Respiratory System Unit
CONTENT AREA(S): Science & Technology
TIMELINE: 10-12 days
GRADE LEVEL: 7
NM STATE STANDARDS & BENCHMARKS:
Standard #1 Definition I BM #1-A PO 1,
Standard #1 Definition IBM #1-B PO 3,
Standard #2 Definition I BM#2-C PO 1
Standard #2 Definition II BM #2-C PO 2 & PO 6
Standard #3 Definition I BM #3-A PO 1
TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS (NETS):
#2 – Social, ethical, and human issues
#3 – Technology productivity tools
#4 – Technology communications tools
#5 – Technology research tools
#6 – Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What are the structure, function, and diseases of the
respiratory system?
OVERVIEW/PROBLEM STATEMENT: Students research basic information about
the respiratory system and create a concept map to illustrate their understanding of its
structure and how it works. In addition, students are assigned a respiratory disease to
research. Using the information they gather students will create a brochure detailing
information about the disease and create a class presentation using multimedia
presentation software.
OBJECTIVES: Students will create a concept map using Inspiration software to explain
the structure and function of the respiratory system. In addition, students will explore
various resources, including the Internet, to research the respiratory system and their
assigned disease and create a brochure informing others of the disease. Finally, students
will have the opportunity to create a multi-image presentation detailing various aspects of
the disease, incorporating into their presentation a link to a specific web site concerning
the disease.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED:
Inspiration software
MS Word
MS Publisher
MS PowerPoint
Internet access; can provide students with printed copies of information from sites if
access is limited or unavailable
Encarta or other encyclopedia on CD
Resource software for human body topics
Other resources – books, articles, etc.
ASSESSMENT: A teacher created rubric will be used to assess the class presentation
portion of this project. The rubric should be heavily weighted toward the specific content
areas it should also include criteria for grading the creativity and professionalism of the
presentation. The concept map should be graded for creativity of presentation,
organization, logical progression, and accuracy. A rubric will also be used to assess the
brochure, it will judge for completeness, accuracy, correctness of bibliographic
information, neatness of presentation, and use of the correct format. Attached is a sample
rubric created on the Rubistar website. Checkpoint grades may also be given for
completeness and accuracy of research information.
ACTIVITY 1: Respiratory System: The Basics
A. Teacher distributes outline for research concerning the structure and function of the
respiratory system. The outline should include:
1. Definition of respiration
2. Descriptions of the parts of the respiratory system and the function of each – nose,
epiglottis, trachea, larynx, vocal cords, bronchi, lungs, alveoli, diaphragm
3. Explanation of how the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in the
lungs
4. Explanation of how the diaphragm and muscles attached to the ribs make
breathing possible (inhaling and exhaling)
B. Students research information in outline using computer resources, books, or articles
provided by the teacher.
C. Teacher asses research information for completeness and accuracy
ACTIVITY 2: Mapping the Respiratory System
A. Using Inspiration software students create a concept map explaining the parts of the
respiratory system and their function.
B. Students submit concept maps in print or on disk; teacher asses for creativity,
completeness, and accuracy.
ACTIVITY 3: Know Your Disease
A. Teacher divides class into partners or small groups and assigns a respiratory disease to
each group. Some diseases may be assigned to two different groups. Diseases might
include:
 Lung Cancer
 Emphysema
 Chronic Bronchitis
 Pneumonia
 Asthma
 Silicosis
 Tuberculosis
 Sarcoidosis
B. Students research specific aspects of the disease using various resources such as those
described in Activity 1. Students begin organizing material into an outline in MS
Word. Students word process outline using the following guidelines; font style –
Times or Times New Roman, Heading – use standard heading set in 16pt. bold; right
justify, Margins – 1" all around (left, right, top, bottom); these are the default settings
on Word. Students print a copy of the outline for use as their rough draft for the next
activity and submit the final copy to the teacher on disk.Students must visit and
obtain information from at least one Internet site. The best site for respiratory diseases
is the American Lung Association’s Diseases A to Z site (URL
http://www.lungusa.org/diseases/index.html). Other sites also exist which are more
specifically related to each particular disease. A brief listing of sites appears below:
 National Emphysema Foundation;
http://emphysemafoundation.org/homepage.htm
 Oklahoma State University: Environmental Health and Safety –
http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/training/silicos.htm (focus on Silicosis)
 American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology – http://www.acaai.org
 Global Tuberculosis Programme –
http://www.who.ch/gtb/publications/factsheet/index.html
 American Cancer Society – http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.aspl
(focus on lung cancer)
 Jefferson Health System: Respiratory Disorders –
http://oac1.oac.tju.edu/tjuweb/jhs/diseases/pulmonary/chrnbron.htm (focus on
chronic bronchitis)
C. Students organize information into fact sheet format using the following outline:
 Description of the disease
 Cause of the disease
 Symptoms of the disease
 Physical and/or functional changes to the respiratory system
 Affects of the disease on other systems
 Treatments and cures (if any)
 Resources and references
D. Student submit outline in print or on disk; teacher asses for completeness and
accuracy
ACTIVITY 4: Just the Facts
A. Students will use the outline they created in the previous activity to create an
informative brochure in MS Publisher to include:
 Description of the disease
 Cause of the disease
 Symptoms of the disease
 Physical and/or functional changes to the respiratory system
 Affects of the disease on other systems
 Treatments and cures (if any)
 Resources and references
 Minimum of two pictures
B. Student submit brochure in print or on disk; teacher utilizes rubric to assess for
creativity, completeness, and accuracy.
