About This Activity
Junior Physician is a hands-on S.T.E.A.M. camp designed for children ages 7 to 9 that introduces the fundamentals of human anatomy, physiology, genetics, and health. Anatomy & Physiology: Campers explore the human body by building a flexible spinal column out of thread spools, identifying and labeling bones on plastic skeletons, crafting working lung models, and creating an edible "recipe for blood" using candy to represent different blood cells and platelets. Genetics & Biology: Participants dive into the building blocks of life by extracting real DNA from strawberries using isopropyl alcohol and learning about dominant and recessive traits through an engaging "Alien Genetics" coin-toss activity. Clinical Skills & Reflexes: Young physicians practice using stethoscopes to measure resting heart rates, identify veins and arteries under the tongue, and conduct meter-stick drop experiments to test their involuntary reflexes and reaction times. Health & Microbiology: The camp investigates germs and nutrition by growing bacteria cultures in petri dishes, using black lights to reveal simulated "glow germs" on their hands, making realistic "snot" in a Grossology workshop, and testing different juices for Vitamin C using real chemical titration techniques.
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