Hands on Science: Build a Blood Cell Model

Have you ever wondered what your blood is made of? In this hands-on, interactive one time session, we will explore the building blocks of your blood, the red and white blood cells! We'll also model platelets and plasma. Together, all of these different ingredients come together to do different jobs in your blood, such as carrying oxygen, fighting off illness, and clotting so that a cut can heal. Bring your favorite colors of playdoh so that you can make your own scientific model.

We'll begin class with a brief overview of cells. Your body has trillions of them to do all of the different tasks needed for survival! We'll talk about how your body forms blood cells from your bone marrow and how each type works.

As we discuss, the instructor will model how to make each type of cell using playdoh, and learners are invited to follow along. We will construct our playdoh models on a paper background. We'll also glue or tape pre-printed labels to our model to keep track of which parts we've discussed, and learners will receive a separate printout that can be used as a glossary to help remember what each type of blood cell does.

No previous knowledge of cells or the circulatory system is needed to enjoy this class.

Learners will need:
-flat covered surface
-blank paper - any color
-3-5 colors of playdoh or a gluten-free alternative - preferably red, yellow, white, or another very light color
-printed vocabulary (provided by instructor)
-glue stick, school glue, or clear tape