ACTIVITY 5: It’s Show Time
A. Using the information included in their outline students create a storyboard for their
multimedia presentation in MS PowerPoint.
B. Minimal technology requirements for the presentation should include the following:
 Length – 5 to 10 minutes
 A minimum of 8 slides – 1 title slide and 7 content slides (these correspond to the
seven topics covered in the fact sheet)
 Each slide must have at least one graphic; can be clip art; drawing; or scanned
photo, chart, or graph
 Each slide must have at least one animation of either graphics or text
 One or more links to Internet sites used as references
 Title slide must include:
o Disease name
o Name of author(s)
 Transitions must be included between each slide (the same transition may be
applied to all slides if the students wish).
 Sounds are not required but may be included as long as they do not distract from
the presentation (NOTE: Teachers may want to limit the number of sounds
allowed to avoid the possibility of audio clutter)
 Though not required, bonus points may be offered for the inclusion of video,
sound from a CD, or recorded sound
 An alternate idea is for students to submit 5 – 10 test questions covering
information contained in their presentations. Using these questions teachers can
then create a test or quiz covering all the diseases.
 Students could revise their concept maps to indicate where in the respiratory
system their disease primarily occurs. They could then add a navigation button to
the title page of their presentation leading to the revised concept map.
 A navigation button could also be added to their title page leading to the fact sheet
they already created.
C. Student submit presentation in print or on disk; teacher utilizes rubric to assess for
creativity, completeness, and accuracy.
Multimedia Project : Respiratory System Unit - It's Show Time
Teacher Name: Ms. Maestas
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
4
3
2
Presentation
Well-rehearsed
Rehearsed with
Delivery not
with smooth
fairly smooth
smooth, but able
delivery that
delivery that
to maintain
holds audience
holds audience
interest of the
attention.
attention most of
audience most of
the time.
the time.
Requirements
All requirements
All requirements
One requirement
are met and
are met.
was not
exceeded.
completely met.
Organization
Content is well
organized using
headings or
bulleted lists to
group related
material.
Sources
Source
information
collected for all
graphics, facts
and quotes. All
documented in
desired format.
The workload is
divided and
shared equally by
all team
members.
Workload
Attractiveness
Makes excellent
use of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
the presentation.
1
Delivery not
smooth and
audience
attention often
lost.
More than one
requirement was
not completely
met.
Uses headings or
bulleted lists to
organize, but the
overall
organization of
topics appears
flawed.
Source
information
collected for all
graphics, facts
and quotes. Most
documented in
desired format.
The workload is
divided and
shared fairly by
all team
members, though
workloads may
vary from person
to person.
Content is
logically
organized for the
most part.
There was no
clear or logical
organizational
structure, just lots
of facts.
Source
information
collected for
graphics, facts
and quotes, but
not documented
in desired format.
The workload
was divided, but
one person in the
group is viewed
as not doing
his/her fair share
of the work.
Very little or no
source
information was
collected.
Makes good use
of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
to presentation.
Makes use of
font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. but
occasionally
these detract
from the
presentation
content.
Use of font, color,
graphics, effects
etc. but these
often distract
from the
presentation
content.
The workload
was not divided
OR several
people in the
group are viewed
as not doing their
fair share of the
work.
References
American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2005, from
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.aspl
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16,
2005, from http://www.acaai.org/
American Lung Association. (2005). Retrieved October 16, 2005, from
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22542
International Society for Technology in Education. (2005). Technology foundation
standards for students. Retrieved November 14, 2005, from
http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html
Nagel, R. & Betz, D. (2005). The respiratory system. Retrieved October 16, 2005, from
Jefferson Health System Respiratory Disorders web site:
http://www.faqs.org/health/Body-by-Design-V2/The-Respiratory-System.html
National Emphysema Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2005, from
http://emphysemafoundation.org/
New Jersey State Department of Health. (1989). Silicosis and your health. Retrieved
October 16, 2005, from Oklahoma State University: Environmental Health and
Safety web site. http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/training/silicos.htm
New Mexico Public Education Department. (2003). Science, content standards,
benchmarks, and performance standards. Retrieved October 13, 2005, from pages
13-27 at http://www.nmlites.org/downloads/science/science_standards.pdf
Rubistar. (2005). Retrieved November 14, 2005, from http://rubistar.4teachers.org
World Health Organization, (2005). Tuberculosis. Retrieved October 16, 2005, from
http://www.who.ch/gtb/publications/factsheet/index.html
Julie Maestas
EDUC 518
Unit Assignment