Homeschool: Mini-Med School – Immune System and Germs

MINI-MED SCHOOL
Thursdays, October 7-December 16 (no class Nov 25; 10 weeks)
9:30am-10:45am
Ages 8-10

Students learn about the tools doctors use, study how our bodies work, use microscopes to see what difference cells look like, and investigate real hearts, kidneys and brains. All lab costs are included in registration fee.

Instructor: Tina Oresteen
Location: Discover Science Center Peachtree City
Course fee: $180 OR $20/lab
Early registration (10% off) through August 6
10% sibling discount beginning August 7
Register for full semester or individual labs.

Click “See More Dates: to view all session options.

LAB SCHEDULE:
Microscopy and Cells – Thursday, October 7
This week, we learn how to properly use a microscope, study basic cell structure, and compare the cells of different tissues throughout the body.

Musculoskeletal System – Thursday, October 14
In lab today, we learn about bones and muscles by examining x-rays, learning the names of bones in our skeleton, three types of muscle cells and where they are located, and dissect chicken wings to investigate how tendons connect skeletal muscle to bone.

Nervous System – Thursday, October 21
Students have the chance to investigate a mammalian brain to learn the parts of the nervous system. We also learn about our senses and what part of the brain is responsible for interpreting the world around us.

Circulatory System – Thursday, October 28
In this lab, we study what makes up our blood, test synthetic blood to see how blood types are characterized and study how blood moves through the body as they study a real mammalian heart.

Respiratory System – Thursday, November 4
Learn how and why we breathe, study the organs that make up our respiratory system, and create a model of our trachea, lungs and diaphragm.

Digestive System – Thursday, November 11
In this fun, gross lab, we discuss the function of the digestive system, learn the organs involved in the digestion process, and make a model of our digestive system to see how it works.

Urinary System – Thursday, November 18
Students investigate a mammalian kidney in this lab to learn how the body removes excess water and liquid waste through the urinary system.

Immune System and Germs – Thursday, December 2
We study germs and the immune system in lab this week. Students test their hand-washing skills, investigate bacteria under a microscope, conduct a bacterial growth study, and learn how our body fights off germs.

Genetics and DNA – Thursday, December 9
This week we investigate our genetic code. Students learn what DNA is and where it is located in a cell, build a model of DNA and extract DNA from strawberries.

Surgery – Thursday, December 16
Students test their skills at surgically removing foreign objects embedded in their “patients” without scarring them.