JUNIOR ANATOMY
One-Week Summer Pre-High School Program
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Top 101 Summer Camps & Programs, How-To-Learn.com • Top Biomedical Engineering, 2017, InsiderMonkey.com
We’re going to take a deep dive into the fascinating world of the human body. This is perfect for those who have taken Anatomy and want more or those who are interested in the human body outside of dissection. We’re going to look at the human form and development, how it differs from other primates, examine the body in action, and explore the human body through artistic depictions. This will also be an exciting opportunity to explore how your own body works.
We’re going to start at the beginning with babies! What can they see? Do they see the same way we see? When do they start seeing in color? When can they begin focusing on things? At birth, a baby can distinguish their own mom’s voice from other people’s and can distinguish languages. Babies’ heads are big in comparison to their body. Head circumference is a huge indicator as to whether they were born with or without fetal alcohol effects. Many growth charts that can be done for both boys and girls. What are the developmental markers? When do they learn to crawl, talk, and walk? When do reflexes come in? Early on, you have tighter milestones in development such as when they begin to read, how expansive their vocabulary is. With our model babies, students can measure the skull size, height, and create weight charts. They can compare with our adult models using the program’s supply of calipers. They can do studies themselves, as well. Which students can hear higher pitched sounds? Can you determine why this is?
The brain is still developing between 18 and 25 years old. Drugs could forever impact executive function. Are there arguments for what we shouldn’t be able to do until we’re 18? When do mental illnesses come on? Eating disorders and depression often occur in adolescence, whereas bipolar disease would be later. Moving on to adult development, how many developments are primary or secondary? Physical changes in the biological clock are always taking place, beginning with puberty and fertility and heading into menopause. Why are adults more prone to heart disease and cancer? Why do they lose height?
Next we move on to the human body in action. This will involve blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, sleep patterns, step tracking, and exercise. Students can monitor the oxygenation levels in their blood, their health bases on urine tests, test their skin temperature, resting and non-resting heart rate, and more. What about physiology? We’ll go system by system, highlighting the digestive and respiratory systems, for example. Biochemistry studies involving digestion, using a diaphragm model to measure breathing, and performing a urinalysis.
This program will also focus on human evolution. Using our skull models, students will determine the size and weight of human skulls and how this has changed over time. This will be a human and anthropology unit. Students will also explore humans versus primates. How are hands different? How is walking different amongst primates? What can we learn from the social groups of gorillas? How many words can we teach to chimpanzees?
A unit on anatomy will focus on modeling and illustrating all aspects of the human body. Another unit will focus on normal and pathological organs, utilizing our interactive abdominal model. Students can weigh each organ from the model, describe the physicality, and describe abnormalities. What is the difference between an normal and abnormal organ? What is the difference between a health organ and one afflicted by cancer?
Students can also exercise their different muscle groups. Activities will involve feeling your muscles when performing different muscles and yoga poses. Students can scavenger hunt for exercise equipment that works different muscle groups. What is an elliptical working? What is a rowing machine working? How many muscles can free weights work?
Student Comments
‘I really liked it! It was interesting and always informative. We weren’t just sitting in chairs and listening to a lecture; we were doing hands-on activities that were relevant to the topic. …a great teacher and accommodating to all learning styles!’
‘This was an amazing camp! I learned more than in this camp than in ½ of a school year. The camp helped me discover what I wanted to be when I grow up.’
‘Overall, this program was extremely educational and entertaining. I enjoyed learning about different parts of the body, how they function, and even participated in hands-on experiments in the labs. Our teacher made learning fun and was able to answer any questions we had.‘
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