What Makes You You
Imagine your friend breaks their arm and the doctor puts a small metal pin inside to help it heal. Is your friend still the exact same person after that? Of course they are! Their favorite games, their laugh, and their kindness did not change one bit. Some people wear glasses to see, some people use a wheelchair to move around, and some people have a prosthetic (say it: pros-THET-ic) leg or arm to help their body work. None of those tools change who someone truly is inside.
What You'll Learn
- What makes each person special and one of a kind - That tools and machines can help bodies work without changing who you are - New words: unique, identity, and prosthetic - That your memories and favorite things are a big part of what makes you, you
Your Fingerprints Are One of a Kind
Look closely at the tip of your finger. Do you see tiny swirly lines? Those lines are your fingerprint, and out of every single person on Earth, no one else has the exact same pattern as you — not even your twin, if you have one! Your fingerprints are just one small example of how your body is unique, which means there is no one else exactly like you.
Machines That Help Bodies Work Better
Lots of people use helper tools every day. Glasses help eyes see clearly. Hearing aids help ears hear better. Wheelchairs help people move around quickly and safely. A prosthetic is a helper part, like an artificial leg or hand, that replaces a body part and helps someone run, grab, or walk. Some Paralympic athletes use special running blades instead of legs and can run faster than most people without them! The helper tool does not change who the athlete is — it just helps their amazing body do even more.
Some prosthetic hands today can be controlled by tiny signals from a person's own muscles, letting them pick up a cup or give a high five.
Your Memories and Favorite Things Make You, You
What is your favorite color? Your favorite food? Do you remember a funny thing that happened at recess last week? All of these things — your memories, your favorite things, and the way you laugh — live inside your brain and your heart, not in any one body part. That is your identity: the special mix of memories, feelings, and personality that makes you different from everyone else.
Would You Still Be You With a Robot Arm?
Let's imagine: if a superhero lost an arm and got an amazing robot arm instead, would they still be the same superhero? Yes! Their bravery, their friends, and their favorite jokes would all stay exactly the same. The robot arm would just be a new tool helping their body do its job.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
If someone uses a wheelchair to get around, does that change who they are as a person?
Which of these is an example of your identity, not a helper tool?
Draw Your Unique Self
Draw a picture of yourself. Add one helper tool you use or might use someday (like glasses, a bandage, or even a superhero robot arm) and one bubble showing your favorite memory or favorite thing. Underneath, write one sentence describing what makes you unique.
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