by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Getting most kids interested in science is nearly impossible. Thanks to some innovative thinking, writer Sylvia Branzei is doing her part to change all that. In 1995 Branzei wrote a non-fiction children’s book called Grossology. The book, which is all about the yucky side of the human body, became a best-seller and spawned several sequels. To the delight of elementary and junior high school teachers everywhere, a highly popular traveling exhibition of grossness quickly followed suit. “Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body” has found its way to Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History. The exhibit will be on display until December 31st.
MOSH’s new exhibit is not for the weak of stomach. As you can imagine, Grossology is all about the bodily functions most of us don’t like to talk about. If you’re looking for the scoop on poop or some facts about farts, this should be your first stop. The exhibit also talks about vomit, urine, burps and boogers. Charming. The good news is Grossology explains the science behind these bodily phenomenons while keeping it on the children’s level. Kids can relate to and are interested in this brand of science, which opens them up to learning more about anatomy and physiology. It may even prompt them to focus more on personal hygiene and nutrition.
The Grossology exhibit features 20 interactive games and displays that fill you in on everything you ever wanted to know about just how gross the human body is. After being greeted by “Her Grossness,” a large animatronic character standing at the entrance, you walk through a mouth shaped entry way and into the exhibition area. The first exhibit is all about burping. Visitors pump soda into the Burp Man’s mouth and down into his see-through stomach until he releases a giant belch. Next is the GI Slide, a massive 3-D model of the digestive system that allows children to essentially be eaten, digested and pooped out. The equally large and icky “Tour du Nose” stands nearby. As you walk through the huge nostrils, you trigger a giant sneeze and can get an up-close look at nose hair and snot. Speaking of snot, Grossology’s mascot Professor Nigel Nose-It-All gives visitors the lowdown on nose functions. The faucet-for-a-head professor seems to have a bit of a cold these days though: he wears a bathrobe and slippers and is in desperate need of a tissue! Other highlights include a large replica of human skin that serves as a climbing wall (footholds are pimples, warts, moles and other blemishes), a life-sized version of the board game Operation and the Y U Stink station that allows you to match the body odor to the part of the body it came from.
I brought my two-year-old and four-year-old with me to check out Grossology. They really liked the GI Slide and the skin climbing wall. They also got a kick out of a station called “Toot Toot,” which is all about farts and why they make the noises they do. While we were visiting, there were several school groups in the building as well. These older kids really seemed to enjoy the experience, taking in each and every exhibit and grossing each other out with the stuff they had learned. While my kids had a good time, Grossology is really better suited for those who understand what they are looking at. Elementary and junior high school students in particular will get the most out of this enGROSSing exhibit.
Grossology will be on display from October 1st until December 31st at the MOSH. Admission is $8 for adults, $6.50 for seniors and military, $6 for children ages 3-12 and free for kids 2 and under. For more information about Grossology or the museum itself, please call (904) 396-MOSH.
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