“Do We Get To….?”
Students have difficulty recognizing cause and effect relationships among themselves and choices they make. Students do not necessarily see the effect of choices they make on their bodies and their future. Thus their choices many times can and do end up effecting their quality of life—both at the present and in the future. One part of my curriculum in the Next Generation Science Standards is to use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells-07-LS1-3. I have taught this in different ways, and I feel that there has been success. However, EVERY years since I have been teaching, students ask, “Are we going to dissect anything?” I have only done dissection one time during my career and I saw excitement that was absolutely amazing! I saw kids asking questions, talking to one another, and intrigued with the aspect of feeling like a “real” scientist. I have wanted to do this again, but the money is always an issue. I want kids to come into my class everyday excited with the learning that can take place. I want my kids to know about their bodies and how their choices can affect the entire system. Due to the fact that I am responsible with teaching my kids to understand that systems of the body interact together and, even though there are separate systems, one must be able to understand that the functioning of one system
depends on another and that the input into that system will equal the output of the
system…regardless if what goes in is good or bad—and that this is true of any and all
systems—computer, machines, automobiles, etc. I would hope that by being able to expose
my kids to such experiences that it may spark an interest in something they had never even
thought of…medical research, physician, forensic science and the list could go on.
Excitement, Experience, and Enthusiasm, and are what makes the differences in all of us. I
have high hopes that I will be able to allow my kids to have the excitement of doing
something they have never done before. I have high hopes that I can provide experiences
that turns them on to something new and fascinating. I have high hopes that their
enthusiasm for learning will increase and never cease.