why they have particular effects on people, and information
about storage and preparation. There are lots of fun topics
that you might have never thought you'd be interested in,
and it might spark inquiry.
Related kits: Human Body Systems (Insights), Human
Body Systems (STC)
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Musculo-Skeletal
System
Owl
Digestion
This is a
quick, one-page explanation of the owl's digestion and
pellet-creation process. There are a few relevant pictures
of owls eating and of pellets, and a brief video of a great
horned owl expelling a pellet that might be of particular
interest to your students. (Be aware that the video is
looped, so it looks as if the owl is expelling pellet after
pellet, when in fact it is only expelling one in this
instance.)
Owl
Pellets: A World of Discovery
Carolina Biological provides this in-depth
explanation of how and why owl pellets form as a part of the
raptor's digestive process. Written in an anecdotal, teacher-
to-teacher style, this article will help you understand what
your students will see as they carry out their explorations.
If you haven't dissected owl pellets with a class studying
the musculo-skeletal system, consider giving it a try.
Related kits: Human Body (FOSS), Bones and
Skeletons (Insights), Human Body Systems (STC)
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Respiratory System
National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute: Health
Information
This site from the presents straightforward,
up-to-date, readable information on
lung diseases (as well as circulatory, heart,
blood diseases, and sleeping
disorders) and articles on how to live with or
prevent them. Some of the
relevant health concerns addressed, including
asthma and emphysema. Although they
are likely to be more technical, look also at
"News & Press Releases" links
for the latest news on the same subjects.
You
've Got to Have a System
The Franklin Institute provides a simple overview of the
human respiratory system. These pages could be very handy if
you're seeking to brush up on your background knowledge
quickly.
Related kits: Human Body Systems (Insights), Human
Body Systems (STC)
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Health and Nutrition
Kids Health
The Nemours Foundation (which
operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children) has
created this admirable site to provide information
on—what else?—kids' health. The content is
accessible and relevant, but what really sets this site
apart is the method of entry—users select to enter a
section of the site with content written specifically for
parents, teens, or kids. And there's truly a wealth of
information to help you figure out how to talk about health,
emotions, behavior, changes, growth and development, and
first aid.
BrainPOP:
Health
Requiring
both the Flash plug-in and sound, this site might be too
intensive for some users. But if your computer and
connection can manage it, this site is excellent. The Health
section of BrainPOP offers dozens of
animated movies about a huge spectrum of basic health topics
like broken bones, cells, digestion, diabetes, drug abuse,
genetics, and puberty, just to name a few. All of the movies
were created directly in response to children's questions.
WebMD Health
Adults are the
intended audience for this impressively
comprehensive site on all health matters.
Featuring sections on diseases and conditions,
women, family, baby, alternative medicine,
lifestyle issues, food and fitness, and a library
(outfitted with a info on conditions A-Z and a
drug database), this amazing site could help you
prepare to lead discussions in class, and find
health info for your own use.
Nutrition Dictionary
The Nutrition Dictionary provides a thumbnail sketch of
what some vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients do in the
body, and where you'll find them. Each entry is broken down
into easy sections explaining simply what it's good for,
where you get it, the recommended daily allowance (RDA),
other tidbits, and any warnings.
Protein
This quick
reference page from the Georgia Institute of Technology
Wellness Center outlines what protein is, why it's
important, how much one needs, and good sources of protein.
Carbohydrates
Also
from the Georgia Institute of Technology Wellness Center,
this page explains carbohydrates: what they are, why we need
them, and how to get them. The page also explains the
differences between simple and complex carbohydrates; and
promotes whole grain foods as the preferable source.
Related kits: Myself and Others (Insights), Food
and Nutrition (FOSS), Food Chemistry (STC)
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The Senses
Seeing, Hearing, and
Smelling the World
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers a series of
articles about the senses and the nervous system. Some are
short explanations, some recount case studies, and others
report on current research, but all are written for the non-
professional scientist. These articles are fascinating and
will help to enhance your own understanding of the
senses.
Glasses
(Note: Two
windows will open when you click on this link. Be sure to
expand the smaller box with the "Beakman & Jax" heading so
you can read it more easily.)
Beakman & Jax respond to a kid who asked, "Why do I have to
wear glasses? How do they help me see better?" Using kid-
friendly diagrams and explanations, they provide an answer
and a few activities to illustrate the different types of
glasses lenses.
Related kits: The Senses (Insights)
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