This week PBS LearningMedia highlights videos, activities and resources that enhance students’ understanding of science, medicine, nutrition and the human body in support of National Nutrition Month and the upcoming March 30 premiere of Ken Burns’ documentary, Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, based on Siddhartha Mukherjee’s 2010 Pulitzer Prize‐winning book, “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.”
For a wide range of grades, you’ll find these resources and more at PBS LearningMedia:
Teach your young learners the science behind how vaccines work in the interactive Sid the Science Kid game, Super Duper Antibodies, where players fight viruses by launching antibodies at them.
In this Crash Course video, students learn about the immune system: the work and function of mucous membranes, dendritic cells, antibodies, leukocytes, lymphocytes and much more!
As a lesson in health and science, students learn how vaccines work with this video from NOVA: “Vaccines – Calling the Shots.”
In this video from DragonFly TV, students learn about the field of bioengineering and the devices and technology researchers are developing to treat the human body, like the “nanoporous capsule.”
Students watch as one doctor describes a device he is working on to replace a diseased liver, as well as the challenges of artificially engineering a human organ. This video from Design Squad is helpful for introducing principles of engineering design to your students.
Encourage students to take a scientific approach to personal health and good food choices through this interactive lesson promoting literacy skills from WGBH Education.
You can also explore more about the upcoming Ken Burns’ film.