Gross Science About the Body for Kids

This is a guest post was written by author Sharon Leya with additions from Meredith Anderson. Please note that the post may contain affiliate links, as Meredith Anderson is an Amazon affiliate. Read full disclosure here.

What an 81-Year-Old Retired Physician and Children’s Science Educator Wants you To Know about Teaching the Grossest Subjects to Children

If teachers have one thing in common, it’s that the mere mention of flatulence, urine or mucus in their classroom will send their young students into either fits of laughter or a collective “EWWWW!”

According to Dr. Alan O. Feingold, MD, an 81 year old retired internist who taught elementary science after retirement, the intersection of laughter and “yuck” is exactly the mental state which promotes learning in kids. In his time as a science teacher, his retort to a classroom chorus of “EWWWWWW!” was “It’s not EWWWW..It’s YOU!” Meaning, those things your body does and makes are perfectly, wonderful outputs of a working machine – otherwise known as the human body.

The book, “It’s Not EWWWW….It’s YOU!” has expanded on his classroom catchphrase, and now you, too, can share the phrase with your children and students.

Here’s a sneak peek inside the book:

You’ll meet Professor Ewe: an amalgamation of Dr. Feingold, Albert Einstein, and a female sheep. “It’s Not EWWWW….It’s YOU!” features a female sheep named Professor Ewe, who is *obsessed* with teaching about the human body at her EWEniverisity for Young Kids.

The book is straightforward in how it discusses saliva, mucus, feces, urine, sweat, earwax, blood and flatulence, with a colorful and often hilarious depiction of the subject matter through mostly animal illustrations. “If you lecture kids about science, kids are bored to death,” Dr. Feingold says. “But if it’s fun, they’ll learn. If they’re emotionally engaged, they learn. Humor is the one of the best ways to get kids interested in learning.”

It’s not EWWW…it’s YOU is available on Amazon and other retailers, as well as an e-book download on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Try These Gross Science Activities After Reading the Book!

Looking to create snot (slime), a fart machine, or even “poop”? Here are a few great activities to try (Meredith tried all of these out when teaching a Grossology class at a homeschool co-op, and they were well received, with lots of moans, groans, and laughter):

Slime recipe that is similar to snot: from Kids Activities Blog or try this recipe from Science Fun for Everyone

Fart machine: Find out how on Instructables (you can use thick wire if you don’t have coat hangers)

Make “poop:” This one was definitely interesting! Try is out with instructions from Science Journal for Kids or Hubpages