Forums

I am seeking to improve my 7th grade life science curriculum. I have sought out advice before on how teachers set up their units for animals and humans. I have often received the response about making it a comparative unit. My new question is how do you go about accomplishing this? How do you specifically set this up?

This past year, I had groups of students research the different animal groups and later the different human body systems. Some of the products were really great, but I feel that this was lacking. I would like to include more inquiry experiences, especially dealing with the body systems so that students will understand how these really work in greater detail.

Below, I am including the essential concepts and skills that relate to such a unit.

Understand and apply knowledge of the complementary nature of structure and function and the commonalities among organisms.

Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. Important levels of organization for structure and function include cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, whole organisms, and ecosystems.

Understand and apply knowledge of the functions and interconnections of the major human body systems including the breakdown in structure or function that disease causes.

The human organism has systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, movement, control, and coordination, and for protection from disease. These systems interact with one another.

Disease is a breakdown in structures or functions of an organism. Some diseases are the result of intrinsic failures of the system. Others are the result of damage by infection by other organisms.

Hi Anne and welcome to the Discussion Forums! This sounds like a huge undertaking. I know some states have the human body embedded in their state health standards and some in their science standards. It sounds like you are from a state with the latter requisite. There is another discussion thread that may give you some ideas: Human Body - Inquiry Based Learning??? that might give you some more ideas and resources to consider. I especially liked Dorothy and Maureen's suggestions under that thread. What are others' thoughts to help Anne?

I thought I might resurrect this topics, as I'm still looking for ideas on how to better unify the animals unit with the human body systems unit. I am very interested in your ideas! Thanks for your help!

Hi Anne!

I taught my anatomy unit a little differently. The standard that I had to address was, 'Students will understand that organ systems work together to support life.'

To preface the human anatomy unit, we did a frog dissection. We talked about the similarities and the differences between our systems. Students then kept their frogs for use in the human anatomy lessons.

For human anatomy, my students became oncologists. They were each given a patient's 'file' that had their story, diagnosis, and 'scans' of their tumors. On the other side of the folder was a collection of illustrations for each system of the body. The entire lesson idea came from the article I've linked to here, 'Nanomedicine: Problem Solving to Treat Cancer.' I wrote a small classroom grant to pay for the materials and never looked back! :)

This was probably one of the most powerful lessons I taught every year.

I would love to hear how you approach the anatomy unit this year!
Thanks!
Kendra

Kendra, Do you have the lesson plan that you spoke of written up somewhere? I'm a middle-school science teacher and rather than a "science fair" we have "Science Expo." In "Expo," I have to come up with a surprise topic/plan to fill an entire school day. The students spend all day on this topic/plan and then present what they learned that evening to their parents. I have a particular interest in human body systems and cancer and would love to see your lesson if you have it in order to perhaps adapt it for this year's "Expo." Thank you! Meredith

Kendra, I am also interested in your plan, if you are willing to share more. I did check out the article you linked and have saved that. I'm not yet sure how things will be sequenced, but I definitely like all the ideas I can get!