If you’re like me, you don’t always want to teach things the same way; you want a refresh! When teaching about prenatal development and the changes associated
with both mother and baby, the Prenatal Mystery Bags assignment offers just that…a refresh! This ready to teach assignment is one I did years ago, but decided it needed an update so, in this post, you will find two different ways to use this with your students. Choose the one that works best for you and incorporate many of the 4 C’s (communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity) as your students work through the activity!
Set
- Students will already have learned about the reproductive systems and conception. If you are in need of a lesson to teach this, you may want to try the Human Reproduction & Anatomy Breakaway–Digital Version or if you already have the locks and lock boxes, you may want to try the original version.
- Assign students the following bell-ringer prompt: “How is an “iceberg” like a pregnancy?” After a few minutes, ask students to share their answers. The gist of the prompt is that you and others only see the outward appearance of pregnancy but there’s a whole lot going on inside or below the surface such as changes in growth and development to both baby and expecting mother.
- Before you begin this assignment, you will need to decide which version you plan to use with your students. Each version, will require you to place your students into small groups. Since there are 9 months, you can make 9 groups. Since I demonstrated the first month, I broke my students into 8 groups.
Materials
- If using Version #1, you will need to cut apart the “One Month at a Time” chart and students will need to supply the clues.
- If using Version #2, you will need to print and cut out the clue cards.
- iPad or Laptop
- Ziploc Bags (for clues)
- Index Cards
Activities
- If you select Version #1, you will be putting your students in the driver’s seat to create the clues for the mystery bag. Students are responsible for supplying the tangible items. **Note, be sure to set hard deadlines for clues so students remember to bring them in. If not, some bags may not have everything needed to guess the month, making it a bit more challenging.
- Cut the “One Month at a Time” document into sections by month.
- Divide students into small groups of 2-4 depending on class size; randomly assign a month to each group.
- Give each group a CLUE sheet and have them create challenging clues about their assigned month of prenatal development. Clues should be challenging, creative, and make one think. Clue criteria
- Three (3) clues must be tangible
- Three (3) clues must be hand-drawn or magazine images glued on index cards.
- All clues must fit into a pre-lettered bag (ziploc)
- Clue sheet must be completed and turned in
- Once students have their bags filled with clues, set up stations around the room.
- Students will have 3-5 minutes per bag to figure out which month of pregnancy is being represented by the mystery bag clues. Students will record their answers via bag letter on the ANSWER sheet and may refer to the One Month at a Time resource (give them access to the entire resource).
- Go over the answers when students are finished to see how accurate they were.
- If you select Version #2, you (teacher) create and assemble the mystery bags ahead of time using the provided clue cards. This way you know they are complete and can reuse them.
- Print the monthly clues in color and on cardstock (laminate if desired). Cut the clue cards apart and place them in a pre- lettered bag (Ziploc) in random order.
- Once the bags are filled with clues, set up stations around the room.
- Students will have 3-5 minutes per bag to figure out which month of pregnancy is being represented by the mystery bag clues. Students will record their answers via bag letter on the ANSWER sheet and may refer to the One Month at a Time resource.
- Go over the answers when students are finished to see how accurate they were.
Attachments
- Bell Ringer Prompt
- Version #1_Prenatal Development Mystery Bag Activity (PDF)
- Version #2_Prenatal Development Mystery Bag Activity (PDF)
- Clue Cards for Prenatal Development Mystery Bag Activity Version #2 (PDF)
Similar Lessons
