Curriculum & Instruction: NES

Body Walk

Northeast’s Fantastic Voyage

May 09, 2008

     On May 7, Northeast Elementary experienced an in-body adventure. The Body Walk, sponsored by the Kansas Department of Education, addresses good nutrition and other healthy lifestyles choices. American children only meet 2% of all recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid, about two-thirds eat more fat than is recommended, less than 15% eat the recommended servings of fruit, less than 20 % eat the recommended servings of vegetables, only 25% eat the recommended servings of grains, and only 30% consume the recommended servings of milk.
Physical activity has decreased because of video games, television, and other sedentary activities. Healthy eating and physical activity are life skills that children need to grow & prevent them from developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. The Body Walk addressed all of these issues.
    The students first entered the Brain, learning how it sends messages all over the body. It’s in charge of all the senses. The Food Guide Pyramid was emphasized, talking about portion size and the importance of breakfast. The Power Panther says to PLAY HARD for an hour a day. The next stop was the lunch room, where each student was assigned an item from a food group. The students were to be that nutrient throughout the body.
    Probably, one of the favorite stations was the mouth, because the students were able to sit on giant molars. They learned about good dental hygiene & what happens when you don’t take care of your mouth. Then, it was on to the stomach. The “food” got churned by jumping up & down. The next part of the journey was the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed by the villi. The importance of water was also discussed. The heart was the next station. The pumping of the heart was emphasized with the pulse at the neck. Exercise was also mentioned as being very important for the health of the heart. Their was a pulse stick the students held to determine the rate of the pulse before & after jumping up & down 10 times. The lungs were up next. This station explained how the lungs keep the body healthy. It also discussed the dangers of smoking & secondhand smoke. Emphysema was simulated by breathing through a very small straw with their nostrils squeezed shut. The next stop was the bones. The students learned the function of bones, what it takes to build strong bones and the nutrients & servings needed each day. They also learned that physical activity can build strong bones. The next leg of the journey was the muscles. We saw replicas of muscle versus fat tissue. We also learned it’s important for our muscles to get protein, carbohydrates and water for proper functioning. The skin station proved to be popular with its black light detecting germs on the student’s hands. Sunscreen importance was also discussed. The last station dealt with a lot of the information already discussed in the Body Walk. We had wonderful presenters from Mrs. Cole’s FCCLA class & the Honor Society. Thanks to Mrs. Cleland for the pictures she took. Thank you very much for a wonderful experience for our students. Thanks to all who help put up & tear down the exhibit. Without all those people who gave generously of themselves we wouldn’t have been able to have this experience.

. Body Walk