YOUTH INITIATIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Waldorf Initiative in Viroqua, Wisconsin, USA
COURSES AND CLASSES
Biology/Human Anatomy for Grade 9
January 29—February 16, 2007
Instructor: Vicki Ramsay
"The kingly crowned head, the vigilant eye, the counsellor heart, the arm our soldier, our steed the leg, the tongue our trumpeter."
~William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
The human body~ like all living organisms is truly a work of art. The complexity of organ systems, the intricacy of blood vessels, the palette of colors ranging from deep red muscle to ocean blue veins: all lend to comprise a living being that even our most advanced technology can not replicate. Our study will, like a blood cell, travel throughout the major organ systems of the body, with several stops along the way. The breadth of knowledge of human anatomy is too wide to cover in three weeks’ time, and in this way we will see that one cannot study form without also paying tribute to function. In this course students will gain a broad understanding of the hierarchy of organization within the human body, from cells to tissues, to organs, organ systems and the entire organism with several in-depth looks at key functional components. We will begin with a study of cells and tissues, examine bones in detail and assemble out of modeling clay the muscles that help them move. We will move onto examine the major organ systems of the body: cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, etc., and how they interrelate. We will also discuss human health and disease. Students will be responsible for three tests, including one lab practical and one final open-book exam. Projects for the course include cell organelle construction, ode to a body part, and a final malady paper or medical professional interview presentation.