FOSS+Human+Body


 * FOSS or Full Option Science Systems is an online resource that was created over 20 years ago, when many people thought that students weren’t receiving an effective lesson during their science classes in school. This free service can still be used by all grade levels for science, health, anatomy, and for biology. According to the website, FOSS is **, "a research-based science curriculum for grades K—8.” It was created by the **University of California at Berkley,** by the science students that attended most of their classes at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Teachers can utilize Foss by having the students log on the website and read through the vast vocabulary section. This will help students to learn the words and terms associated with the human body. It will also make their health class easier to understand if they have a previous knowledge of a few of the common vocabulary.

There are also many other tools that the teacher can utilize within their classroom. There is a game for the student called “Mr. Bones.” During this game Mr. Bones falls apart at his joints and he asks you to reassemble him in the correct order. When the student selects a section of Mr. Bones, it tells the student what the section is called so that they can recall the names and what they look like later on. This game also allows students to engage upon what the correct order of building a skeletal system is, starting with the head and working downward.

FOSS also has other types of media that can be presented to the kids during class. It allows the students to look at images of x-rays, watch an MRI in progress, and listen to audio sections and stories about bones. These many options allow all types of learners in the classroom to be engaged in the lesson. The websites provides for visual learners to see the diagrams, for auditory learners to hear the spoken words, and it allows the hands on learners to recreate and rebuild Mr. Bones.

The FOSS website states that, "The best way for students to appreciate the scientific enterprise, learn important scientific concepts, and develop the ability to think critically is to actively construct ideas through their own inquiries, investigations, and analysis."

FOSS also allows students to enhance their learning by giving them a section to "Ask a Scientist." In this section students can read previous questions and answers. It also allows them to pose a question for a scientist to answer. Upon asking a question it provides them with a tracking number and lets the student check back with their number and "track" the question, much like a buyer can with a package that they are expecting.

The last resource that the site provides for the student is a library and web resource section. The library link contains information on many books that the teacher/student may want to check out to aid in further learning on this subject. To make finding the materials easier, it contains most of the information needed, including ISBN numbers, publishers, and authors. The website section allows for teachers to post links to many useful websites that could be useful in helping to teach the topics to the students. It also allows for students to explore these websites if they choose to do so.

FOSS also has a section on the website for teachers and parents. This section allows for the older population to see how the materials can be put to use in the classroom and at home. It allows for parents to carry the lesson over into their home so that they can influence their child's leaning in a positive way.

Overall I feel that FOSS is a great website to implement into the classroom. It has a lot of information on it that can appeal to all styles of learners. I think that FOSS would be an effective website to implement into the classroom because it was partly developed by kids for kids. FOSS has lots of information in its many pages and I feel that any teacher/parent could put it to use to help their kids learn about the human body.

A link for FOSS" Human Body is provided below, but I encourage you to check out the other options FOSS has to offer.

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