OCR GCSE Science
B1 – Understanding ourselves
Item Plan B1f – Staying in balance
Student Book pages 23–26
OCR Science B specification
page 18
Links with GCSE criteria: 3.6 (i) a, (ii) c,
(iii), d (iv), 3.7(i)d
Sharing learning objectives
In this item you will find out:
 why keeping a constant internal environment in our bodies is important
 how the body keeps a constant temperature
 how some hormones are used to control how our body works
Links with other modules: B1a, B3c, B5e, B5f, B6g
Links with key Stage 3 NC: 3.2.2i, m
Links with Key Stage 3 SoW: 7B
Learning outcomes
(F) State how heat can be lost and gained or retained in our bodies.
(F) State how hormones travel in the blood and that the body’s reactions
to hormones are slower than nervous reactions.
(F/H) Describe how sweating increases heat transfer to the environment.
(F/H) Describe the effects of male and female secondary characteristics.
(H) Describe how vasodilation and vasoconstriction increase or reduce
heat transfer.
(H) Explain the effects of hormones on the menstrual cycle, fertility and
the regulation of blood sugar levels.
Suggested starter activities
1 ‘Thought shower’ session on automatic control systems. Why do our bodies need control
systems?
Teacher notes
1 Show photos of the use of thermal blankets after marathon. Baby in
incubator in premature unit.
2 Class discussion: 37oC, hypothermia, diabetes and the contraceptive pill – what do they
have in common?
2 Could show a video clip of a diabetic injecting insulin.
Main activities
1 B1f.1. How to avoid hypothermia. (ICT) Use ICT to produce a flyer warning old people
about hypothermia and telling them how to prevent it. (Teacher and Student sheets) (~40
minutes + homework)
Teacher notes
1 B1f.1 Selected websites could be suggested and information gathered
(from a previous homework). Alternatively students could be given
news/magazine articles about the problem.
2 B1f.2. Skin temperature. (Practical) Measure skin temperatures of various parts of the
body. (Teacher and Student sheets) (~40 minutes)
2 B1f.2 will need careful management.
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© Harcourt Education 2006, OCR Gateway Science
This document may have been altered from the original.
OCR GCSE Science
B1 – Understanding ourselves
Interactive activities
Teacher notes
1 B1a1.1b Homeostasis The first screen is presentation to demonstrate how the human
body reacts to changes in temperature. This is a followed by a game in which students
have to maintain body temperature. A flowchart presentation then explains how
homeostasis works.
1 This activity can be used for students to gain a better understanding of
how the body reacts to changes in temperature.
2 B1a1.1b Hormones An interactive flowchart which examines the regulation of glucose
levels in the blood.
2 Students can take turns completing the negative feedback loop to show
understanding of how insulin and glucose.
Suggested plenary activities
1 Class review of the factors that the body needs to control. Each group takes responsibility
for one factor and feeds back on ‘the norm’, how it deviates and how control is achieved.
(~20 minutes)
Teacher notes
1 Teachers may need to point to specific sources of information.
2 Question and answer session to summarise work on hormones to include ‘characteristics
of hormones, named examples and their effects’. (~20 minutes)
Can Do Tasks
I can use ICT to produce a poster
warning old people about hypothermia
and telling them how to prevent it. (1)
I can carry out an experiment on skin
temperatures down an arm or leg and
plot the results on a graph. (2)
ICT links: Gathering information from the
Internet and CD-ROMs; using sensors linked to
dataloggers or directly to computers; using
software to present ideas and information on
paper and on-screen. Using spreadsheets and
other software to process data.
Numeracy links: Plot graphs from data
provided, given the axes and scale. Select
appropriate axes and scales for graph plotting.
Interpret and use graphs.
Citizenship links: Creating a flyer on
hyperthermia for distribution to the elderly.
Key words
contraception (H), contraceptive pill (F), dehydration, diabetes, endocrine
(F), fertility, heat stroke, homeostasis, hormone (F), hypothermia, insulin,
oestrogen (H), ovulation (H), progesterone (H), sex hormone (H),
vasoconstriction (H), vasodilation (H)
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© Harcourt Education 2006, OCR Gateway Science
This document may have been altered from the original.