Blood glucose control, insulin and diabetes

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-3England: GCSE Combined Science: Homeostasis and response

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Blood glucose control, insulin and diabetes.

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: Homeostasis and negative feedback loops

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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

Warm-up · 5 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Homeostasis and negative feedback loops). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

In a control system, what role do these play: light-sensitive cells in the retina? (receptor / coordination centre / effector) → receptorPrompt: Detect → decide → respond.
Which is NOT controlled by homeostasis in humans? (blood glucose concentration / body temperature / water levels in the body / eye colour) → eye colourPrompt: Homeostasis keeps internal conditions stable when they change.
Homeostasis: which statement is NOT true? (In negative feedback, a rise in a value triggers changes that lower it. / Receptors carry out the response. / Homeostasis uses both nervous and hormonal responses. / Body temperature is kept close to 37 °C.) → Receptors carry out the response.Prompt: Which part detects and which part responds?

Hook · 5 min

Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
Share the objective: Blood glucose control, insulin and diabetes. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
Example: Which organ releases insulin?
Step 1: The pancreas monitors blood glucose and releases insulin or glucagon.
Step 2: So the answer is: pancreas
Answer: pancreas
Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

Which organ releases insulin? (stomach / kidney / liver / pancreas) → pancreasPrompt: The same organ also makes digestive enzymes.
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 4.5 → peak 8 at 30 min → 4.5 at 2 h. B: 4.5 → peak 14 at 60 min → 12 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes? (Both, because glucose rose in both / Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink / Person A, because glucose returned to normal / Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high) → Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed highPrompt: In a healthy person, insulin brings glucose back down within about 2 hours.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

Which organ releases insulin? (liver / pancreas / kidney / stomach) → pancreasPrompt: The same organ also makes digestive enzymes.
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 5 → peak 7 at 30 min → 5 at 2 h. B: 5 → peak 14 at 60 min → 12 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes? (Person A, because glucose returned to normal / Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink / Both, because glucose rose in both / Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high) → Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed highPrompt: In a healthy person, insulin brings glucose back down within about 2 hours.

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: Homeostasis and negative feedback loops.
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

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-10.

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

eurekami

Blood glucose control, insulin and diabetes

Name

Date

Score/ 8

1
Question 1
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 5.5 → peak 7.5 at 30 min → 5.5 at 2 h. B: 5.5 → peak 12 at 60 min → 10 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes?
- A. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
- B. Person A, because glucose returned to normal
- C. Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink
- D. Both, because glucose rose in both
2
Question 2
What is the main cause of type 1 diabetes?
- A. Eating too much protein
- B. The pancreas makes little or no insulin
- C. Body cells stop responding to insulin
- D. A bacterial infection of the blood
3
Question 3
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 5.5 → peak 7 at 30 min → 5.5 at 2 h. B: 5.5 → peak 15 at 60 min → 13 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes?
- A. Person A, because glucose returned to normal
- B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
- C. Both, because glucose rose in both
- D. Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink
4
Question 4
Many people with type 1 diabetes now wear a continuous glucose monitor. What does it do?
- A. makes insulin from glucose
- B. replaces the pancreas
- C. measures glucose levels all the time so insulin doses can be matched
- D. removes glucose from the blood
5
Question 5
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 5.5 → peak 7.5 at 30 min → 5.5 at 2 h. B: 5.5 → peak 13 at 60 min → 11 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes?
- A. Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink
- B. Both, because glucose rose in both
- C. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
- D. Person A, because glucose returned to normal
6
Question 6
What is the main problem in type 2 diabetes?
- A. The liver makes too much insulin
- B. Body cells no longer respond properly to insulin
- C. The pancreas is removed
- D. The kidneys stop working
7
Question 7
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 4.5 → peak 8 at 30 min → 4.5 at 2 h. B: 4.5 → peak 12 at 60 min → 10 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes?
- A. Person A, because glucose returned to normal
- B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
- C. Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink
- D. Both, because glucose rose in both
8
Question 8
Two people drank the same glucose drink. Blood glucose (mmol/L): A: 5.5 → peak 8 at 30 min → 5.5 at 2 h. B: 5.5 → peak 13 at 60 min → 11 at 2 h. Which person most likely has diabetes?
- A. Neither, because glucose always rises after a drink
- B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
- C. Person A, because glucose returned to normal
- D. Both, because glucose rose in both

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Answer key: Blood glucose control, insulin and diabetes

1. A. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
2. B. The pancreas makes little or no insulin
3. B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
4. C. measures glucose levels all the time so insulin doses can be matched
5. C. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
6. B. Body cells no longer respond properly to insulin
7. B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high
8. B. Person B, because glucose rose much higher and stayed high