WELCOME TO
HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS
EASTMOOR ACADEMY BIOMEDICAL PATHWAY
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This is the second of four high school courses in Project Lead The Way’s Biomedical
Science Pathway. It further explores the human body systems that were introduced in the
first course, Principles of the Biomedical Sciences. We will be creating graphic
organizers of each body system as we move through the units. This course differs from a
traditional Human Anatomy & Physiology course in that body systems are not studied in
separate and discreet units, but rather they are studied as “parts of a whole” as they work
together to carry out the major functions of the amazing human machine. One of our
learning tools will be the Anatomy in Clay “Maniken”, on which students will be
building parts of the various body systems throughout the year. We will continue to use
data acquisition software (such as Loggerpro) to monitor body functions and we will also
continue an exploration of biomedical careers as we investigate concepts such as
communication, transport of substances, locomotion, metabolism, defense, and
protection. Please see the outline on the back of this sheet for more detailed information
about the lessons that will be covered in this class.
YOU WILL NEED
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FLASH DRIVE (I suggest that it be fastened to a lanyard with your student ID)
BINDER with eight tabbed dividers. Binder should be at least 1.5”
GOGGLES (You may already have these from last year. Ms. Looney will discuss
goggles further in chemistry.)
 SCIENTIFIC LAB NOTEBOOK (will be provided)
 COLORED PENCILS
 SURVIVING THE EXTREMES, by Kenneth Kamler (will be provided)
 SUGGESTED: calculator, earbuds or headphones
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COURSE COMPLETION
 Active class participation
 Proper documentation technique
 Career journals
 Concept Maps using Inspiration software
 Lab reports
 Quizzes and Unit tests
 End of Course Exams
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is divided into six units designed to introduce students to the way in which
body systems work together to maintain homeostasis and good health. The following is a
description of each unit in the HBS course.
Unit One – Identity
Unit one engages students in a discussion of what it means to be human. Students
investigate the body systems and functions that all humans have in common, and then
look at differences in tissues, such as bone and muscle, and in molecules, such as
DNA, to pinpoint unique identity. Students play the role of forensic anthropologists
as they unlock the clues of identity found in bone and use restriction analysis and gel
electrophoresis to analyze differences in DNA.
Unit Two – Communication
In unit two, students investigate modes of communication within the human body as
well as the ways humans communicate with the outside world. Students create a
model of the human brain and design a brain map that pinpoints specific areas of
function. Investigations focus on the nervous and endocrine systems, including
experiments with reflexes and response time as well as some of the sensory organs
that allow us to receive and interpret stimuli from the outside world.
Unit Three – Power
In this unit, students investigate the human body systems that work to obtain,
distribute, or process the body’s primary resources for energy and power—food,
oxygen, and water. Activities and experiments will center around the digestive,
respiratory, and urinary systems.
Unit Four – Movement
In unit four, students investigate the movement of the human body as well as of
substances within the body. Students will visualize the connection between skeletal
muscle and bone and learn how a muscle’s structure is directly related to its function
and to the actions it can produce. A study of blood flow illustrates the roles smooth
and cardiac muscles play in the transport of substances around the body.
Unit Five – Protection
In this unit, students explore ways in which the human body protects itself from
injury and disease. Before students investigate specific defense mechanisms and the
immune system, they explore the protective functions of skin, bone and the feeling of
pain. Antigen-antibody interactions are introduced as well as the structure of the
lymphatic and immune system.
Unit Six – Homeostasis
This final unit focuses on the connection between all of the human body systems and
examines how these systems work together to maintain health and homeostasis.
Students begin to discuss and design medical interventions; the activities in this
lesson are an engagement for the subsequent course, Medical Interventions.