Blood

We've also been studying about blood this week. I got interested in this when we went to our medical museum and Alexandra got to play in a tent of "red blood cells" which were really red balls.

We made one of the neatest models I've ever read about for our study about blood. We made "blood" out of candy. I found the directions on several websites.

Here are the ingredients:

• red hots - red blood cells
• mini-marshmallows (or white jelly beans) - white blood cells
• corn syrup - plasma
• sprinkles - platelets

As we added the various ingredients, we talked about what fraction of blood each part really makes up (RBCs and plasma each make up "about half" and there are very few WBCs and platelets). And, we talked about the function of each part. Afterwards, Alexandra was the teacher and taught me. I even heard her on the phone tonight explaining it to her Nana and Papa. What a great lesson that I think we'll both remember for a long time! (sorry for the blurry picture!)
Great video: Human Body for Children: All About Blood and the Heart (Schlessinger)
Books we enjoyed:

• Magic School Bus: Inside Ralphie - A Book About Germs
• A Drop of Blood by Showers - WONDERFUL!!!
• Circulatory System by Frost - very easy, short book, but still good
• The Circulatory System (A True Book) by Stille - great series!
• Hear Your Heart by Showers -
• Ouch! A Book About Cuts, Scratches, and Scrapes by Melvin Berger - good book about cuts & how they heal