Holtville High anatomy students teach elementary children about the body, health
Friday, May 21, 2010
JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO FROM LEFT: Holtville High seniors Davey Partida and Chelsea VanBebber, both 17 years old, show the booklet they used Friday to teach anatomy to third-graders at Finley Elementary School in Holtville
HOLTVILLE — The big kids from Holtville High School visited Finley Elementary students on Friday to teach them about the ins and outs of the human body.
“It looked pretty cool,” third-grader Clifford Schneider said. “The big kids got time to teach us stuff.”
Students from Holtville High School science teacher Emily Irungaray’s anatomy classes wrote fictional books based on anatomy.
They visited several Finley Elementary classrooms to read their books to the elementary students. While the characters were fictional, the anatomy facts in the books were real.
“It was great,” Clifford said. “It was a good experience for my class, and everyone liked it, I suspect.”
Clifford is a student in Maria Elena Vega’s third-grade class. Seniors Chelsea VanBebber, 17, and Davey Partida, 17, read a book about a character who suffered from a broken bone in a skateboarding accident.
Chelsea and Davey presented the book to the students while standing next to a full-size model skeleton.
Their colorful booklet featured real science facts about the skeletal system.
“It felt good,” Chelsea said. “As long as little kids learn something, that’s all that really matters.”
Chelsea said she tried to make the book realistic but understandable for the young ones.
“We tried to make it to where they would understand it because a lot of people like to skateboard and do activities like that,” Chelsea said.
Vega said she was pleased to see her former students present their anatomy knowledge to her current students.
“I really enjoyed it,” Vega said. “I saw several ex-third-graders, and it was fun to see them present something these kids enjoy.”
Junior Nick Sims, 17, presented a book to another Finley Elementary class about the cardiovascular system and the dangers of heart attacks.
Nick said the fictional character learns how to improve his eating and lifestyle habits to prevent heart attacks.
He said his book taught students about the heart and how to lead a healthy lifestyle through a good diet and exercise.
“It warms my heart to know these kids are getting good information they need, that way they can start their good, healthy life,” Nick said.
Article Reprinted Courtesy of Imperial Valley Press
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