HOW LIVING ORGANISMS FUNCTION.
Goals
The specific goals of this unit are:
• Demonstrate depth and breadth of knowledge of basic anatomy and physiological processes
relating to nutrition, excretion, transport, gas exchange and support and movement in living
things.
• Critically research, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a variety of sources in
relation to nutrition, excretion, transport, gas exchange and support and movement.
• Apply knowledge and understanding of these systems to their own lifestyle choices.
• Gain an understanding of humans as living organisms
• Appreciate the similarities in some basic functions of all living organisms
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the mechanisms and role of adaptation to a variety of
different environments
• Appreciate the inter-relationship between the different systems in humans and in other
organisms
Content
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Nutritional requirements for plants
Nutritional requirements of humans and other animals
Digestion: chemical and mechanical digestion
Digestive system components
Excretion
o Sources of wastes
o Disposal of wastes in plants
o Excretory systems in humans and other animals
o Role of excretory system in homeostasis
Transport systems
o Function of transport systems
o Transport in plants – stem structure and function
o Transport in animals – mammalian cardiovascular system; transport in other groups
Gas exchange
o Need for gas exchange
o Gas exchange mechanisms in plants
o Structure and function of gas exchange systems in mammals and in other animals
Support systems
o Structure and function of support systems:
o Human skeleton; exoskeletons; plants
Movement
o Muscle types and function
o Movement in plants