Supplies

This is the skeleton that Dr. Robin has used in many classes.  It is a small version of the large ones in school classrooms all over the country.  The same level of detail without the space issue!

If you need a smaller skeleton, this one has a good balance of accuracy and compact size. There is also a flexible skeleton for learners who want their models to "work".

For a student who enjoys puzzles or truly hands-on learning, this disarticulated skeleton is such fun!  Whether it's a guessing game (what bone is this?), puzzle games (can you lay out these bones in order?), drawing, using as a model to build your own, it leads to more active learning.

​

A skull was the first model Dr. Robin ever owned--all the way back in medical school.  Her exact skull isn't available, but this is approximately the same.  If you need a smaller one, this one is a good option.

​

Teeth are a favorite topic for a lot of people who are in the middle of losing baby teeth and growing adult teeth!  This is a model of a single tooth (both healthy and with cavities) and this is a model of a whole mouth of teeth!

​

Finally, Dr. Robin uses several different models of the head when talking about everything from the nose and sinuses to the vocal cords and breathing.  The sinus and nasal cavity model is just that and nothing extra.  The human head that comes apart into two halves is probably her single most-used model.  With a brain, nose/mouth, trachea/esophagus, and even the spine and spinal cord, it covers nearly everything that is in the head.  The same company also has models of the inside of animals such as chickens!

​

If you're wanting a head that can't be taken apart or have lost pieces, this one is all one piece.

While stethoscopes are the most recognizable medical instruments, tuning forks can be the most fun!  (Check out the hearing lessons for more!)

A human body pop up book?!  This one is not for careless readers but is really amazing.  For learners who are always demanding more detail, this book will be a bottomless pit of knowledge.  It may go over the heads of some students, in which case keep reading, but it's Dr. Robin's personal favorite after her beloved Netter's.  This one is more at the level of most of our students or for younger learners or a more concise overview, try this First Encyclopedia. If your learner wants their own Netter's, buy a used copy of this older edition--which is exactly the edition Dr. Robin uses. Many parents enjoyed Magic School Bus, and it's still around. The Human Body Theater is another popular approach.  Many of Dr. Robin's students enjoy the Science Comics books (which aren't just about the human body).  For hands-on activities, try this book about anatomy.  And for kids who relish the grossness and weirdness of it all, nothing beats a book of weird facts or the classic,  Grossology!

Way cooler than that other helical toy that walks down the stairs, the wave form helix is stronger and better for demonstrating waves...or sending down the stairs!

Dr. Robin was completely overwhelmed the first time she learned about electron clouds and valences, the periodic table, and what can make molecules and what can't.  She's determined to not let that happen to her kids, so they play Valence in their regular game rotation.  It doesn't feel like learning...it feels like a game...but it's designed to accurately teach chemistry concepts. A somewhat-educational card game, Fluxx teaches vocab and anatomy. Just for fun, there's the classic Operation.

Dr. Robin loves creating her own models for lessons--and lessons in which she leads learners through creating their own models.  She buys her polymer clay in sets with lots of colors so she always has what she needs! 

​

For coloring pages, Dr. Robin uses Twistables but her kids use Arteza (mostly because of the handy tube for storing the pencils). 

​

For drawing and writing, Dr. Robin uses fine tip markers or occasionally G2 gel pens.  Her daughter likes doing her drawings with pencils (these have especially smooth lead and erase well) and then watercoloring the organs (the tubes don't come with brushes so they use these).

So Many Organs! Dr. Robin uses lots of fun organ models because they are a great way to learn.  This is the exact heart/torso she uses but for a young learner who wants something extra tangible, this heart is meant to be held. The kidneys look just like the beans that are named for them. Brains are always popular and besides the one that is in the head and this one that comes into parts, there's this one that can fit inside a skull. It's also pretty indestructible unless your student likes to pick at foam.  Dr. Robin also uses a foam eyeball for quick demos and a large model that comes apart for more detail.  The respiratory system model gets a lot of use in lessons but comes apart pretty easily so is best for looking at rather than touching. The stomach model is fun and up to being held and manipulated. One of our favorite lessons is on the vestibular system and Dr. Robin was thrilled to find this model of the semicircular canals and vestibule. Who knew the skin had so much going on? And this large intestine model has everything wrong with it.