Our chosen application is called The Human Body by Tinybop and was originally published in 2013. It is currently on Version 3.0.3 and costs $3.99. Also available is The Human Body Lite, which is free, but includes less features than the full application. We decided on this app because of its interactive features that lets children explore the human body and all of its systems. This app is engaging for young children because of its accurate illustrations and because of the life-like qualities of the organs. Students can watch and listen while the heart beats, the stomach grumbles, and the lungs breath. This app can be used to help students explore our health topic of substance abuse by letting them explore the different organs that are affected by smoking and drinking. While this app does not directly address substance abuse, it reinforces the knowledge of how our systems work and why it is important that we stay healthy. Educators can bridge the connection for students back to substance abuse prevention by listening to how the lungs breath and then discussing how that would change if a person smoked, or by exploring the heart and then discussing how the heart beat would change when affected by drugs or alcohol. Tinybop has also provided a brief trailer to showcase the elements of the application.
Where Can I Integrate This App Into My Teaching?:
This application scaffolds learning from physical education classes into writing time. PE provides students with additional knowledge of the body systems including respiratory, muscular, and skeletal. With this knowledge, students will be able to transfer their background knowledge to the classroom to write informational passages about the various body systems. Students will then use persuasive and explanatory writing to explain how our bodies normally function, and how drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use can affect our bodies in negative ways.
Standards:
NHES Standards
2.6 Identify the short- and long-term effects of being exposed to tobacco smoke.
HBO 2 Avoid secondhand smoke.
AOD1.2.2 Explain the harmful effects of medicines when used incorrectly.
HBO 1 Avoid misuse and abuse of over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Content Standards
ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
