Physiology Final Project:
We have covered 5 of the 11 Human Organ Systems over the past couple months. I have
designed this final Web-Based research to briefly cover the remaining systems (except the
Reproductive). Please use the websites provided and either WRITE or TYPE your answers
on a separate paper.
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
BOO!! Aaaagggghhh!!! You made my heart race!
kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/endocrine.html
Questions
1. What is the function of the Endocrine System (ES)?
2. What is the job of hormones, in general?
3. What is a gland?
4. Describe the function & location of each of the following:
a. Hypothalamus
b. Pituitary gland
c. Thyroid & Parathyroid
d. Adrenal glands
e. Gonads
f. Pancreas
5. Describe the journey a hormone makes as it travels through the body?
Scenario: The bad diet…
Your aunt is experiencing frequent urination, constant thirst, blurred vision, a cut that has not
healed in 3 weeks and numbness in her foot. She went to the doctors where they gave her a
blood test and her sugar came back extremely high. All these symptoms lead to a diagnosis of
diabetes.
Use the following websites to answer the questions below:
www.medicinenet.com/type_1_diabetes_pictures_slideshow/article.htm
www.medicinenet.com/type_2_diabetes_pictures_slideshow/article.htm
www.bmi-calculator.net/
1. Your aunt has a BMI of 35. Explain why this information is important in determining
which type of diabetes she has.
2. What type do you think she has?
3. Where is insulin made?
4. What does insulin do?
5. How can receiving injections of insulin help your aunt?
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Fueling the machine
As we learned, food addiction can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes. Food is
used to nourish our cells. Let’s see how the digestive system works.
www.livescience.com/22367-digestive-system.html
Questions
1. Track the journey of food through the body, beginning in the mouth. Be sure to include
any specialized function of organs along the way.
2. List & briefly describe 5 diseases of the Digestive system.
Scenario: Gall Stones
After another night out of greasy pizza and bowling, your friend is complaining of a sharp pain
on one side. She goes to the hospital and the doctor does an emergency cholecystectomy
because her gall bladder was full of gall stones and blocking a duct.
Use the following websites to answer the questions below.
www.gallbladderattack.com
www.foodreactions.org/articles/digestive_system.html
Questions:
1. Six weeks later you and your friend go out for pizza and bowling. Why does your friend
decline the pizza? How would her system break down the pizza if she did eat it?
2. Name 7 major enzymes that help break food down and the substrates they work on. (It
may help you to create a table to organize your answers)
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Now take a deep breath…*cough cough*… whoa…too deep
Scenario: Asthma
Your little brother is involved in field day. He was selected to run the mile. Half way through
the course you see him run off to the side with his head down. When you and a teacher get to
him you discover that he is having trouble breathing. Your mother takes him to the hospital and
the doctor gives him a nebulizer to help him to breathe better. He is then brought down to
radiology to take an x-ray of his lungs and is given a flow test. After looking for a lung
infection, such as pneumonia, the doctor diagnoses your brother with asthma.
Use the websites below to answer the following questions.
www.livescience.com/22616-respiratory-system.html
kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/lungs.html
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001196/
Questions:
1. Describe the path of oxygen beginning and ending with the nose and/or mouth.
2. What role does the diaphragm play?
3. Explain how the oxygen flow may be restricted in patients with asthma.
4. What is COPD?
5. Name & briefly describe 5 diseases or problems facing the Respiratory system.
URINARYRY (EXCRETORY) SYSTEM
It’s all gotta come out in the end!!!
www.livescience.com/27012-urinary-system.html
1. What are the organs of the Urinary system and describe their function.
2. Name and describe 5 diseases that affect the Urinary system.
Scenario: You’re on Survivor and your tribe is running out of water. One tribe member
suggested peeing in a pot so everyone can drink it, since they heard that someone who was
trapped in the desert did that for survival. However, you remember from biology class that it is
not a good idea, but you can’t remember why.
Use the websites below to answer the following questions.
fi.edu/learn/heart/systems/excretion.html
freewebs.com/soaring_sphincter_travel_agency/excretorysystem.htm
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is urine considered waste?
Where is urine produced?
Why would you considered lungs part of the excretory system.
Because your tribe’s becoming dehydrated you are all cramping and becoming
constipated. What is constipation?
LYMPHATIC(IMMUNE) SYSTEM
When something’s strange and it don’t look good, who ya gonna call?,…Lymph Sytem!
www.livescience.com/26983-lymphatic-system.html
1. What is the primary function of the Lymphatic/Immune system?
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What are the structures found in the LS?
What is the function of the spleen?
What are the thymus and the tonsils?
What is lymph and how does it move through the body?
Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes are a common side effect of some infections, but not
some conditions can be quite serious. What is Lymphoma and Castleman disease?
Scenario
You were involved in a car accident. One of your injuries was a ruptured spleen. After 4 days,
the doctor says that the tear is too large to let it heal on its own and they will need to remove it.
7. While it is possible to live without your spleen, what are some of the problems that may
arise?
http://www.livescience.com/26579-immune-system.html
8. List the major components of the Immune system and briefly describe their importance
(function).
FINAL NOTE:
I hope you have enjoyed this class and found it worth your time. I am confident that if you paid
attention and put forth some moderate effort, at least, the information that you learned will be
both beneficial to you as a human and will serve as good foundation for any further studies in
the field. Please feel free to share any comments that you have about the course and if there is
any suggestions that you would like to make for future classes.
Thank you & it has been pleasure being your teacher/mentor 
-Mrs. Yanac