Apps to Explore the Human Body

Learning all the different body parts and the functions of the human body systems is essential knowledge for all students.  As our Manitoba Curriculum covers aspects of the human body in both Science, Phys. Ed. and Health courses, presenting this content in a visual and interactive way makes it more engaging for students.   Here are a few of my favourite human anatomy apps:

My Incredible Body (Free for today! Regularly $2.99)
Allows the user to view 3D perspectives of the different human body systems.  It is free today in the app store, down from $2.99.

Human Body by Tiny Bop ($2.99)
Allows students to interact with the human body systems.  You can layer the muscular system over the digestive system and view respiration in action as the diaphragm pushes air out of the lungs.  This could be used as a student station in science as it actually allows the teacher to audio record content about the different parts of the body for students to play while exploring the different systems. This one has appeared in Apps Gone Free, but is regularly priced at $2.99.

Build-A-Body by Sponge Labs (Free)
This app allows the user to build 6 different human body systems.  It will not allow the student to add organs in the incorrect spot or order, the systems need to be build anatomically correct in order to move onto the next system.  This app is available for free in the App store.

Powers of Minus Ten- Bone (Free)
Available for free in the App store, the Powers of Minus Ten- Bone app allows the user to view normal and broken bones in the hand, and slide along an arrow to view the healing process.  You can zoom in and out to see the bone magnified down to the cytoplasm contained within the bone.

Nutrition and Living Sustainably

One of the most important life skills we can impart on our students is knowledge of good nutrition.  In the next couple of months, I plan to teach a unit on Healthy Lifestyles, incorporating mental wellness, proper nutrition, and exercise.  As always, I had a look for some great apps that could be used to review these important concepts.  I found the review in iTunes on Nicholas' Garden to be quite good.  It encompasses the 'farm to fork' values that are key to living sustainably.  Students can view healthy, kid-friendly recipes, create grocery lists, all while making healthy choices.  His recipe board is set up in a very visual manner, much like Pinterest.  You can check out the Nicholas' Garden website here.  The Apple app is free in iTunes. Another great app designed for both the iPhone and iPad is Awesome Eats. Reviews peg it as a kid-friendly and engaging way of exploring healthy foods in a game-like platform.  I plan to use both of these free apps in my unit and I hope that there are ways you can incorporate them into your teaching as well!

Music to my ears!

Including students with a variety of physical and cognitive challenges into a band or a music class can pose a challenge at times.  iPad technology and apps can be a great way to introduce the creation of music with students. Reg Swanson has compiled a great list of music apps that you may consider using with students. You can view the app icons and descriptions here.

Technology Applications and the Cognitive Process

I had the opportunity to present to admin council last spring about educator use of technology.  I had recently come across the work of Ruben R. Puentedura, who has examined how we can stack the use of technology onto Bloom's taxonomy of learning.  I felt that particular opportunity was a good time to look at how technology can be used or infused in the classroom, while projecting Puentedura's SAMR model up on the wall.  I approach many teacher PD presentations with this model in mind. Technology can be used in the classroom, but it can also be infused in ways that allow learners to explore, create, collaborate, and blow down the walls of the classroom in ways that wouldn't otherwise be possible without technology.
This past fall, I had the opportunity to listen to a keynotes presentation at the Manitoba School Library Association's SAGE, delivered by teacher-librarian Kathy Schrock, who has woven Puentedura's SAMR framework throughout her website. Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything is a goldmine of resources on  literacy, assessment, and technology- many of the targeted areas of our school division's strategic plan.  If you are interested in both the SAMR model and the use of the iPad, Android, and Web 2.0 tools in instruction, then please have a look at her Bloomin' Apps page.  I would also recommend perusing the rest of her webpage for countless resources, rubrics, and links that you can use tomorrow.