Simon Says... A Human Anatomy Game

Anatomy Class With a Difference Just What Are All Those Bits of the Body Called?

Funny how we expose children to the terminology of basic anatomy from an early age but we seem to leave off soon after, 'nose' and 'elbow'. My 'Simon Says' activity is designed to get students into the 'techo' names of the bits of their bodies that they take for granted. e.g. 'What is the name of the little shape just below your nose and above your top lip?' 'What is the little bit called under your tongue that joins the bottom of you mouth to your tongue?' The game is also designed to foster positive attitudes towards Science and Anatomy. The Simon Says Task: 1. Five students quickly reseach these human body parts and be able to point to them: - gluteus maximus - nasolabial fold - clavicle - scapular - patella - occipital lobe - C1 through to C7 - sternum - achilles tendon - lunula - incisors - coccyx (kok-siks) 2. The group lead the class game of Simon Says using their newly acquired vocabulary. eg 'Simon Says put your hand on your occipital lobe' 'Simon Says put your fingers on your insisors' Hint for First Time Players - draw a nice big diagram with arrows and labels for the class to refer to. Possible Extension - groups research other interesting parts of the body and lead other class games. You might like to use the proviso - 'Only do the bits of the body that will not have parents in the office complaining about how inappropriate this task is.' This works to make it acceptable to the 'powers that be' and keep the tone of the activity 'above the navel'. Finding the Time - Ten minutes before Home Time, call up a group to teach their version of the game to the class. Possible Discussion - I will never need to know this stuff so why do do I have to do this game? - What is this bit of the body for? - How does this bit work? - What is this bit called? - Why do we need this bit? - Children generate their own questions - What would I like to know about the body? Back to the Science Ideas