UPDATE: The story used in challenge #4 is now linked below, under attachments! I’m sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused.
In my school, human reproduction and anatomy is taught in the Health class to all students in the ninth grade. So ideally, students should know this by the time they take my Child Development class as sophomores, juniors and seniors. Unfortunately, students don’t always remember this pertinent information as we begin discussing conception and pregnancy, so a review is in order! This breakaway or breakout is used as a review for my classes, but could be used as an introduction to these topics as well. Either way, the activities should help to reinforce the terms and concepts to the male and female anatomies, their functions, diagrams and basic conception knowledge.
Set
- Show students a video explaining conception such as this one to introduce them to the concept as well as many of the terms they will see and hear as they review this topic. Hopefully, much of these terms are familiar to them. I will usually show this at the end of the period the day before I have students do the breakaway review. I also briefly explain the breakaway concept so they aren’t completely caught off guard the next day.
Materials
- Ziploc Bags or Plastic Food Containers
- Boxes or Containers that can be locked with a combination lock (These can be found in the larger Dollar Stores for $1 per box.)
- Combination Locks (These are easy to use but take about 5 weeks to receive if you’re ordering from Amazon.)
- Larger Prize Box with Lock/Key (Hardware stores, Walmart, Target)
- Prizes for Large Box (food, pens, ingredients for a lab, etc.)
- Pencils, Crayons, Colored pencils–Materials necessary to complete challenges (these may vary)
- iPads or Electronic Devices with QR Code Reader Apps
Activities
- Set up all boxes, contents for each box and codes for combination locks ahead of time. Organization is key to these games. You will need one Ziploc or Plastic food container for each group and 4 boxes/combination locks for each group. I usually have 4 groups of 3-4 students so I have 4 plastic food containers, 16 boxes, 16 combination locks and 1 large prize box with lock/key. I also number and color code each group. For example one group is red so all the numbers for the boxes 1-4 are in red and then the next group is green and so on.
- For the initial challenge, students must sort terms into categories: male, female, both or neither. If done correctly, the code will unlock the next challenge. (See attachments below as there are two versions of this. One is in the main set and the other is titled alternate.) Both versions work, but if I have larger groups, I prefer the “hands on” sorting option. The code is the same for both.
- The next challenge has students matching terms and functions. Again, if done correctly, the code will unlock the next challenge.
- For the third challenge, students must scan a QR Code and utilize the information to complete a color coded diagram of the male and female anatomies. Students must show you their completed work before gaining the clue code to open the next challenge.
- Finally, students must again, scan a QR Code to access a story about the journey of the sperm and egg and utilize the information to help them solve the crossword puzzle. The first team to correctly complete the crossword puzzle will receive the key to unlock the prize box!
- Students will be assessed on this information and will be expected to understand the terms and concepts as we continue to discuss what takes place with the zygote and the prenatal development periods.
- A great YouTube clip to illustrate the entire conception to birth process can be found here and used to culminate the lesson or unit.
Attachments
- Human Reproduction-Anatomy Breakaway__Updated 10-2018 (PDF)
- Alternate Activity for Challenge 1–Human Reproduction-Anatomy Breakaway (PDF)
- The Journey of the Egg and Sperm Story (PDF)
Image courtesy of “dream designs” from Free Digital Photos
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