SUPERIOR – Classroom discussion was given life when fourth graders from Superior Elementary took a field trip to tour Mineral Community Hospital while learning about the human body.

Stacy Crabb, fourth grade teacher, brought approximately 15 excited kids to MCH to visit some of the hospital’s facilities and learn more about what was done at the hospital. This is the second year Crabb’s class has gone to MCH.

“Last year [Crabb] brought her students over here,” said Monte Turner, outreach coordinator for MCH. “They had so much fun, she asked if they could do it again and we said ‘oh, you bet.’”

The class was met by Turner who explained the day’s agenda. He engaged the kids right away. After he had the group’s attention, he explained what the next hour would bring.

The class went through four stations around the hospital. The group looked through the lab’s microscopes at blood samples. With the assistance of Tom Olding, head of the MCH lab, and Sara Buchanan, a medical technologist, the kids performed microscopic cellular identification to name the different blood cells and what each one did in the body.

Students then went to the radiology labs to see x-ray photos and learn about ultrasound. While in the ultrasound lab, several students had an ultrasound done to view the artery in the neck. In the x-ray lab, the kids saw pictures of different types of broken bones and even an x-ray of a pregnancy where the baby’s skeleton could be seen around the mother’s spine.

Finally, the class learned about how the hospital read vital signs, pulse, blood pressure and temperature. There was even a demonstration of an electrocardiogram. Each kid had his or her vitals taken and received candy for participating.

The kid’s reactions were varied and changed often. Everyone largely thought things were cool and interesting. However, many in the group were quick to become squeamish and shy once the technicians asked for volunteers. The class also teased each other about the various test results. During the ultrasound demonstration, it was commented how the first girl’s pulse kept speeding up. From then on, the class began a commentary on each kid’s ultrasound readings.

Throughout all the stations, the kids were quizzed on what things were and what different terms meant. According to Crabb, the comments made at the time were interesting and it was neat how the kids recognized different things.

“I saw a couple students who had a real interest and had a good memory for things we had learned in class,” said Crabb. “So, I’d probably encourage those kids to start thinking…about the medical field.”

At the end of the hour-long trip, the kids were taken back to the waiting area and given cookies. After the students thanked the MCH staff and gave some feedback on the experience, the class went back to Superior Elementary to finish out the day.

For approximately three weeks prior to the field trip, Crabb’s class had learned about the human body. According to Crabb, the class discussed six of the body’s systems. These included the circulatory, muscular, respiratory and skeletal systems. The hope was to give the kids practical examples of what had been covered.

“I just wanted them to see all of those things we had talked about in a real way,” said Crabb.

The field trip was used as a way to close out the unit on the human body. Because of the imminent holiday weekend, Crabb said she was unable to do much of a follow-up of what the kids thought of the trip or what was learned. However, she said there were many positive comments at the time.

Crabb wanted her class to see how the science was used in a major industry and the careers based around it. Crabb was also glad of the opportunity the trip gave the kids to see the hospital in a casual sense, as opposed to when a loved one was checked in for treatment.

“For them to get to be there at a time when it’s not stressful…was really valuable,” Crabb said.

According to Crabb the field trip was a great educational experience for the kids. Crabb said she would definitely try to arrange a trip next year. She felt these trips are a good educational tool to supplement classroom time.

“Any time I can apply learning to real life, I think that just makes it that much more effective,” said Crabb.