NATURE, research, skeletal and muscular system, education

Using interdisciplinary/inter-subject/cross-curricular relations in teaching (not only) natural sciences has increasing importance in modern educational techniques and procedures. In the Czech Republic,the teaching in elementary schools often lacks such an attitude and natural science topics are usually taught separately, with missing or only partial interconnections. Also, scientific attention focused on interdisciplinarity in Czech education is poor and insufficient. The project NATURE (University of Ostrava and Palacký University Olomouc) makes efforts to fill this gap, both in research and teaching.As part of action research at selected elementary schools, we have included related knowledge of basic natural sciences such as chemistry, physics, and mathematics in theoretical and practicallessons of the skeletal and muscular system of human. First, the prepared worksheets were tested, including estimation of body height based on long bone lengths as well as calculations of muscle work and power. Subsequently, a research-based day focused on somatometry, osteometry and calculation of body indexes was realized. The article informs about the process and results of the abovementionedpilot worksheet testing and research-based days at selected elementary schools.