Description

Anatomy and Physiology Live covers the origin, design, and function of the human body using a combination of lectures, discussions, and hands-on lab practicums. Integrating the best of modern science and design theory with the Bible, history, aesthetics, and bioethics, this uniquely humane approach to human anatomy mimics God’s wholistic design of the human person: practical (e.g., science and medicine), beautiful (e.g., art and scientific illustration), and moral (e.g., theology and ethics).

In this year-long course, we will study the structural and functional integration of each of the eleven major human organ systems, including the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, immune and lymphatic, excretory, endocrine, reproductive, nervous, integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems. By the end of this class, students will appreciate, deep down in their bones, the immortal words of the Psalmist (Psalm 139:13, 14): “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

What’s Included

• Orientation + 32 weekly, one-hour classes (see schedule below)
• Weekly graded homework assignments
• Quizzes, midterm exam, and final exam
• Anatomical dissections and illustrations
• Final grade submitted to parents for their records

Course Prerequisites

Some biology and/or chemistry is recommended

Class Details

Credit: Full Credit in High School Science

Ages: 14+ (This course is intended for upper-level high school students with some prior experience in the physical and/or life sciences.)

The class will meet weekly over Zoom on Tuesdays from 12:30 PM–1:30 PM Central Time according to the schedule below. The format will be mixed lecture, discussion, and demonstration. Students will be assigned weekly reading and written homework assignments as well as regular lab practicum assignments.

About the Instructor

Dr. Garrett League studied science, art, and other liberal arts at Texas Christian, Baylor, and Vanderbilt, completing his postdoctoral studies at Cornell. He has taught numerous lecture- and laboratory-based science courses at both the college and high school levels and has extensive experience conducting original scientific research. He and his wife currently reside in North Texas where they homeschool their three children.

Required Materials

All course materials are required for each student. However, when more than one product type/brand is acceptable, comparable materials may be purchased (see “or comparable” notes below). Students who already have access to comparable materials at home need not purchase new ones. Students should obtain course reading materials before the first assigned readings are due on the second week of class (Sep 9).

Reading

Note to parents: Typical of anatomy and physiology coursework, some of the topics (e.g., reproduction) included in this course are of a sensitive nature. Although such topics will be handled with appropriate care and modesty, parental discretion and oversight are encouraged as students encounter these subjects in the course.

• Body by Design: An Anatomy and Physiology of the Human Body (revised 2020 edition) by Alan L. Gillen (ISBN-10: 0890512965)
• Exploring the History of Medicine by John Hudson Tiner (ISBN-10‏: ‎0890512485)

Lab Practicum

Anatomical demonstrations:

1. Fetal pig dissection kit (free lab guide), Home Science Tools
2. Cow eye specimen, Cornerstone Educational Supply
3. Sheep heart specimen, Cornerstone Educational Supply
4. Nitrile exam gloves, MedPride (or comparable; medium-sized gloves recommended for most)
5. Safety goggles, Cornerstone Educational Supply (or comparable)

Anatomical illustration:

1. Kaplan’s Anatomy Coloring Book (10th edition; ISBN-10: 1506295266)
   • Colored pencils (low-end: Crayola or comparable brand; mid-range: Amazon Basic; high-end: Prismacolor)
2. Notebook and writing utensils/art supplies for anatomical journal
   • Art sketch book (BAZIC or comparable)
   • Suggested media: fine-point pens (Micron or comparable), Conte sketching crayons set of 4 or set of 12 (or comparable), drawing/sketching graphite pencils (Faber-Castell or comparable)
3. Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist by Martin Clayton and Ron Philo (ISBN-10:‎ 1905686390)
   • Note to parents: While setting a centuries-long standard of excellence in anatomical illustration, da Vinci’s anatomical drawings contain some graphic depictions of human anatomical dissections. Thus, a student-friendly version of this book will be made available to students by the instructor.
4. Anatomy of the Human Body (aka, “Gray’s Anatomy,” 20th edition) written by Henry Gray and illustrated by Henry Carter (this edition is in the public domain and is available as a free digital version from Internet Archive, digital anatomy plate engravings on Wikipedia, and physical/eBook versions for rent/purchase from local libraries/Amazon).

Schedule of Class Meetings

All Tuesdays, all scheduled from 12:30 –1:30 PM Central Time.

1. 1. Sep 2 – Class introduction
   2. Sep 9
   3. Sep 16
   4. Sep 23
   5. Sep 30
   6. Oct 7
   7. Oct 14
   8. Oct 21
   9. Oct 28
   10. Nov 4
   11. Nov 11
   12. Nov 18
   13. Nov 25 – Thanksgiving Break (no class meeting)
   14. Dec 2
   15. Dec 9
   16. Dec 16
   17. Dec 23–Jan 5 – Christmas Break
   18. Jan 6
   19. Jan 13
   20. Jan 20
   21. Jan 27
   22. Feb 3
   23. Feb 10
   24. Feb 17
   25. Feb 24
   26. Mar 3
   27. Mar 10
   28. Mar 17
   29. Mar 24
   30. Mar 31 – Easter Break
   31. Apr 7
   32. Apr 14
   33. Apr 21
   34. Apr 28
   35. May 5

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I can’t attend the live Zoom sessions?

All the sessions will be recorded and posted for enrolled students to watch at their convenience. You can use the recordings to review or catch up if you missed a session.

Students who can’t make the schedule above can still participate in the class assignments and group discussions by watching the recordings and communicating in the group on My Compass Classroom.

What kinds of assignments and assessments are included?

Assignments include readings and homework questions from textbooks as well as anatomy labs. Assessments include quizzes and non-cumulative midterm and final exams.

Will my student receive a final grade?

Dr. League will provide a suggested final grade based on student performance on assessments and class participation. Since this is a live homeschool course, the parent has the final authority and may use this grade as part of their student’s official transcript or records.

Is there a minimum enrollment required?

All live classes are subject to minimum enrollment in order to hold. If minimum enrollment is not reached before the first scheduled session, all students will be notified and refunded completely.

Do you offer refunds on live classes?

We think you will love this class. You may request a refund for a live course any time before the second scheduled class session after your purchase. This gives you the chance to experience an entire live class session to make your decision.

How long will I have access to the class?

Recording access expires 6 weeks after the last live session. Students are free to continue working through the course on their own during this time. However, no submissions will be graded after the final class meeting, or as directed by the instructor.