Truckee High Students Explore the Human Body with Anatomage Tablets
Students at Truckee High School are engaging with human anatomy in a whole new way thanks to a cutting-edge tool that provides high-resolution, interactive visuals of real human cadavers. Anatomage Tablets, funded by a $26,069 grant from Excellence in Education, offer students the ability to explore 3D models of the human body, examine major body systems, and interact with preloaded anatomy lessons and quizzes.
While science teacher Kathy Tallant has only recently started incorporating the tablets into her curriculum, students have already responded with excitement and curiosity.
“When I first handed them the tablets, they were like, ‘Oh my God, is that what we really look like on the inside?’” Kathy said. “They were so engaged right away.”
Kathy has had students use the tablets in Principles of Biomedical Science and Anatomy. One of the first activities was an interactive heart anatomy quiz, where students worked through the material in a gamified way, reattempting questions until they got them right.
“They went through it like a video game,” she said. “If they got an answer wrong, they’d be like, ‘Ah, man!’ and immediately try again. It’s a fun and effective way to reinforce learning.”
She also used a preloaded lesson on body systems, which guided students through different anatomical structures and terminology.
Kathy plans to incorporate the tablets into her forensic science classes, particularly in the autopsy and pathology sections, using the built-in scalpel tool to explore anatomical structures.
She also hopes to make the tablets available to other schools in the district including Coldstream Alternative School and Sierra High School.
Because the tablets are a relatively new tool, Kathy is still learning how to maximize their use in the classroom. She plans to attend an Anatomage conference this summer to further explore available resources and lesson development tools.
The Excellence in Education grant covered the full cost of 10 Anatomage Tablets, including shipping and taxes. The tablets require no additional funding for updates, as Anatomage will continue to provide new materials at no extra cost.
As Kathy continues to develop lessons and explore new applications, the tablets have the potential to enhance science education for students across multiple courses and schools in the district.
Excellence in Education is proud to support innovative learning opportunities like this one. To learn more about how you can help fund future grants, visit https://exined.org/fundraising-programs.
