HSS High – Anatomy and Physiology 2012-2013 – Ms. Lepore
Create an Alien
In this activity, you will create an alien from another planet. Use information
about the planet’s environment (be creative but scientifically accurate here) to determine
what adaptations the alien may have evolved within its organ systems. You will need to
utilize at least five of the eleven organ systems that we discussed and two major organs in
each system. Also, you need to develop one new system. It may be similar to our body
systems or completely different. You have complete creative license, and the more
creative, the better. Come up with two novel organs in your new system as well to draw
and describe. You must draw and describe your alien using media paper or poster board
and the art supplies that we have in the classroom. In your drawing, make sure that you
label all of the organ systems and the organs represented. You need to describe each
system as well, commenting on both the structure and the function of the organs and
organ system. You will also come up with two page essay, double-spaced, 12-point font
essay to describe your alien that discusses:

the environment and planet in which the alien lives

how the alien survives on the planet

how the organs and organ systems have evolved to aide in survival

how the organ systems and organs work – especially the real ones!

how the organs and organ systems work together to maintain homeostasis balance and interconnection within the body.
You will have one day in class and some time outside of class to do research and draw
your alien. On the due date, you will present your project and describe your alien to the
class. On this final due date, you will also hand in an essay. Both people will present
their topic together, but the essay will be graded separately. Please remember the
minimum writing standards for essays according to our writing rubric, below:
Rubric
Developing 1
Good 3
Excellent 5
Organs
Some organs
presented
Some (0-3)
organ systems
presented
No new organs
presented
Most organs
presented
Most (3-4)
organ systems
presented
One new organ
presented
All organs presented-2
for each system
All 5 chosen organ
systems presented
New organ
system
Description of
the
environment
None presented
One presented
Both are presented
Poor description
Adequate
description
Description of
how the alien
survives in this
environment
Creativity,
Look and Feel
of Alien
Difficult to
follow how the
organism
survives
Little creativity,
Poorly drawn
and exhibited
Adequate
description
Environment fully
described. Listener able
to visualize the
environment
Description makes great
evolutionary sense and is
very clear
Adequately
drawn and
presented
Exceptionally creative
and artistic
Rubric
Developing 020
Good 20-40
Excellent 40-65
Essay
Poorly written
essay, 3 or fewer
organ systems,
inaccurate
descriptions of
real systems
Adequately
written essay, 34 organ systems,
accurate or lessthan-accurate
descriptions of
real systems
Excellent essay with the
5 real, Earth-based organ
systems you chose,
accurate descriptions of
the real (not alien)
systems and their
functions
Organ system
New organs
Final Score
Out of 100
Total
(35
points)
2 total new organs in the
new body system
Total
(65
points)