Free · Sacramento Area · Grades K–6

Building Health
Literacy, One
Classroom
at a Time

Anatomy Adventurers brings hands-on, age-appropriate human anatomy education to elementary school students — sparking curiosity about the human body and planting the seeds of health literacy early.

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300+
Students reached since 2025
❤️ Heart 🫁 Lungs 🧠 Brain 🦴 Bones 🍎 Digestion 💪 Muscles
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6
Body system lesson modules
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Free
Always free for schools

Founded by a student who cares about health from the inside out

Anatomy Adventurers was created by Anya Mantena, a sophomore at Folsom High School, after observing a consistent gap during her clinical hours: people of all ages struggle to describe what's happening in their own bodies. Health literacy begins early — or not at all. Research shows near-peer teaching (older students teaching younger ones) significantly improves elementary science outcomes. Anatomy Adventurers makes this accessible in communities without university medical school outreach programs.

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Published ResearcherCurieux Academic Journal, January 2026 — calcium ion sensing and health monitoring
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100+ Clinical HoursMercy Hospital of Folsom — direct patient observation across clinical settings
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Active ResearcherMicrobiology lab work at Santa Clara University and CSU Chico — C. elegans, malaria detection
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Dual EnrollmentBiology of Cancer, Mission College — concurrent university coursework
"The longest journey you will ever do is with your own body. The sooner children get into the habit of understanding it, the better."
— Sonia Joseph, Consultant Paediatrician, Royal Hospital for Children, Edinburgh

Our Mission

Anatomy Adventurers brings hands-on, age-appropriate human anatomy education to elementary school students — building health literacy and early STEM identity in children who would otherwise have limited access to this content.

A 5-step framework that works with kids

Every session follows the same proven structure — designed for elementary attention spans, refined across 300+ students.

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3 minutes
The Hook
A surprising body fact or physical demo that immediately captures attention and curiosity
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5 minutes
Concept Introduction
Core anatomy explained in age-appropriate language with visual diagrams and physical models
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8 minutes
Hands-On Activity
Students feel their own pulse, simulate a heartbeat, trace bones, or draw organ locations
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5 minutes
Real-World Connection
Open Q&A connecting anatomy to students' own lives, experiences, and questions
2 minutes
Exit Check
Pre/post questions to measure learning — we track what students actually gained

Six body systems, six adventures

Each module is a complete 20–30 minute lesson with hands-on activities, visual aids, and a pre/post assessment. Request any topic when you book.

❤️
The Heart
How your heart pumps blood, how many times it beats every day, and why exercise makes it stronger
100,000 beats/day Cardiac muscle Pulse activity
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The Lungs
How you breathe, what oxygen does inside your body, and the difference between inhaling and exhaling
Oxygen exchange Trachea Breath activity
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The Brain
Your body's command center — how it controls movement, thought, memory, and keeps you alive
3 main parts Nerve signals Reflex demo
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Bones & Skeleton
206 bones, why they're stronger than steel pound-for-pound, and the living marrow inside them
206 adult bones Bone marrow Calcium facts
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Digestion
The incredible 20-foot journey food takes through your body and how nutrients become energy
Starts in mouth Small intestine Saliva demo
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Muscles
600+ muscles, how they contract and pull bones, and why soreness means you're getting stronger
600+ muscles 3 muscle types Flex activity

Learning you can measure

Every session includes a pre/post assessment. We don't just assume students learned — we track it.

300+
Students reached across Sacramento area schools
6
Body system modules with pre/post assessments
K–6
Grade range served — adaptable to any level
Free
No cost, ever — to schools or students

How We Measure Learning

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Pre-Assessment5 questions asked before the lesson begins — class show-of-hands
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Post-AssessmentSame 5 questions after the lesson — improvement is documented
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Session LoggingEvery session logged: school, grade, topic, student count, scores
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Ongoing ResearchData informs lesson refinement — which topics show greatest gains

Bring Anatomy Adventurers to your classroom

All sessions are completely free. Anya will come to your school with all materials. Sessions run 20–30 minutes and fit into a standard class period.

What to expect:

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LocationWe come to you — any elementary school in the greater Sacramento / El Dorado Hills area
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Duration20–30 minutes, fits within a standard class period — no disruption to your schedule
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What we bringAll visual aids, models, and activity materials — teachers don't need to prepare anything
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AssessmentPre/post questions to measure what students learned — you receive a session summary
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CostAlways free. No fees, no materials cost, no strings attached.

Request a Session

Anya will respond within 48 hours to confirm availability.
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Request received!

Thank you! Anya will reach out within 48 hours to confirm your session details. We're excited to visit your classroom.