English with a touch of STEM:
The “Blood Mobile” Simulation Game
By Chris Moustakis and Irene Tsamoura
(6th grade students)
While we were working on the Unit of Inquiry “The Human Machine”, we played an amazing game called the “Blood Mobile” Simulation. Through this game, the children had the opportunity to understand what happens when blood circulates in our body.
In that game, every child had an important role to play. Some of us were the human organs (the chambers of the heart, the lungs, the kidneys, the small intestine, thebody cells) and the rest of us were the blood cells. The purpose of the game was to show how the blood cells carry oxygen and food to the body cells while at the same time help the body get rid of the waste and carbon dioxide. So, when the blood cells went to the lungs through the chambers of the heart, they carried oxygen and food they received from the small intestine to the body cells. In return, the body cells gave them waste and carbon dioxide. Continuing their trip, the blood cells disposed the waste to the kidneys, and then, after being pumped in the chambers of the heart, they get rid of the carbon dioxide when they reach the lungs. At the same time they get oxygen and the cycle starts all over again. The circulation never stops!!!
During the game, all the students of 6th class had a great time! In the beginning, it was a bit difficult for us to understand the circulation, but after a while we realized what each organ had to do and that all systems work together in harmony. All the kids enjoyed it because we played out in the schoolyard and we learnt new things about the human body in a very enjoyable way!
