Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint, Alison’s Montessori

Biology, Human Anatomy 6-9

Traditionally, the Montessori curriculum introduces human anatomy in the late elementary years in the form of nomenclature cards. In the past years, Alison’s Montessori has developed a series of puzzles accompanied of nomenclature cards for ages 3-6 and 6-9 to introduce human anatomy to children in primary and lower elementary levels. I usually follow the Montessori curriculum scrupulously, but I found that introducing human anatomy earlier greatly stimulated children interest in following a healthy lifestyle.

The knee joint is an intricate junction in the human body. The knee joint is one of the most complex and stressed joints in the body. Daily activities such as walking, running, or climbing cause shocks to the knees, which are absorbed by the cartilage within the knee. Body movements help strengthen muscles that support the skeletal structure. By learning how joints are structured, children can comprehend the importance of healthy habits and find the motivation to follow guidelines aiming to maintain a healthy life.  Moreover, children enter an age where they participate in leisure and competitive sports more actively.  It is imperative that they are prepared to understand how proper warm-ups can prevent injuries to parts such as tendons, or ligaments.

Children also learn the scientific terms of the bones connected to the joints. The tibia, often called the shinbone, is a thick bone that supports the majority of the body’s weight. It is supported by a thinner bone, the fibula. The femur bone, known as the thigh bone, sits on top of the knee. It is the longest, largest, and heaviest bone in the body. Its primary function of the femur is weight bearing, and gait stability.

Other types of tissues are explored while studying Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint. Children learn the functions of cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Cartilage is a connective tissue made of specialized cells made up of collagen. It serves as a padding between two bones. Tendons are made up of collagen arranged in bundles of fiber. They contain blood vessels and nerves. Ligaments are also made of strong bundles of tissue; they connect two bones together.

Materials

• Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Puzzle
• Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Puzzle with Nomenclature Cards (3-6)
• Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Puzzle with Nomenclature Cards (6-9)
• Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Nomenclature Cards (3-6)
• Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Nomenclature Cards (6-9)
• Optional: 3D model (affiliate link)

How to Use the Materials

Whether you are working with primary or elementary learners, Anatomy of a Human Knee Joint Puzzle makes a great introductory prop. The puzzle is hand drawn and realistic, it is designed to appeal to children with soaring imagination. You can label the puzzle using the wooden labels and the control chart while naming each part. Allow children to take the puzzle apart and reconstruct it. They get familiar with the parts sensorially. They can line the pieces and label them separately. This method is common in the Montessori method. Children are presented with a whole concept and study its parts separately.

When working with children using the Nomenclature cards, use the three-period lesson to introduce the terms, three terms at a time. Next, you can model the independent use of Nomenclature Cards by laying the control cards (pictures and names) from top to bottom. Children ages 3-6 can do matching work by selecting a first picture and comparing it to the first control card at the top. If the pictures match, children place the picture card to the right control card. When all pictures are matched, children can now match the label (names) cards to the control cards, from top to bottom.

Finally, as all the science puzzles created by Alison’s Montessori, you will have reproducible materials which are a black line diagram, and a booklet. Both materials can be copied to be used with your child. They can color and label their own copy of the materials, which is appealing and helps with integrating the knowledge and retention. Sometimes, children go back to their portfolio where they store their own work, and this practice reactivates their memory keeping the knowledge afloat.

I hope this post helped you consider introducing human anatomy to children. Next time they will be encourage to go out and get plenty of exercise, hopefully, they will understand exactly what we mean by that!

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