It is amazing what students can create, what they pour themselves into- when we give them something like this. My students were given the assignment of creating a superhero- and to explain at least six body systems, and how they are enhanced. Why biologically, the superhero is a superhero. In other words how science, biology- helps create a superhero.
Their super strength, super speed, super anything really- all comes from an alteration of their already existing attributes. We spent a semester learning about all of the body systems: structure and function. I feel like it is so important, along the way to make the connections of course, have them demonstrate how the systems work together to maintain homeostasis- but they also need a culminating project.
I think it is important for them to use them, see them, manipulate them- in every way possible. Analogies, sketch notes etc. But also, these glorious systems of human life need to be brought in to a realm of creativity. The best way I figured to do this, was to design someone- who has the ability to do amazing things. Someone who we know and love in our pop culture.
To see how these heroes of lore, can do what they do. No teleportation or flight (unless they had viable wings) allowed. But anything they could explain using science- suing biology was fair game.
So students wrote origin stories and descriptions of all the enhancements of their superhero- six body systems and how they use their powers. And boy, every year these come out so cool. They spend a lot of time drawing them, creating their back story and just getting into the engineering and biological amplifications of the human body. I have done this project six years now and they are just getting better and better.
No comments:
Post a Comment