Baby visit a highlight for grade one students
Monday, January 29, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
A study on the human body and growth and development came alive for grade one students last week when several babies and their mothers visited their class.

With coaching from their teacher, Judy Wiley, the students observed how the infants had varying abilities, depending on age.

“I asked them, which one do you think is the oldest and how do you know?” says Judy.

“Then I had them zoom in on the abilities of the baby. This one is standing, this one is just sitting on his mother’s lap, this one is kind of floppy.”

It was an eye-opening experience for the children, who first thought hair-length was a good age indicator, says Judy with a laugh.

Judy has been holding a “baby-day” for the past 16 years, since her own son was an infant.

It is the highlight of a number of activities that the grade one students do as they learn about the human body and growth.

“The kids are in awe,” says Judy. “They can’t believe they were this tiny once themselves.”

Judy, whom Principal Ray Hendriks describes as one of the most creative people he knows, includes other interesting and hands-on activities for the students to make the most of what they’re learning. They bring in baby pictures of themselves and have a contest to guess who’s who. Again, Judy coaches the students through looking for features that stay recognizable and unique as a person grows and develops.

They also gather information from their parents about their birth-weight, certain milestones such as when they walked, and stories about funny things they said or did as infants and toddlers. They then share what they’ve learned with the class and take a tally on some of the information, like when everyone walked, says Judy.

The grade one unit on the human body is based on the premise that everyone is created by God. Judy notes that theme verses for the unit include Psalm 139:13 and 14 which say, “For you, [God], created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”