Biology Teacher
EQ: How is your body like a machine?
Enduring Understanding
Organisms are composed of systems working together to maintain equilibrium.
Broad Brush Knowledge comparative anatomy, structure and function
Concepts Important to Know and Understand
Systems Within Organisms
Core Objectives
11. Compare the functions and interrelationships of the organ systems as they work together to maintain homeostasis in organisms.
TEKS
(10B) compare the interrelationships of organ systems to each other and to the body as a whole (TAKS)
Targeted Skills using the internet, reading
Target
2. Given descriptions or diagrams, interpret the structures and functions of systems in organisms.
3. Determine the interrelationships of organ systems to each other and to the body as a whole.
TEACHER MANAGEMENT
Estimated Time : 4 – 5 days, as long as needed to discuss the body systems.
Materials: textbooks, copy of handout
Teacher Prep :

Have copies of the handout ready

Read over the Homeostasis and Body Systems Overview powerpoints.
PRE-ACTIVITY
This activity is to be started after discussing the 4 themes of homeostasis PowerPoint. There is a body systems matching activity that can be done.
NOTE : This activity is not to be handed out and students expected to find all of the information themselves. This needs to be broken up into sections, completed and discussed after each systems is introduced.
POST-ACTIVITY
The second portion of the Body Systems Matching activity can be completed.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 1

KEY
SKELETAL SYSTEM (Ch 36, pp 921-925)
1. What important role does the skeletal system play in a living organism? (be specific!)
Movement by providing a series of independent movable levers which the muscles can pull to move different parts of the body and also provide support.
3. What two types of cells are produced in the bone marrow?
Red and white blood cells
What other system does this involve?
Circulatory and Immune
4. What do bones store that are important for the body?
Minerals ex: calcium
5. The skeletal system produces materials that become part of the circulatory and immune systems.
Given the role of the skeletal system, describe how these three systems are related.
The skeletal system provides red blood cells and platelets for the circulatory system and white blood cells for the immune system.
MUSCULAR SYSTEM (Ch 36, pp 926-931)
1. What is the primary function of the muscular system?
Move and make us capable of actions by simply contracting and becoming shorter.
3. What other systems are involved in a muscle contraction?
Nervous
4. Muscles are made up of what organic molecule?
Protein
5. Skeletal muscles generate force and produce movement by contracting, or pulling on body parts.
Skeletal muscles are joined to bones by tough connective tissues called tendons. Tendons are attached in such a way that they pull on bones. The joint is a fixed point around which the muscle action occurs. To which simple machine could the action of the muscle and joint be compared?
It acts as a lever.
6. Muscle tissue is found everywhere in the body. There are three different types of muscle tissue that make up different structures in the body; skeletal, smooth and cardiac. The cells that make up the different types of tissue are specialized to perform a certain function. Read the descriptions of the different muscle types on pages 926
– 927. Explain how each type of muscle cell is designed to carry out its specific function.
Muscle
Type
Function
Skeletal
Voluntary movements such as typing, dancing, or winking
Smooth
Cardiac
Non-voluntary movement found in stomach, blood vessels and intestines
Similar to smooth-involuntary movement found only in heart
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM (Ch 37 p 951, pp 954-955)
Description of Muscle Cell
Striations (stripes), many nuclei
Spindle shaped, one nucleus
Striations, one nucleus
1. What is the main function of the lymphatic system? to collect the fluid that is lost by the blood and return it back to the circulatory system
3. What is lymph?
The fluid collected from the blood.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 2

4. What do lymph nodes filter out of our bodies? bacteria and other microorganisms that cause disease
Why do nodes become “swollen glands”? they become enlarged trapping large numbers of microorganisms
5. How is the lymphatic system connected to the digestive system? they absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive tract
.
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM (Ch 36, pp 932-937)
1. What is the major function of the integumentary system?
To protect the body from infection, to regulate body temperature and excrete metabolic waste.
2. The integumentary system provides many functions, many which work together with other systems.
Use the chart to list each function and the other human body system to which it is connected. (Ex:
Skeletal: arm bending would also involve muscular system)
Function System
Protection/Barrier
Protect Against Dehydration
Cutaneous Sensation
Immune
Excretory
Nervous
Blood Reservoir
Excretion
Circulatory
Urinary
3. One function of the integumentary system is to produce sweat from sweat glands. What purpose does the production of sweat on the skin serve?
It serves to cool of the body (maintaining body temperature and to excrete metabolic waste.
Below is a cross section of skin. Use the diagram to answer question #4.
Hair
Epidermis
Sebaceous (oil) gland
Blood Vessel
Dermis
Sweat Gland
4. Look at the diagram above. Which systems besides the integumentary system work together to provide protection for the body?
Immune and circulatory
Integumentary Circulatory
Endocrine
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 3

