From science faculty member Trish Ortiz: 

   Each year in Anatomy and Physiology we have a skeletal system unit where I teach about the two parts of the skeletal system. The first part is the gross anatomy of the skeleton; the names of the bones, the types of bone, the major parts of the bone and osteoporosis.

   The second part of our unit is spent learning about how bone grows, the microscopic anatomy and physiology of the bone. I present it as “ The Sad Tale of the Osteoblast”. There are three main types of cells that perform a process called bone remodeling where a bone is injured or stressed and the cells communicate with each other to break down damaged bone, rebuild new stronger bone and maintain the bone for the future.

   I assign a project called ‘Tell Me a Story’ where the anatomy students have to write and illustrate a children’s book about bone remodeling. They create characters and bring them to life as the characters explain the details of bone remodeling to a specific age range chosen by the authors. I only specify the age must be 10 and under. I always get wonderful creations and the students enjoy mixing their artistic talents with their science knowledge.

   Here is one example, written and illustrated by Dasha Herrington ’22 and entitled “Bone Remodeling with Froggy Frog.”