As part of their Human Body Unit of Inquiry and preparation for an upcoming mini-exhibition, Grade 5 students welcomed Dr. Matthrew Degnan, a parent and doctor, into the classroom for an interactive and memorable learning experience. The visit was directly connected to their insightful inquiry into the idea of: “The human body has systems that work together to sustain life.”

Under their transdisciplinary theme Who We Are, students have been exploring the functions of the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. Through hands-on experiments, they are discovering how the systems depend on one another and the responsibilities humans have for their bodies.

Dr. Degnan’s presentation added an authentic and real-world layer to their investigation. He shared insights from his work as a physician, brought in tools from his practice, and encouraged students to think like young scientists and health practitioners through guiding questions, inviting them to connect how the body maintains its health.

Students were especially excited to handle some of the tools he uses daily, including equipment for examining eyes and ears. Dr. Degnan also brought a sample of synthetic skin, which allowed students to see and feel how stitches are done, a fascinating, tactile extension of their learning about how the body heals itself.

The visit not only strengthened their understanding of Function, Connection, and Responsibility, the three key concepts guiding the inquiry, but also supported their development as inquirers, knowledgeable learners, and balanced individuals. Research, thinking, and self-management skills were on full display as students asked questions, made observations, and reflected on their learning.

Voices From Grade 5

"Dr. Degnan connected with all of us; it was really joyful and fun! We got to see his eye and ear tools and pass them around. He brought fake skin so we could see how stitches are done. Something that interested me was that he had a different teaching method. He didn’t just say, “this is the circulatory or respiratory system,” he said, “what system do you know?” and kept asking questions instead of telling us and made it more interesting and made it a more joyful experience; it was so engaging!”
- Sirat

"It was cool to see a parent take time out of their day to help us. He talked about all the systems and how each one works, and since each of our groups is studying a different system, it really helped us understand our work more.”
- Temi

The Grade 5 team, Ms. Cara Koehler and Ms. Emily Gish, are incredibly proud of how students embraced this inquiry with curiosity and responsibility. With their exhibition around the corner, this experience strengthened their confidence and deepened their understanding of the systems that sustain us.

Thank you to Dr. Degnan and all parents who continue to enrich learning in our classrooms.