Reflections: Showtime!

This was perhaps the most enjoyable part of the museum experience. The culmination of what we learned was the application of that information in the form of our own creation of an object-based display. It was also a collaborative effort and we all learned so much from each other. It all came together beautifully!

When I first started thinking about what I wanted to do for a table-top display, I wasn’t sure what direction I was headed in. Looking at the objects available, I saw that there were many objects that related to the whole body, the body systems. I began to wonder how I could use these to illustrate the concept of the parts making the whole, a tough concept for students to grasp.

The body systems work interdependently with one another even though each has a specific function. This concept is sometimes hard for students to comprehend. They don’t see the big picture, that is, how the parts work together to make the body function as a whole unit. The artifacts that have been included in this display are parts of the whole. The brain is the mastermind, so to speak, of all the body systems in that it coordinates and synthesizes all of the body functions. The thoracic model, which includes the heart and the lungs, supplies oxygenated blood to all of the organs because all organs need oxygen to function. The senses allow us to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. These are all vital to our survival. For example, if we touch something that is too hot, we instinctively pull away so we don’t get burnt. However, this will not happen if our brain and central nervous system does not pick up this message. Everything works together.

The artifacts that I chose are interactive. The viewer can take apart the thoracic cavity to see how it works. Likewise, the viewer can take the brain out of its support system, the skull, to see the different parts. Each organ system that was used for this display has accompanying questions to peak the viewer’s interest, as well as some basic facts, called “factoids” to draw them into the display. There is just enough information to arouse interest so that each viewer can form questions about what he/she want to know more about with regard to the body systems. This display also affords the viewer the opportunity to see how the parts of the body systems relate to life; hearing a song, the feel of fabric, what an item of clothing looks like before it is put together; it all relates to everyday life.

Working in collaboration with Sura and Debbie brought the concept of the “parts of the whole” to a whole new level. As we discussed this concept, we realized that we could relate it to our individual disciplines so that students could see a relationship. This opened my eyes to other possibilities with regard to collaboration between disciplines to enhance student learning. I feel that this type of collaboration also enriches the learning experience, not only for the student but for the teachers involved as well. The “parts of the whole” with regard to this type of endeavor can also demonstrate to students that all subject areas inter-relate. This has been a wonderful learning experience for me, as a teacher. I am so proud of the final product that our group produced. This was a painless learning experience and, as we’ve been taught, learning should be a pleasant experience, not a painful one!