By Karen Trudeau
Project learning at Jesse Remington High School offers students multiple ways to exemplify their learning. Understanding that we all learn differently, project assessments allow students with diverse strengths to combine their efforts for great outcomes.
The students in Karen Trudeau’s Anatomy and Physiology class have been working hard since returning from Christmas vacation. They have been learning about the Muscle System of the human body. The culmination of this unit is a project that will assess what they have learned. The requirement is straightforward: Use the coloring cards from the Anatomy Coloring Book to showcase the muscles of the Human Body and their functions. The project must be useful as a study aid for future students. One group made a game called Kahoot. They colored their cards, photographed them, and then downloaded them into the game online with various questions to go along with the pictures. This game will be a great tool for any student who is studying muscles. Another group made a board game called “Muscle Land”. This is loosely modeled after “Candy Land” but requires correct answers to move ahead. Players must know the name of each muscle colored in on the card, or what its action is. The third group used their coloring cards to create several versions of card games. These games are based on familiar games such as “Go Fish” or “Old Maid. Again, the players must not only know which muscle is pictured but also their primary functions. The fourth group decided to use their love of sports as the basis for their project. They made a PowerPoint which highlights each muscle; then they applied what they learned about muscles and described the different muscle groups enlisted when throwing a football, running or shooting hoops! The fifth group took on a very large project called “Muscle Man”. They made 3 full-size cutouts of a man, added the bones of the skeletal system and diagrams of the muscles which they overlaid onto their figures. Each muscle and bone is hand-drawn, and can be lifted to show its name and function. Very ambitious! This will be a great resource for students and teachers alike! Well done, Anatomy and Physiology Class! Next, we move onto the Nervous System.