All About Cells & Body Systems

Video Librarian (November 2001)

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Did you know that if all the blood vessels in your circulatory system were stretched out, they would reach around the world twice? Young viewers will learn this and much more in All About the Cells & Body Systems, a fun, fast-paced video that shows kids how they're built of cells, which make up tissues, which make up organs, which make up systems, which make up the amazing human body. A step-by-step journey is clearly needed, and that's exactly what this entry in the 8-volume Human Body for Children series provides: from the 206 bones of the skeletal system through each of the body's other systems, the program's guided tour employs excellent computer graphics, with each new concept clearly explained, illustrated with practical examples, and instantly reviewed. The other titles in the series are: All About Bones & Muscles, All About Blood & The Heart, All About Nutrition & Exercise, All About the Brain, All About the Senses, All About Health & Hygiene and All About the Human Life Cycle. Definitely recommended.

School Library Journal (November 2001)

K-Gr 6-This outstanding series deserves to be in most public and school library collections. Each video features brilliant graphics, fantastic photography, simple experiments, and an easy-to-follow format. The videos can to used as an entire collection on children's health, or purchased individually. There is a brief teacher's guide with each video, and lesson plans are available online. While the producers indicate that the series is designed for youngsters in kindergarten through fourth grade, much of the material is better suited for upper elementary through middle school viewers. All About Nutrition & Exercise and All About Health & Hygiene can be used most successfully with primary age children, while titles such as All About Cells & Body Systems convey much more detailed physiological information than is usually covered in the early grades. For the most part, the children featured in the videos appear to be in their early teens. There is some carryover from one video to another, with some of the same film clips repeated in several videos as the same topics are discussed several different times. The fact that the primary setting is the home makes the series attractive to public libraries where these videos will be useful for a wide audience, and especially for home schoolers. The nutrition, exercise, and general health information are solid, middle-of-the road facts, and the series stresses a balanced approach to eating and exercise. Each video features a hands-on activity that can be done young children with minimal assistance from adults. For example, the hygiene video demonstrates the level of germ and bacteria growth that occurs by having the children observe a sterile potato slice in a plastic baggie, one that has been rubbed on hands that appear to be clean, and a third that is rubbed on a floor. This series is a wise purchase for library, school, and home use.

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal. Used with permission.