How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)

Do you use learning baskets in your homeschool?

Homeschoolers have been using baskets for a while now but unlike a morning basket, these themed back to school baskets can be used throughout the entire day, week, or even month.

A learning basket is a basket full of fun educational material all based on one topic of interest.

It’s a unit study in a basket.

If you are a relaxed homeschool family, unit study family or even follow the unschooling approach, baskets can be prepared ahead and left for your child to explore at his own pace.

Back to School Craft

Too, back to school baskets fosters independence.

While gaining independence in their homeschool choices children can still benefit from direction and guidance,

Also, baskets full of materials of one themed topic are a fantastic way to inspire, encourage, and develop a love of learning by inviting children to explore a topic.

Whether you teach traditionally, are a unit study family, or are an unschooler these baskets will work and add to your homeschool.

They are like putting a fun unit study in a basket and letting your child drive.

Look at these ideas below for putting together an anatomy themed basket for a middle school child.

Anatomy Back to School Basket Idea for Middle School

Do you have a child that is looking to be a nurse or has an interest in anatomy or the medical field?

Then start with a core curriculum, spine, or living book based on his or her interest.

If you are doing a core curriculum include the student book for your students to work through at their own pace.

We are using Campfire Curriculums Through the Eyes of: ER LIFE.

I have a review coming soon, but these pictures will give you a glimpse now of what is going in the basket.

This Anatomicum book makes a perfect addition to our study.

It is such a beautiful book, with gorgeous illustrations., makes for great reference, and inspiration.

And here we are using it for tracing the photos as well. Needless to say, it will be added to our library.

Be sure to include a pack of tracing paper with it.

Human Body Unit Study Resources

I also included my lapbook Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages for some hands on learning.

It is easy to customize, picking and choosing which parts you want them to focus on.

Or let them choose on their own. It is a great supplement to any kind of anatomy study.

Next, include some support books like Basher Human Body.

I love the silly photos in these books, even for middle schoolers.

They help take a complicated topic and turn it into easy little snippets of information.

Basher has quite a few books to cover different topics. Again, the images are cute.

However, they relay the information in an easy to understand way.

And that appeals to a variety of ages probably early elementary to middle school is best.

I found this copy of Gray’s Anatomy at the Goodwill for just over $1 and had to include it in the basket.

While it usually used by doctors and medical students, I thought it would make a great reference book.

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Hands-On Human Anatomy Resources

After you have a few great books picked out, include a game or two.

Cytosis is great for gameschooling and a great way for kids to learn about cell biology.

A couple of other games that would fit this topic perfectly for this age range are:

• Anatomy Fluxx. This is a card game that is action filled and teaches about everything from bones to blood vessels.
• Pandemic. Great for learning about viruses, how they spread, and how they are eradicated.

Also, the Bones Book and Skeleton makes a great little table top skeleton for learning how the body itself is put together.

Additionally, it can be used for labeling bones later on.

Next is Gross Anatomy create your own squishy human body.

I think that making it multi sensory and hands on really creates that connection that will help them retain what they are learning about.

Another is Know Your Blood Type so they can test themselves or a family member to find out blood types.

Finally, Safari Toobs Organs can be used as a model for drawing or painting.

They help your children to visualize the shape of organs and you can put them with flashcards to match up and learn the names of the basic organs.

Include some play dough as well ( or modeling clay) for them to recreate their own copies of organs from the model.

What do you think? Are you going to give this a try? What are your themed learning basket ideas?