Level 2 Science – Year 2
This year focuses on a study of the human body and the history of medicine.
Time Requirement: Two weekly lessons of approximately 40 minutes (30 minutes for the history of science reading)
Teacher Involvement: Reading and written narration can be done independently by most children. Some direction likely to be needed for activities.
Key Resources
* Blood and Guts by Linda Allison
* The Body Book (Easy to Make Hands-On Models That Teach) by Donald M.Silver and Patricia J.Wynne
* Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
Recommended Additional Reading: Exploring the History of Medicine by John Hudson Tiner
General Notes
Blood and Guts contains a large number of experiments and activities. Do not feel that you have to do them all – pick and choose according to interest and the time available.
Cutting out the various models suggested in the The Body Book can be time-consuming. You can save lesson time by cutting things out in advance and just having the child assemble them; if the child cuts them out the lessons will take longer, but he will have a greater appreciation of shape and relative sizes. The further ideas in The Body Book overlap with Blood and Guts. Only use these if you find an activity particularly appealing.
Lessons 1 to 4: The Skin
(1) Blood and Guts: Skin – The Bag You Live In (pp.11-20) – read and narrate
(2) Blood and Guts: Skin – The Bag You Live In (pp.11-13) – activities
(3) Blood and Guts: Skin – The Bag You Live In (pp.14-20) – activities
(4) The Body Book: The Skin (pp.39-48)
Lessons 5 to 8: Bones and the Skeleton
(5) Blood and Guts: Bones and Body Plan – The Shape You’re In (pp.21-30) – read and narrate
Note: Please preview the picture of primitive man on page 28
(6) Blood and Guts: Bones and Body Plan – The Shape You’re In (pp.21-30) – activities
(7) The Body Book: The Skeleton (pp.49-60)
(8) The Body Book: The Long Bones (pp.66-69)
Lessons 9 to 11: Teeth
(9) Blood and Guts: Teeth – Nippers, Chompers, Grinders (pp.31-36) – read and narrate
(10) Blood and Guts: Teeth – Nippers, Chompers, Grinders (pp.31-36) – activities
(11) The Body Book: What’s Inside a Tooth (pp.70-77)
Lessons 12 to 16: Muscles
(12) Blood and Guts: Muscles – Your Mighty Movers (pp.37-48) – read and narrate
(13) Blood and Guts: Muscles – Your Mighty Movers (pp.37-44, not p.40) – activities
(14) Blood and Guts: Muscles – Your Mighty Movers (pp.40, 45-48) – activities
(15) The Body Book: How Muscles Move Bones (pp.124-128)
(16) The Body Book: The Joints (pp.61-65)
Lessons 17 to 23: Heart and Lungs
(17) Blood and Guts: Heart – the Double-Barreled Pumper (pp.49-58) – read and narrate
(18) Blood and Guts: Heart – the Double-Barreled Pumper (pp.49-58) – activities
(19) The Body Book: The Heart (pp.108-118)
(20) Blood and Guts: Lungs – Airways to the Inside (pp.59-70) – read and narrate
(21) Blood and Guts: Lungs – Airways to the Inside (pp.59-70) – activities
(22) Blood and Guts: Lungs – Airways to the Inside (p.62) – make model lung
Note: You may wish to point out to your child that although this gives a good idea of how the lungs and diaphragm work, lungs are not hollow bags like balloons; they are spongy but solid, with tiny air pockets.
(23) The Body Book: The Respiratory System (pp.99-107)
Lessons 24 to 25: Cells
(24) Blood and Guts: Cells – Basic Body Bits (pp.71-74) – read and narrate
(25) Blood and Guts: Cells – Basic Body Bits (pp.71-74) – activities
Lessons 26 to 29: Digestion
(26) Blood and Guts: Digestion – Down the Food Trupe (pp.75-82) – read and narrate
(27) Blood and Guts: Digestion – Down the Food Trupe (pp.75-82) – activities
(28) The Body Book: The Digestive System (pp.88-97)
(29) The Body Book: The Tongue (pp.14-19)
Lessons 30 to 32: Kidneys
(30) Blood and Guts: Kidneys – Washing Machines for the Blood (pp.83-86) – read and narrate
(31) Blood and Guts: Kidneys – Washing Machines for the Blood (pp.83-86) – activities
(32) The Body Book: The Urinary System (pp.119-123)
Lessons 33 to 36: Eyes
(33) Blood and Guts: Eyes – Windows on the World (pp.87-96) – read and narrate
(34) Blood and Guts: Eyes – Windows on the World (pp.87-91) – activities
(35) Blood and Guts: Eyes – Windows on the World (pp.92-96) – activities
(36) The Body Book: The Eye (pp.20-30)
Lessons 37 to 42: Ears and Balance
(37) Blood and Guts: Ears – Receivers for Vibes from the Outside (pp.99-104) – read and narrate
(38) Blood and Guts: Ears – Receivers for Vibes from the Outside (pp.99-104) – activities
(39) The Body Book: The Ear (pp.31-38)
(40) The Body Book: The Ear (pp.31-38) – finish
(41) Blood and Guts: Balance: The Sense of Upright (pp.105-110) – read and narrate
(42) Blood and Guts: Balance: The Sense of Upright (pp.105-110) – activities
Lessons 43 to 45: Brain
(43) Blood and Guts: Brain and Nervous System – Mission Control (pp.111-122) – read and narrate
(44) Blood and Guts: Brain and Nervous System – Mission Control (pp.111-122) – activities
(45) The Body Book: The Brain (pp.78-87)
Optional: Blood and Guts: Reproduction – Life Goes On
History of Medicine
Lessons can be alternated with human body lessons, or this book could be read as a unit at the end of the year.
Galen and the Gateway to Medicine by Jeanne Bendick
(1) Ch.1: Who was Galen
(2) Ch.2: Galen’s World, 1st half
(3) Ch.2: Galen’s World, 2nd half
(4) Ch.3: Galen Goes to School
(5) Ch.4: Galen Begins to Study Medicine, 1st half
(6) Ch.4: Galen Begins to Study Medicine, 2nd half
(7) Ch.5: About Hippocrates
(8) Ch.6: Galen’s Travels
(9) Ch.7: Alexandria
(10) Ch.8: Galen and the Gladiators
(11) Ch.9: Galen Goes to Rome, 1st half
(12) Ch.9: Galen Goes to Rome, 2nd half
(13) Ch.10: Dr.Galen’s Medicine, 1st half
(14) Ch.10: Dr.Galen”s Medicine, 2nd half
(15) Ch.11: Galen’s Pharmacy
(16) Ch.12: Galen serves the Emperors
(17) Ch.13: After Galen, 1st half
(18) Ch.13: After Galen, 2nd half