5. The Venn diagram above depicts the interrelationships between the integumentary, circulatory, and endocrine systems. What role does the integumentary system play in the homeostasis process shared by these systems?
The integumentary system produces sweat which helps regulate body temperature. The endocrine system produces the hormones that trigger this response and the circulatory system transports the hormones to the skin cells to trigger the sweat glands to produce sweat.
NERVOUS SYSTEM (Pg. 897 – 902. Diagram on pg. 901)
1. What is the main function of the nervous system?
Controls and coordinates functions throughout the body and responds to internal and external stimuli
2. Shown below are neurons, or nerve cells. These cells are designed to transmit nerve impulses quickly from the brain to other parts of the body.
Brain
Axon
Nucleus
Nerve
Impulse
Dendrite
How is the structure of these cells related to their function?
The dendrites are long and fingerlike to create more surface area to receive nerve impulses. The axon is long and thin to help the nerve impulse move quickly to the next cell.
3. The brain is made up of neurons and is the place to which nerve impulses flow and from which nerve impulses originate. The brain is made up of approximately 100 billion neurons.
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Brain Stem
Study the diagram of the brain above. Explain the significance of the folding of the brain tissue.
The folding of the brain tissue creates more surface area.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 4

Responsible for voluntary, or conscious activities of the body. Site of intelligence, learning, and judgment
Coordinates balance the actions of the muscles so that the body can move gracefully and efficiently
Connects the brain and spinal cord. Controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and swallowing
4. The chart above gives the functions of the major parts of the brain. An accomplished ballet dancer suffered a blunt force trauma to the head. She is still capable of speech and is not paralyzed. Based on her occupation, which part of the brain does she hope was not severely damaged?
Since she is a ballet dancer, she must be graceful and coordinated. Since she can still speak, her cerebrum and brain stem have not been damaged, so she would hope that her cerebellum would not be damaged so she could continue dancing.
5. A person feels pain when an injury occurs such as a cut, scrape or burn. What role does the nervous system play in feeling pain?
The nervous system sends signals from the brain to the site of the injury, causing pain.
6. What is the significance of feeling pain?
The significance of feeling pain is to let the person know that injury has occurred and so they do not continue to injure themselves.
EXCRETORY (URINARY) SYSTEM (Pg. 985 – 989. Diagram on pg. 986)
1. What is the main function of the excretory system?
Remove waste products from the blood, maintain blood pH and regulate the water content of the blood.
2. How is the carbon dioxide in your body produced and excreted?
Carbon dioxide is a produced as a by-product of cellular respiration. The circulatory system takes the carbon dioxide to the lungs, where it is excreted by breathing.
Excretory Organ
Kidneys
Function
Removes urea, excess water, and other waste products from the blood and passes them to the ureter.
Ureters
Takes urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder.
Bladder
Urethra
Hollow, muscular sac that temporarily stores urine.
Tube through which urine is released from the body.
Skin and Lungs
Sweat is excreted through the skin and CO
2
is excreted from the lungs.
3. The chart above describes the functions of each of the excretory organs. Once toxins are filtered from the blood, the resulting urine is passed to the ureters, which take the urine to the bladder. Here it is
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 5

stored until it leaves the body through the urethra. If a person suffers damage to their kidneys, how is excretion going to be affected?
If a person suffers kidney damage, then they will not be able to remove the toxins from the blood and therefore will not properly be excreted from the body.
4. One of the functions of the kidneys is to maintain a proper water-salt balance in the body. People stranded out at sea cannot survive by drinking the salty sea water. Explain why we cannot drink salt water to stay hydrated. (Hint: think about diffusion)
Sea water contains a large amount of salt, making it hypertonic to our cells. This would draw necessary water out of the cells and the excess salt would be taken to the kidneys, which would not be able to handle the excess salt. Dehydration and death could occur if not corrected.
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM (Pgs. 1017 and 1027)
1. What is the main function of the reproductive system?
The joining of gametes to produce offspring and to produce secondary sex characteristics in males and females.
2. What is produced in the ovary?
Eggs (ovum)
3. Name the main male and female hormone produced and give its function.
Female: estrogen is produced by the ovaries; Male: testosterone is produced by the testes. They both produce secondary sex characteristics which allow for fertilization.
4. How are the reproductive and endocrine systems related?
The endocrine system produces the male and female hormones that produce secondary sex characteristics and those used in fertilization and embryonic development.
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM (Pg. 997 – 1008. Diagram on pg.998)
1. What is the main function of the endocrine system?
The endocrine system is made up of glands that release their products into the bloodstream. These products deliver messages throughout the body.
2. What do hormones do?
Hormones are chemicals released in one part of the body that travel through the bloodstream and affect the activities of cells in other parts of the body.
3. You are going through a haunted house and a skeleton pops out of a closet. You jump back and scream. Describe the reaction that is happening and how the endocrine system controls it.
Fight or
Flight is a response to stress. Epinephrine is produced by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys.
4. What does the pancreas control?
Blood sugar.
What disease results if it cannot do this properly?
Diabetes mellitus results when the pancreas fails to properly produce or use insulin.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 6

