DIY Human Body
DIY Human Body gallery
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that DIY Human Body is a free science resource that teaches kids about human body systems and is focused on extension activities. Each of the five systems includes a brief summary and labeled diagram, a set of hands-on activities, and video lessons. It would be great if the diagrams were interactive, but the activities and videos inspire kids' curiosity and give kids a chance to learn the basics of the human body in an age-appropriate setting. Because of the multiple steps and gathering of materials, most of the activities require adult help and supervision.What kids can learn
The videos cover interesting real-world topics and are age-appropriate. The activities will fully engage kids in the learning experience, but they require some leg work.
Most of what kids learn directly from the app is based on memorization. Hands-on activities allow experiential learning. The explanations that follow each activity do an excellent job of reinforcing concepts and tying everything together.
Navigation is easy and information is clearly presented. Activities can be downloaded, printed, and emailed. Audio instructions could help kids with different learning styles.
What's it about?
DIY HUMAN BODY is a free reference tool developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science. Kids can explore three different areas within the app: Body Systems, Activities, or Videos. There are 17 video lessons and 13 hands-on activities: Each one is organized into sections that make it easy to plan and do the activity. The Summary section gives an overview of the activity's objective, age-level appropriateness, and a break down of the time required for preparation, activity completion, and cleanup. The Materials section includes a bulleted materials list and any applicable safety precautions. The Instructions section includes step-by-step instructions, along with pictures that illustrate how to do each step. Finally, the Explanation section explains the science behind the activity.
Is it any good?
DIY Human Body is a well-organized tool that gets kids engaged through hands-on learning. Kids (and parents) will have to do a lot of their own work to collect the materials and complete the activities, but most of the materials are easy to find and the instructions are not overly complicated. The body system summaries provide a brief introduction to five main systems, and the videos take things a step further by discussing topics that kids may encounter in the real world. If you're looking for a resource that dives deep into interactive content, you may be disappointed. However, if you're looking for a way to inspire curiosity or to extend learning, then DIY Human Body is an excellent choice.
Families can talk about...
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Families can talk about the importance of each body system and how to maintain health. How do we keep our hearts healthy? Our lungs?
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Watch the videos with kids and ask them to summarize what they learned.
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Work together to find on-line resources and games to learn more about the human body.
App details
| Devices: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad |
| Price: | Free |
| Pricing structure: | Free |
| Release date: | January 19, 2015 |
| Category: | Education |
| Size: | 143.00 MB |
| Publisher: | The Lawrence Hall of Science |
| Version: | 1.2 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 7.0 or later |
