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Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes

Human organ systems and how they work together

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-3England: KS3 Biology: Cells and organisation

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Human organ systems and how they work together.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Major organs and their jobs

Leads to: Trace a meal through the digestive system

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Major organs and their jobs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which organ beats about 70 times a minute at rest? (brain / kidneys / stomach / heart) → heartPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?
  2. Organs: which statement is true? (The lungs pump blood. / Food goes into the lungs to be digested. / We have two lungs and two kidneys. / The heart is in the stomach.) → We have two lungs and two kidneys.Prompt: Picture where each organ sits in the body.
  3. Which organ controls thinking and memory? (lungs / brain / stomach / heart) → brainPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Human organ systems and how they work together. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which organ system is this: brain, spinal cord and nerves?
  • Step 1: The brain, spinal cord and nerves carry electrical signals.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: nervous system
  • Answer: nervous system
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which organ system is this: carries oxygen and glucose to every cell? (excretory (urinary) system / digestive system / nervous system / circulatory system) → circulatory systemPrompt: Think about the main job: transport, gas exchange, digestion, control, movement or removing waste.
  2. After a salty meal, your kidneys produce less urine. Which system is responding? (excretory (urinary) system / respiratory system / skeletal system / digestive system only) → excretory (urinary) systemPrompt: Which organs filter the blood?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. After a salty meal, your kidneys produce less urine. Which system is responding? (respiratory system / excretory (urinary) system / digestive system only / skeletal system) → excretory (urinary) systemPrompt: Which organs filter the blood?
  2. Organ systems: which statement is NOT true? (Organ systems work together to keep the body alive. / The skeleton has no job except holding the body up. / The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system. / The heart is part of the circulatory system.) → The skeleton has no job except holding the body up.Prompt: Which system do the lungs belong to?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Major organs and their jobs.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Trace a meal through the digestive system.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Human organ systems and how they work together

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    After a salty meal, your kidneys produce less urine. Which system is responding?

    • A. digestive system only
    • B. respiratory system
    • C. skeletal system
    • D. excretory (urinary) system

  2. Question 2

    Organ systems: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. The brain and spinal cord form the central nervous system.
    • B. The lungs are part of the digestive system.
    • C. Organ systems work together to keep the body alive.
    • D. The heart is part of the circulatory system.

  3. Question 3

    Which organ system is this: brain, spinal cord and nerves?

    • A. respiratory system
    • B. circulatory system
    • C. digestive system
    • D. nervous system

  4. Question 4

    Which organ system is this: heart and blood vessels?

    • A. circulatory system
    • B. respiratory system
    • C. digestive system
    • D. nervous system

  5. Question 5

    You touch a hot pan and pull your hand away. Which systems are involved?

    • A. digestive and respiratory
    • B. respiratory only
    • C. nervous and muscular
    • D. excretory and circulatory

  6. Question 6

    Which organ system is this: supports the body and makes it move?

    • A. circulatory system
    • B. skeletal and muscular systems
    • C. excretory (urinary) system
    • D. digestive system

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Answer key: Human organ systems and how they work together

  1. 1. D. excretory (urinary) system

  2. 2. B. The lungs are part of the digestive system.

  3. 3. D. nervous system

  4. 4. A. circulatory system

  5. 5. C. nervous and muscular

  6. 6. B. skeletal and muscular systems