Most kindergarten students have some knowledge of the brain. We will read several resource books discussing and showing pictures of the brain. Our "HUMAN BODY" unit follows the five senses. The brain is the control center of the body. It must think, learn, remember, control internal organs, control movements, and process messages coming from our 5 senses. All of this without a break. The brain is working all the time, even when we are not aware of it.  I tell the kids, "it is the computer of your body."
A Guided Tour of the Visible Human
Neuroscience for Kids
The Brain

Most kindergarten students realize that they need air to breathe, but do not understand how the lungs work. We need oxygen to survive. When you breathe in (inhale), air is carried through air passages and into your lungs, making them expand like a blown-up balloon, this is called respiration. When the air gets to our lungs the oxygen is removed leaving other gases behind. These gases are then exhaled out our nose or mouth.

Materials required: A small lunch bag
Activity time: 5 minutes
Concept or Thought: Students will understand a human body uses the lungs to breathe air

1. Today we will pass out small lunch bags. The students will let them act like a lung. When they gather the bag near the opening and blow in, the bag will act like a lung expanding with air. When they inhale the bag will act like a lung exhaling. The kids like this activity.

Lungs
Human Body Adventure: Lungs

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Day 3
Heart

The heart is an incredible blood pumping station made of muscle. It pumps blood through small and large blood vessels carrying oxygen from the lungs to every part of the body. Oxygen rich blood leaves the heart through an artery called the aorta and returns through a vein called the vena cava.
Heart

Materials Required: students, red and blue colored paper, a large heart drawn  on butcher paper with blue and red arrow showing blood circulation.
Activity Time: 1 class period- 10 min. each, explain, setup, run
Concepts Taught: teaches heart anatomy, blood circulation concepts

This is a fun way for students to learn how the blood circulates through the heart, while using their bodies and walking around! Place the large heart on  the ground. (butcher paper) Each student will  act like blood. They will walk through the atriums, ventricles, and valves. They will enter the left atrium with a sheet of blue construction paper representing the blood that has no oxygen. They will follow the arrows, as they move to the right atrium of the heart, I will trade them a red piece of paper for their blue and tell them, "the old tired blood now has oxygen", and let them leave through the Aorta on their way to give the body fresh oxygen. They will now follow the arrows out of the heart. Following this activity the students will understand the heart's job, it is the organ that sends fresh oxygen to the body.
Heart
Human Body Adventure: Heart

The digestive system is a really long tube through which food travels. This system contains the mouth, esophagus, the stomach, the liver, and  the large and small intestines.

Digestive System
Human Body Adventure: Digestive System

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Day 5
Skeletal System

 The skeleton makes it possible for you to move. The bony framework protects important organs and is an anchoring point for muscles, allowing your arms, legs and spine to bend and move.

Materials Required: dittos: skeletal system
scissors, black construction paper, glue
Activity Time: 1 class period- 20 minutes
Concepts Taught: The way bones are connected in your body, "Head bone connected to the back bone..."

Students will cut out the skeleton, it is in several  puzzle like pieces.  They will assemble it on the black construction paper and glue it down.
1. Skeletal System
2. Skeletal System
Human Body Adventure: Skeletal System