Reviewed by Monica Ellis
3rd grade teacher
The Human Body is part of the Science Experiments series from Benchmark Books. The book couples accurate information with an experiment for each topic. Instead of writing a separate section on each body system, the author writes about body systems in a way that makes logical connections.
The Human Body starts with a section on cells and then introduces the reader to organs and systems. After making a "lung" out of two balloons and a soda bottle, the reader will learn about the respiratory and circulatory systems and how blood connects them. Nutrition and digestion are connected by the need to fuel the body. Sections on bones, muscles, and the nervous system round out the tour of the human body. The experiments that accompany each section are written in kid-friendly terms with excellent photos to support them.
Scattered throughout the book are notes and sidebars that explain experimental results, offer fascinating facts and figures, examine certain topics in depth, and connect concepts with real-world applications. These bring added depth to high-interest content like muscle building, prosthetics, and sweat. The glossary is less than a page long and somewhat limited, but the index will help the reader quickly locate needed topics.
Students in grades 3-5 will be able to easily follow the experiments, but third graders might need some help with the occasional vocabulary word. Teachers could also use the book as a source of age-appropriate activities related to body systems.
Review posted on 10/9/2002
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