How do living things heal?
In this life science unit students learn about the biological process of healing that takes place in the human body after it sustains an injury. This unit focuses on how parts of our body systems work together to perform functions such as healing. Students will follow the healing journey of one individual to delve into the science behind this process. Additionally, they have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences with injury.
In addition to exploring injury, students also explore disability. Injury can result in short-term or long-term disability, so it is important that students have an understanding of disability as a natural and expected part of human diversity. In this unit students learn about disability as a neutral part of a person’s identity. Disability is not inherently good or bad; not a tragedy, nor an inspiration. Students learn that a person with a disability is no less healed than a non-disabled person. Instead, the body’s biological healing process has stopped and the body’s functionality has changed, resulting in the need to adapt. Students also learn about adaptive equipment that allows disabled individuals to complete the daily tasks of life, often with greater independence.
Since this unit is based on living things, there are times in the unit when students view living things (or once-living things) in a variety of ways. This might include dissection of animal parts such as chicken wings and the examination of once-living animals, plants, and bacteria.