Learn about the Body with Science Games for Kids

Catherine Ross is back to guest blog for me today with another blog post on making learning fun!

Learn about the Body with Science Games for Kids

The human body is an incredible thing, and to this day scientists do not fully understand the minute details of its functioning. You know what they say about the brain – if it was simple enough to be fully understood, we wouldn’t be able to! Children who encounter the human body’s incredibly complex systems in their textbooks may understandably feel overwhelmed by it all. You can help your kids develop a healthy appreciation and fascination for the human body and its functioning by letting them play cool science games for kids - whether online or offline.

“Wooden Sculpture of Science Genetics” by epSos .de is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Here are a few great science games that teach kids of various ages about the human body and its care.

Science Games for Young Kids

Disney Doc McStuffins  - Doc McStuffins is a toy doctor with her own TV show. Kids bring their toys to her when they fall sick, and she uses various doctor tools to arrive at a diagnosis. Then she treats them and sometimes gives advice on how to stay healthy. Whether or not your child watches the show, the game is great fun for kids. Players assist the doctor in her work, learning the names and uses of the different tools. They also learn how to stay healthy and play various mini-games with the doctor’s assistants. This science game can be played at no cost online.

Science Games for Older Kids

Re-Mission 2 – In this fun science game, kids learn about cancer and how the body’s defense mechanisms and the various treatments work against the growth of cancerous cells. The names and functions of the weapons and the enemies in the game are such that the player understands how the various medications work in real life. The six mini games are incredibly fun for everyone, and especially beneficial for cancer patients, helping them understand what is going on inside their bodies and motivating them to stick with their treatment. The game is free to play online.

Solve the Outbreak – What happens when a new illness suddenly strikes the population, and a large number of people start falling prey to it? The epidemiologists swing into action, trying to find out how the disease began, how to treat it and how to keep it from spreading further. In this cool science game, players get to take on the role of an epidemiologist, earning points and getting promotions based on how well each outbreak was handled. The game was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and helps educate the public about how they deal with the diseases affecting the nation. The game is available as a free app for the iPad.

BioDigital Human – BioDigital Human provides an incredible way to explore human anatomy in 3D. With stunning, life-like visuals and a set of controls that allow users to add or remove organs and body systems and turn the models any which way, this website is considered a wonderful learning tool for aspiring doctors! While not actually a science game, this website is so much fun to explore that it barely makes a difference. The basic features on this website are free to use, while additional features and services are available for a fee.

Author Bio:

Catherine Ross is a full-time stay-at-home-mum who believes learning should be enjoyable for young minds. An erstwhile elementary school teacher, Catherine loves coming up with creative ways through which kids can grasp the seemingly difficult concepts of learning easily. She believes that a ‘fun factor’ can go a long way in enhancing kids’ understanding and blogs at http://kidslearninggames.weebly.com/

How do you make learning about the body fun for your students?  

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Ways to Use Technology in Class

Today, I thought I'd share some of the ways that technology can be used in class and I would love you to list your favorite ways to use technology in the comments so we can learn from each other!

• Desktop computers, laptops, IPADS, or Kindle stations to play learning games.  I also like to use the computer for Virtual Field Trips!  It's fun to take children to the White House, Times Square, or even to Egypt to see the pyramids. 
• Using a projector to teach, which helps keep you facing your class, which helps minimizing management problems when your back is turned to a chalkboard or dry erase board.  Children love following along with a book you are reading by placing it on the document camera or Elmo.  This eliminates the problem of I can't see the pictures!  It's also fun for students to come up and solve math problems or answer reading questions.  I also enjoy using the zoom feature as a microscope when teaching Science.  
• Digital Cameras are a fun way to integrate technology.  Give each group of students a digital camera and have them search for different patterns in the classroom or take them outside.  Put them up on a Powerpoint and have the students describe the patterns.  Digital cameras are also terrific for writing. Students can take pictures and then use the pictures to help tell a story!
• A listening center where you can put books on tape or CD for children to following and a recording to sheet for them to draw their favorite part and write a sentence or two about it has always been a favorite of my students.  
• Use a recorder for students to practice reading a book in the corner and then playing it back so they can hear themselves.  Then they can try reading again to be more fluent.
• A camcorder would be fun to use to tape students doing a skit or Reader's Theater.  Even more fun is putting a student in charge of the video taping.
• Ipods or a boombox is a must to play music in the classroom.  Music can be used for transitions (clean up before the song ends), to learn academic material, get the wiggles out, and just for plain fun!

I hope that you enjoyed my ideas for technology in the classroom!  I look forward to your wonderful ideas. Special thanks to The Learning Station for creating the picture for this post.  Hop over to their FB page by clicking HERE they will be giving away to everyone on their FB page a FREE CD in the very near future. As in any day now!  It will only be up for one day.  They are waiting for CD Baby to finish uploading it.
*** Update the CD is available until 9am Eastern on 9/27/13 and it is the Literacy in Motion CD with Green Eggs and Ham and 19 more songs!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!

Giveaways, Winter Products, and More

Wow, how would like to win a flash drive full of teaching materials?  The awesome thing is each flash drive is specific to that grade level!  Click the picture to hop on over to Hilary's giveaway and enter to win one yourself.  My new Decimal Winter Centers are included in the 4th and 5th grade flash drives.

Teacher's Notebook is having an awesome giveaway where you can win a tablet of your choice: Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, or an Ipad mini your choice, which one if you are the winner.  Click the picture to check it out and enter.  You can enter once daily!



I also have a couple of brand new products that many of you have not seen unless you follow my TPT store.

Winter Decimal Fun has comparing decimals, ordering decimals, and fractions converted to decimals.  It is perfect for 4th and 5th grade!  It goes up to the thousandths place.  4th grade teachers can just use the tenths and hundredths!  Click the picture to check it out in my store.

Next up is my fun Color by Code packet, which is perfect for 1st and 2nd graders.  The skills include Odd and Even, Between numbers to 120, cvc words, and cvce words.  Click the picture to check it out in my store.

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  Keep on smiling!