Puzzles in Our Homeschool

 

I received a COMPLIMENTARY copy of this puzzle from Timberdoodle in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains tracking links. For more information, please see my Terms of Use and Disclosure Policy page. Thank you.

Finding a way to make science come to life can be challenging for some homeschooling families. What happens if your child is not interested in experiments or labs? How do you get them interested in their science lessons if science is not their favorite subject? While our oldest son enjoyed some of his science lessons, it definitely was not his favorite subject of his homeschool career. In the past, we incorporated hands-on activities like growing different plants and experimenting with the soil type and such, but how could we bring anatomy to life? Enter Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax courtesy of Timberdoodle. 

Included in both the 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit and Nonreligious 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit, The Human Thorax puzzle is 500 pieces of science education and entertainment. The puzzle shows a cross-section of the rib cage and its contents including the heart, the lungs, the trachea, and many muscles are also labeled in the lid of the puzzle box. While putting together the puzzle, you can easily see exactly where each piece fits into the puzzle and the human body. 

A Unique Educational Experience 

Unlike some puzzles, The Human Thorax one is not a typical square or rectangle. The shape follows the thorax of the human body but at about twice the size of a real, live human. In addition to this unique feature, the puzzle is also one that is 100% medically accurate, as it is illustrated by Mesa Schumacher, who is a certified medical illustrator. I would describe the colors as warm but vibrant, giving the impression that you are viewing the human thorax in a medical textbook or journal. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax is one of seven total puzzles that will help your high school anatomy lessons come to life. Together all seven puzzles will look like vintage medical texts sitting on your homeschool shelf. The box has a very sturdy feel and opens and closes quite nicely. I love the fact that the box for the puzzle does not have a separate lid. What a great feature! 

Puzzling It Out 

After dinner one evening, I asked everyone to stay after we cleaned off the dining room table so we could work on the puzzle. All five of us – my husband, our senior, our second grader, our kindergartner, and myself – worked on separating the 500 puzzle pieces and organizing them by color and by which section of the puzzle we felt they belonged. These early puzzle activities kept our younger two children involved, but as soon as we dug into the actual putting together of the puzzle, they disappeared because they found it too difficult. And I agree. Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle: The Human Thorax is a more difficult puzzle than those they have helped us with on previous occasions. It is recommended on the Timberdoodle site for ages 14+, and I would agree with that assessment. I think it could fit nicely in a junior high or high school anatomy curriculum, but younger children will find it very challenging.

We started putting together the puzzle after dinner and continued through the evening. Then, we took a break with only part of the lungs left for the next morning. The pink section of the lungs was very difficult. We found a system that worked for us was to look for the shapes and then try individual pieces. While using colors and the shapes of the puzzle pieces for the border and heart was the way to go, we found we had to change our method when we were finishing up the puzzle. In all, it took us maybe four to five hours to complete the puzzle with those working on the puzzle changing a few times as one of the three of us took a break. 

I firmly believe introducing puzzles into your homeschool routine is a wonderful way to bring your science lessons to life. And you will be able to complete the puzzle over and over, depending upon your time and desire to do so! Each time you complete The Human Thorax puzzle, you can discuss different parts of the puzzle or introduce new activities to go along with it. Use the puzzle to label worksheets, have animal discussions, or while reading and researching.

Looking for More From Timberdoodle? 

We have had the opportunity to review several items from Timberdoodle in our homeschool. From games to puzzles, there are so many wonderful items you can purchase to incorporate into your homeschool lessons. If you need an entire kit for your 11th grader, you can purchase the 2021 Eleventh-Grade Curriculum Kit, which includes this puzzle, or you can pick and choose from the items that you need for your homeschool plans.