The Preschool 2 children at RisingOaks Early Learning | John Sweeney have been interested in various structures such as towers, houses, cars, and airplanes. We provided the children with the experience to learn about the structure of our body through human body X-ray pictures. Through this, the children became more interested in the structure of the human body and gained new knowledge about our bodies.
When the children first observed the X-ray images at the light table, they began to show a sense of wonder by asking questions such as, “What is this?”, “What are we gonna do?”, or “Is this our body?” They also answered questions from each other, “They are bone pictures”, “I know! It is X-ray!” or “Body pictures!”
The children learned that an X-ray is an image where light with higher energy passes through objects and bodies and is able to create a photo of their bones, joints soft tissue and internal organs.
The children became excited to explore the pictures one by one as they checked the shapes and structures. They were very focused and tried hard to find the right spot for each piece. Soon, they figured out and matched different pieces of X-ray pictures to their bodies or their friends' bodies. When the image of ribs was put on Thomas’s body, Thomas put his arms up as if he wanted to show a muscular body. Evelyn worked hard to find out where each picture belonged, creating a completed skeleton.
After observing her peers for a short period, Natalie laid down on the floor and allowed the children to put the pictures on her body. The children carefully cooperated to match one by one and completed the skeleton. Then, the children each took a turn to be the model on the floor. As this play continued, the children became more confident in their abilities to match the correct pieces to their peers body parts. It was exciting to see them work together to complete the puzzle and create a skeleton using the X-ray pictures.
One thing that stood out was how well the children waited and explored patiently. Even when faced with challenges, they persevered and tried different approaches. They were particularly fascinated by the bone shapes in the X-ray pictures. With determination and focus, they figured out which body part each bone represented. It was impressive to see their problem-solving skills in action with their new learned vocabulary.
Looking ahead, we are excited to extend our learning experiences trough the exploration of organs and animal bodies. We can't wait to see where their curiosity takes them next. It's clear that our little Biologists are thriving in this environment, where they are encouraged to explore, discover, and learn together.
