Lesson Plan by Ryan Evans
Lesson: Body organization
Length: 70 minutes
Age or grade intended: 7th grade science
Academic Standards
7.4.4 – Explain that cells continually divide to make more cells for growth and repair and that
various organs and tissues function to serve the needs of cells for food, air, and waste removal.
7.4.5 – Explain that the basic functions of organisms such as extracting energy from food and
getting rid of wastes, are carried out within the cell and understand that the way in which cells
function is similar in all organisms.
Performance Objectives
After writing the definitions of cell, tissue, organ, organ system, and organism on flash cards, the
students will put each definition in the proper order (with components under each) as in the human body and be able to explain the form and function of cell, nervous tissue, and epithelial tissue with 100% accuracy.
Advanced Preparation by the Teacher
12 microscopes (3 with cells, 3 with muscle tissue, 3 with nervous tissue, and 3 with epithelial
tissue) need to be set up around the room. Also a preserved organ needs to be obtained.
Procedure
Introduction – I will start off by telling the students to stand up by their desks. I will then have
them do various kinesthetic activities like run in place, jump, swing their arms, and walk around
the room and pick something up. I will then ask them how their bodies accomplished all those
tasks so effortlessly. Answer – all the body systems are working together from the cell to the
organ system. (Bodily-kinesthetic, comprehension)
Step by Step Plan
• I will have a list of the key words (cell, tissue, organ, organ system, and organism) on the
board along with components (cytoplasm, nucleus, muscle tissue, nervous, tissue, connective tissue, epithelial tissue, heart, liver, lungs, skeletal system, digestive system, human, 3 toed sloth, duck billed platypus) and tell them to get out pieces of paper, fold them
and tear them into flash cards with one word on each. As I am describing the key words
they need to write the definitions down on the flash cards.
• I will now describe the different levels of organization in organisms starting off with the
cell. I will give and write the definition of a cell on the board and tell the students that
the cell is the basic unit of life and is capable of doing many processes (reproduce, get rid
of wastes and digest food) that human beings do just on a smaller scale. I will explain
that the human body has many different types of cells and each cell has components (cytoplasm and the nucleus) that help them function. I will also explain that the cells shape
helps in its function (Knowledge, Linguistic).
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
I will then move to the next level of organization: tissue. I will tell them that a tissue is a
group of cells with a similar function. They will write down the definition. I will give
them examples of tissues (muscle tissue, nervous, tissue, connective tissue, epithelial tissue) and explain that each tissue has a specific form and function (Knowledge, Linguistic).
Next is organ. I will write down the definition of organ on the board and have the students write it down as well. I will explain that an organ is composed of many types of
tissues and will give them examples (heart, liver lungs) and ask for more. I will then
demonstrate that the different tissues’ form and function aid in organs. I will ask them
what types of tissue are in the heart (Knowledge, Linguistic).
After that is organ system. The students will write down the definition of organ system
as I write it on the board. I will explain that many organs in an organ system work together for a common goal such as the digestive system and the skeletal system (Knowledge, Linguistic).
Next is organism. The organism is all the organ systems working together. They will
write down the definition and I will explain that humans are not the only creatures that
have all these levels of organization. For example, the 3 toed sloth or the duck billed
platypus also have similar organ systems that perform the same functions (Knowledge,
Linguistic).
Now the students will go to the different microscope and visual stations around the room.
The stations will be set up according to the increasing levels of organization in the human
body. It will go from cells to the final station of organism. At the organism level they
will examine themselves and see that all the body works together in order to function
(Visual, Logical/Mathematical).
Now the students will come back to their desks and I will let them review their flash
cards for 1 minute
After the time is up, I will ask them to arrange their flash cards in order of increasing levels of organization in the human body. Under each level of organization they will have to
put the flash card(s) with the components that match the particular level. For example,
under the tissue level of organization they will have to put the cards muscle tissue, and
nervous tissue (Application, Visual, Logical/Mathematical).
I will go around the room to make sure that all the students have this right and also ask
them the form and function of various parts (Application). This will help review the last
lesson.
Closure – I will tell the students that all these levels of organization work together for the human
body to function properly and efficiently.
Adaptations/Enrichment
The adaptations I will make are based on the individual students IEP. For gifted children, I will
ask them to put other components under the levels or organization and explain why they should
go there.
Self Reflection