Explore -Human Body Systems & Homeostasis

Introduction

Essential Question: How does the body maintain a stable internal environment?

Responding to Dehydration - Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. So how do your different body systems work together to maintain a balanced water level inside your body?

Student Instructions

When instructed by your teacher, select one of the activities below. Follow the instructions provided.

Body System Functions

You may remember that organs work together to make organ systems. Each of these organ systems perform a specific function inside your body. In this activity you will learn more about the function that each organ system serve to keep the body healthy.

Student Instructions:

You have been given a set of function cards
Watch the video and complete the function of each of the cards given to you. Only focus on the body systems listed on the cards.
If instructed by your teacher to do so, click here to submit work.

Activity 1: Signs of Dehydration

Now that you know that each body system performs a special function. Can you identify which body system is involved or impacted when the body is working to balance water levels?

Student Instructions:

You have been given a card from the set of "Signs of Dehydration".
Read through the information on the card.
Use the body system chart and your knowledge of body system functions to identify which body system is involved or impacted based on the functions and major organs.
Complete the following worksheet on Signs of Dehydration Worksheet: Signs of Dehydration Worksheet-1.docx
Once completed, Submit work HERE
Identify the body system in column labeled body system and the evidence statement or phrase in the evidence box of your worksheet.
Justify your identification of a particular system in the evidence box .
Find other students who have the same sign of dehydration card as you and compare your information to theirs. All of you should discuss your answers and revise the information in your journal.
Switch cards with other students who have different cards until you have completed the entire sheet.

Whole Class Discussion- Oral

When reading your sign of dehydration card, what body systems did you identify as being involved in dehydration? State which card you had, what body systems were identified, and why you identified that system.
How did the action being carried out by the body system compare to its function described in the body system chart?
How does this information show that different body systems are working together to maintain a balanced water level inside the body?

Discussion Submission

Now that you have read, wrote, and discussed the concept of dehydration and what body systems are involved in maintaining a balanced water level inside the body, submit a summary of your understanding so far of how the body maintains a stable internal environment. After posting, read at least 1 other student's summary of understanding and comment on whether and why you agree or disagree with their summary.

Click here to submit your Summary of Understanding.

Activity 2: Breathing and Dehydration

How breathing contributes to dehydration

You have been studying how your body systems work together to maintain stable water levels within your body. So you are aware that the body loses water in different ways: through urine and stool, sweating, and breathing (exhaling CO₂). In this activity, you will determine how breathing contributes to water loss by the body.

Question: How much of the water lost by your body is due to breathing?

Student Instructions

First, you will need to determine the volume of air that is moving in and out of your lungs with each breath. This is called the Tidal Volume (V_TIDAL). See Determining Tidal Volume to assist you. Record your average Tidal Volume in your science journal.
Next, you will need to determine your breathing rate in a resting stage. Your breathing rate is the number of times you inhale or exhale in 1 minute. See Calculating Breathing Rate to assist you. Record your average Breathing Rate in your science journal.
You will also need to get an estimate for the amount of moisture loss in each breath. The moisture lost would just be the difference between the moisture of the air coming in, and the moisture of the air going out. See Calculating Moisture Loss with the LabDisc to assist you. Record your Moisture Lost per Breath in your science journal.
Now that you have your Tidal Volume, Breathing Rate, and Moisture Lost with each Breath, you are ready to determine how much water your body loses from breathing each day. See Calculating Water Lost from Breathing
In Evidence (2) box of your CER Template, use the calculated water loss from breathing and the identified body systems for breathing to support your claim of how the body systems are working together to maintain homeostasis.
If instructed by your teacher to do so, click here to submit work.

Activity 3: Maintaining Vitals - Stations

The body maintains a balance for many factors in order to stay healthy. These factors include temperature, the concentration of various ions in your blood, pH and the concentration of glucose among other factors. In this activity you will rotate through different stations that contain picture model diagrams of how a healthy body maintains a balance for vital factors.

Student Instructions:

Your teacher will send you/your group to the station that he/she wants you/your group to start with. You will then move to each station as directed by the teacher.
While at the station, analyze the Picture Model Diagram. Read all of the labels, look at what pictures/drawings were included in the model and make sense of the purpose for other objects like arrows which could mean increase or decrease, etc. Use the Analyze Picture Model Template to assist you.
In your journal Evidence (3) box of your CER Template, write which picture model diagram you are analyzing, identify which body systems are involved in the process and describe in your own words what function the body system is serving in maintaining a balance of that vital function.
If instructed by your teacher to do so, click here to submit work.

(When instructed by your teacher, click on the EXPLAIN tab above to proceed.)