Human Body Bee Tradition Continues at Clarke on March 13
The 16th annual Human Body Bee will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 13, at Clarke University. Approximately 900 area fifth-graders and over 100 teachers and paraprofessionals will spend the day at Clarke learning about various facets of the human body.
The day will begin with a team of students from each school taking the “bee” quiz to assess their knowledge of the human body, a major component of the fifth-grade science curriculum. Following the quiz, students will participate in learning activities with Clarke faculty and students. The learning sessions will be provided by the Clarke academic departments of biology, drama, education, nursing, psychology, and physical therapy. During lunch, the results of the “bee” quiz will be shared and the school with the highest cumulative score will be named the 2019 Human Body Bee champions.
The event runs from 9:15 a.m. – 1:10 p.m. and takes place all throughout the Clarke campus.
“The human body is fascinating in scientific and non-scientific ways,” said event organizer Bill O’Dell, Clarke Professor and Chair of Physical Therapy. “The students have an opportunity to learn about the human body by working with human organs, seeing how the brain can be fooled with optical illusions, and examining how many germs we carry on our hands every day. In addition, they learn about the body through a reader’s theatre and see how we can express our emotions through body movements and postures. We hope they leave Clarke with a new appreciation and excitement for the wonders of the human body.”
Event sessions will use a variety of hands-on activities to teach students about the human body. Session offerings include: muscles and electrical stimulation; first aid and CPR-type activities; the exploration of body language; an interactive reading and speech activity; and simulated challenges including physical, visual, and breathing disabilities.
The participating schools in this year’s Human Body Bee are Audubon, Bryant, Carver, Eisenhower, Fulton, Hoover, Irving, Kennedy, Marshall, Prescott, Resurrection, Sageville, St. Joseph’s Catholic School in WI, and Table Mound.
The Human Body Bee event takes a considerable amount of time, effort, and coordination. Clarke University is grateful for the willingness of faculty, staff, and students to share their talents for this event. The Body Bee would not be possible without the enthusiastic participation of the area school districts, teachers, and students. Clarke is honored to host the event each year.