Use the diagram to answer questions #5 and 6.
Hypothalamus
TRH (releasing hormone) inhibits
High thyroxine level inhibits
Thyroid Gland
Thyroxine
Anterior Pituitary stimulates
TSH
5. What does the diagram show?
It shows the feedback mechanisms that controls the thyroid gland.
6. Which hormone directly stimulates target cells in the body?
Thyroxine
Target cells in body
7. How does a feedback loop help maintain homeostasis?
Feedback inhibition occurs when an increase in any substance “feeds back” to inhibit the process that produced the substance in the first place.
Integumentary Circulatory
Endocrine
8. The Venn diagram above depicts the interrelationships between the integumentary, circulatory, and endocrine systems. What role does the endocrine system play in the homeostasis process shared by these systems?
The integumentary system produces sweat which helps regulate body temperature. The endocrine system produces the hormones that trigger this response and the circulatory system transports the hormones to the skin cells to trigger the sweat glands to produce sweat.
9. The thyroid gland produces a hormone that controls the rate at which cells use energy. Which system does the thyroid gland use to communicate information to the cells of the body?
Circulatory
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM (Pg. 943 – 950. Diagram on pg. 944)
1. What is the main function of the circulatory system?
Transport gases, fluids, waste products, nutrients, etc throughout the body.
2. Besides blood, what else is carried through your circulatory system?
Gases, waste products, nutrients, hormones
3. Where does gas exchange take place?
Capillaries, which are the small vessels that connect arteries and veins
By what process is gas exchanged?
Diffusion.
4. What gas does an artery usually carry?
O
2
.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 7

Explain the relationship of arteries to the heart.
Arteries carry oxygen rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
5. What gas does a vein usually carry?
CO
2
.
Explain the relationship of veins to the heart.
Veins carry oxygen poor blood from the body back to the heart.
Integumentary Circulatory
Endocrine
6. The Venn diagram above depicts the interrelationships between the integumentary, circulatory, and endocrine systems. What role does the circulatory system play in the homeostasis process shared by these systems?
The integumentary system produces sweat which helps regulate body temperature. The endocrine system produces the hormones that trigger this response and the circulatory system transports the hormones to the skin cells to trigger the sweat glands to produce sweat.
7. Atherosclerosis is a condition where excess cholesterol builds up on the inner walls of the arteries. It is commonly known as “hardening” of the arteries. Explain how this conditions would affect the functioning of the circulatory system.
As the cholesterol builds up in the walls of arteries, it makes them more narrow and less flexible. As a result, blood cannot flow efficiently through the artery. This can result in such things as a heart attack or a stroke.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (pg. 957)
1. What is the main function of the respiratory system?
The respiratory system is responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood, the air and tissues.
2. In which part of the respiratory system does gas exchange take place?
Alveoli
3. How would the respiratory process be affected if the diaphragm were damaged and became nonfunctional?
The diaphragm is a large muscle that helps control the intake and output of air. If this muscle becomes damaged, then air intake and output would be affected, also affecting gas exchange.
4. Cystic fibrosis is typically a childhood disease that often causes excess mucus production in the lungs.
How would this overproduction of mucus affect the respiratory process?
As the excess mucus builds up in the lungs, it eventually will clog the alveoli and they will not be able to efficiently exchange gases. Carbon dioxide levels in the blood increase.
5. The lungs are filled with tiny air sacs called alveoli. Explain why the lungs contain such large numbers of these air sacs instead of just being a hollow organ.
The aveoli help increase surface are in the lungs, allowing for more efficient gas exchange.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 8

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM (Pg. 979)
1. What is the main function of the digestive system?
Help convert foods into simpler molecules that can be absorbed and used by the cells of the body.
2. List in order the organs food passes through, starting with the mouth.
Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus. The liver, pancreas and salivary glands are accessory organs that aid in digestion.
3. Describe the difference between chemical and mechanical digestion and give an example of each.
Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of large pieces of food into smaller pieces.
Chemical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller molecules by the use of enzymes. An example of mechanical digestion would be in the stomach, which is a muscle that churns and grinds food into smaller pieces. An example of chemical digestion would be in the mouth, where carbohydrates are broken down by an enzyme in the saliva known as amylase.
4. Remember that the food you eat is made of organic compounds. What is the general term for the substances in your body that help break these foods down?
Enzymes
5. The small intestine aids in digestion by further breaking down food through chemical digestion to then be absorbed. Looking at the picture, explain the significance of the villi in the small intestine.
Villi increase the surface area in the small intestine, allowing for more absorption.
6. Explain why the pancreas, salivary glands and liver are part of the digestive system even though no food passes through them.
The pancreas and salivary glands produce enzymes that are used in digestion The liver produces bile, which helps break down fats in the stomach.
7. A person eats some undercooked meat and the result is diarrhea that lasts for several days. Which part of the digestive system is not functioning properly?
When a person has diarrhea, this means that the large intestine is not able to absorb water from the remaining undigested material.
8. Explain how the digestive and circulatory systems are interrelated.
The digestive and circulatory systems are related because the digestive system breaks down the food into nutrients the body needs, which are then distributed to the cells of the body by the circulatory system.
Body Systems Scavenger Hunt - Teacher (Revised June 27, 2008) (printed 4/14/2020) p. 9