Writing Style

SYNOPSIS

Everything You Need to Know About The Human Body is a fun but comprehensive reference book that explores every aspect of the human body. The first section provides an overview. It explains why there are differences and similarities between people. It describes some of the things inside the body, like cells, tissue, blood and organs. It looks at our skin and how we breathe. Section two explains how babies are made and discusses how our bodies change and grow as we move from childhood into adulthood and then on into old age. Section three explains the digestive system and the effects food and drink has on our health. It discusses healthy and unhealthy diets. Section four is all about what makes humans the most intelligent animals on Earth. It examines our nervous system and our brains. It looks at our senses, explaining how we see and hear. This section also highlights the benefits for humans of being the only animal that can commincate through talking. It discusses our emotions, our reflexes and reactions. The final section takes a detailed look at our skeletons, including our spines and our large skulls. It explains how muscles, joints and bones allow us to move in amazing ways and to achieve incredible things.

WRITING STYLE

The book is written in clear and direct non-fiction style. Each spread begins with an introduction followed by a number of short paragraphs supported by eye-catching, colourful illustrations. At the end of each section there is a summary page, recapping what the reader has learnt. Additional creative activities can be found on some spreads. Every spread contains a link to a website encouraging readers to find out further information about the topic. Each chapter includes fact boxes containing interesting snippets of relevant information. ‘Vocabulary notepad’ boxes are used to provide a running glossary throughout the book and ‘Question circles’ supply answers to scientific questions. ‘Can you find?’ boxes encourage the reader to look at the illustrations in the book and complete observational tasks.

AUTHOR BACKGROUND

Dr Patricia Macnair studied Medicine at the University of Bristol in England. She worked for many years as a GP before becoming a medical journalist and broadcaster. She has worked for the BBC Radio Science unit, Radio 4 and the World Service, and also as health correspondent for BBC online health. She has also appeared as a medical expert on TV (Channel 5, London ITV and BBC1.

EDITORIAL COMMENT

Everything You Need to Know About The Human Body has been thoroughly researched by the author and editor. It has also been checked for factual accuracy by the author. Careful research has ensured that the illustrations clearly promote understanding of the topics covered.

TEACHER/ACTIVITIES/NOTES

• Do some research to discover some of the genetic similarities and differences within your own family. Make a chart showing your results. Record everyone’s height and build, hair colour, eye and skin colour and any other notable features, for example, long or short noses, large or small feet, long or short eyelashes.

• Make a diary of your own human development. Ask your parents or carers when you first learned to sit up, crawl, walk and talk. You might want to compare the results with that of other members of your family.

• Choose one of the organs inside your body, and then using this book find out all about it. Then write down why you couldn’t do without this part of the body.

• Make a dictionary of human body terms. Try to find at least one word for as many letters of the alphabet as you can. For example, A is for anti-bodies. B is for biceps. C is for cells. Use this book to help you. Make sure you know what each word means.

• Keep a record of what you eat and drink on one day. Then underline the things that are healthy to eat in one colour, and the things that are not healthy in another colour.

• Write a menu for a restaurant that only serves healthy food. What sorts of food would you eat here? What would you drink? Design a poster advertising your restaurant.

• Keep a diary of all the sport or other physical activities you do in one week. Think about other ways you can increase the amount of physical activity you do. Write them down.

• Choose one of the sections in this book. Study this section and then write down at least 5 new facts that you have learnt.

• Design a quiz on one part of the human body. Use this book to help you. Make sure you know the answers as well as the questions!

• Choose one of your senses and then imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have it. Think about all the things you would miss. Write a poem that expresses your thoughts about this.

• Try to develop your memory. Practise memorizing a list of numbers, letters or objects. See how many you can remember without making a mistake.