I went to LUCHA today, a San Jose elementary school, to teach 5th graders about health and their bodies. A friend from college teaches the class and thought it might be a fun, end-of-the-year activity to wrap-up their health unit.

It was lots of fun, questions ranging from “Why do we throw up” to “Why do we fart” to “How come we can live with only 1 kidney” and a bit of everything else. Not as many S-E-X questions as I was expecting, which was nice. It was a good chance to try to explain medical anatomy and physiology to children, which requires a lot of on the spot translating of terminology to their level, as well as including gross-out factors that will keep their attention.

I was very impressed that they all knew what the pancreas was, and the gall bladder, and where the kidneys are, and the chambers of the heart. Nice work, Ms. McGonegle!

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