hands-on

First, you’ll love knowing more about the book The Race Against Time (Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time #3).

The Journey Through Time series of Geronimo Stilton books give so much information on a time period in such an engaging way.

The series has colorful illustrations and text, small snippets of information, and great adventure.

Before the journey begins, we see renaissance fashions and what the time period was about.

And then go right into visiting important landmarks of the time period all through the eyes of a mouse.

You will be introduced to Gutenberg and his printing press.

In addition, your child will read about and Leonardo Da Vinci. They’ll read about his flying machine, sculptures, and art- including the Mona Mousa. I mean Lisa.

Even though the book does not reference the medical span of Leonardo’s contributions it opens the door to talk and research the other things he worked on besides art and inventions.

It becomes a natural springboard to add some science to your book or unit study.

Leonardo Da Vinci Activities

Leonardo da Vinci spent a lot of time measuring and drawing the human body and discovered that it has standard proportions.

He participated in many dissections to learn how the body worked and drew exact anatomical studies. He studied, measured, drew, and went hands-on in every aspect of his quest for knowledge.

This is a wonderful way to introduce younger children to his discoveries and contributions to the science world, particularly the anatomy of the human body.

If your child is interested in anatomy, include this hands-on activity alongside your Geronimo Stilton Unit.

The human body is wonderful. And it is so amazingly designed with the way each part fits together and works to move, protect, and shape our body.

The spine is a perfect example of that, and your science loving child is sure to enjoy making their own spine

Human Body Spine Facts

Look at some of these human body spine facts you can use in talking about Leonardo da Vinci or to add to your Geronimo Stilton activities.

• The brain connects to the spine to control most basic functions of the body.
• The spine has three jobs – protect your spinal cord, allow you to move and bend, and provide a foundation for your posture.
• You have 25 bones making up your spine known as vertebrae
• There are 7 vertebrae that make up your neck. Did you know that giraffes with their super long necks also only have 7?
• Some snakes have more than 400 vertebrae.
• The 5 bottom vertebrae between the ages of 18 and 30 become fused together to make your coccyx, or tailbone.
• There are over 120 muscles and 220 ligaments that support the average spine.

As you build your spine you can naturally work in the importance of each part that makes up your spine and spinal cord.

• The spinal cord works with the brain to form the central nervous system.
• The vertebrae themselves give structure and protect the spinal cord.
• Intervertebral discs cushion and protect the nerves from wear and tear.
• The nerve clusters communicate with the rest of our body, sending signals to our hands, legs, feet, arms, head, etc.

Search Google for images of da Vinci spine drawings for a model to help your child along.

Also, you can add a tabletop skeleton model for your child to explore and learn with as well.

More Human Body Crafts

• Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids
• How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model
• How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft
• 7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity
• How to Make a Fun Hands-on Playdough Brain Activity
• Major Organs of The Human Body Labeled Fun Felt Anatomy Activity
• Fun Resources and Books About The Human Body For Preschoolers
• 8 Eye Facts & Human Body Activities Middle School & Fun Eye Model
• 12 Human Body Games For Middle School & High School
• Craft a Fun Hand Straw Model to Explore Human Anatomy Muscles & Tendons
• How to Make a Human DIY Heart Model Easy Craft for Kids
• 8 Facts About the Respiratory System & Fun Lung Craft for Kids
• 7 Human Body Facts and Kids Human Body T-Shirt Project
• Fun Edible Spine
• Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
• DIY Heart Pump
• Kids Stethoscope Activity
• Build An Edible DNA Model
• Edible Skin
• Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity.
• Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft

How to Make an Edible Spine

Now on to making a delicious, hands-on spine model. You can make yours true to size or create a mini model.

Our model here does not have all the nerves and is not life sized, but we made sure to include 25 vertebrae. If you are doing a unit on anatomy that is one thing you want your children to remember.

Here is what you will need to create your own edible spine:

• Yarn- Spinal Cord, nerves (ok, not edible, but you know)
• Butter Cookies with a hole- vertebrae
• Gummy Lifesavers- intervertebral disc

String a long piece of yarn through a cookie and knot it several times until it is too large to fit through the hole. The yarn is our spinal cord.

Cut yarn into two-inch pieces and twist two of them so that they are between each gummy lifesaver and cookie to create the nerve clusters.

Add on a cookie to create a vertebrae.

Continue repeating gummy, nerve, cookie until you have made your spine as long as you want it to be then tie it off at the top.

You can further the lesson by having your child label the parts of the spine as it is laid out.

Other Geronimo Stilton Activities

• Geronimo Stilton Adventure The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Mayan Craft)
• Geronimo Stilton The Curse of The Cheese Pyramid Barbie Mummy
• Easy and Fun Who Is Geronimo Stilton Rodent Notebooking Page
• 10 Fun Things You Can Teach Using Geronimo Stilton Books
• STEM: Build a Da Vinci Parachute Activity

What do you think? Are you ready with this hands-on spine model when reading The Race Against Time (Geronimo Stilton Journey ? Or adding more Geronimo Stilton activities?