Lesson 7: Organs in Our Body

Grade Level: K-6
Suggested Time: 120 mins
Overview
Students will investigate the function of human organs and create a 3D model of the heart, lungs, stomach, liver or other major organ. Students will develop a brochure to “promote” their organ to the community as essential to survival.
Vocabulary
Objectives
Required Project Materials
Multimedia Resources
Optional Multimedia Resources
Before the Lesson/Background Information
The Lesson
Part 1: The Body We Share
  1. Read Inside Your Outside.
  2. Visit the interactive websites. Using a demonstration computer or allowing students to work on their own, allow them to study the body using these sites.
  3. Share with the students any manuals or encyclopedias available for children about the human body and its organs.
  4. Alternatively, print out a few pages of the details of the body systems chosen for research and design. 
  5. Share the webquest and requirements of the webquest with the students on the overhead projector and whiteboard.
  6. Students will complete the webquest research as it applies to their organ/system.Remind students that they will be creating a brochure to “Promote” their organ to the community and will not be creating a skit, Powerpoint or other options as listed on webquest. Remind students they are fact finding and are investigators to assist them in their brochure creation.
  7. Students will create a brochure on Google Docs or similar, then print them out.Alternatively, students can create a paper copy and draw pictures and add facts.Remind students that they need to promote why their organ is so valuable to the human body as well as creating a fact list.
  8. Students will share their brochures at the end of the week.
Part 2: Organ Models
  1. Students will work with their partner or partners to create a 3D model of the organ they have chosen
  2. Students will design their model out of balloons, pipe cleaners, cardboard, paper, or other materials.
  3. Students will make papier maché paste out of flour and water in small bowls.
  4. Students will wrap their models with newspaper and spray them down with water or get them wet with sponges.
  5. Students will begin to cover their models with papier maché paste and layer newspaper and papier maché to complete cover model.
  6. Students will let it air dry and repeat the process 1-2 more times.
  7. After final application and model is completely dry, students will paint their model, and label it.
  8. .Alternatively, students can use colored tissue paper as the final layer and cover with paper maché paste to avoid the painting.
  9. Students can add details with Sharpies or markers when completely dry.
Part 3: Presentation
  1. Students will share their models with the class and describe why their organ is essential or important for the human body.
  2. Students will share several important facts from their brochure promoting their organ.
  3. Students will be graded from rubric created by teacher on Rubristar.com or other program.
  4. Afterwards, discuss how organs work together in the body.
  5. Display the models. 
Accommodations 
Modifications