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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 45 minutes

Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-3CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-2England: KS3 Biology: Cells and organisationEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Cell biology

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.

  • 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: Nervous system, reflexes and hormones

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 (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? (kidneys / lungs / stomach / heart) → heartPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?
  2. Organs: which statement is true? (The lungs pump blood. / The heart is in the stomach. / The liver helps remove harmful substances from the blood. / Food goes into the lungs to be digested.) → The liver helps remove harmful substances from the blood.Prompt: Picture where each organ sits in the body.
  3. Which organ controls thinking and memory? (kidneys / heart / stomach / brain) → brainPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?

Hook · 5 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. 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 system includes this part: bronchi?
  • Step 1: The respiratory system exchanges gases with the air.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: respiratory system
  • Answer: respiratory system
  • 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.
  1. Which organ system includes this part: capillaries? (circulatory system / nervous system / respiratory system / digestive system) → circulatory systemPrompt: What job does this part do?
  2. What is a tissue? (a group of similar cells working together / a group of organs / a single cell / a whole organism) → a group of similar cells working togetherPrompt: Muscle is an example.

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.
  1. Which organ system includes this part: femur? (respiratory system / skeletal system / nervous system / circulatory system) → skeletal systemPrompt: What job does this part do?
  2. What is a tissue? (a group of similar cells working together / a single cell / a whole organism / a group of organs) → a group of similar cells working togetherPrompt: Muscle is an example.

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: Nervous system, reflexes and hormones.
  • 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-7.

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

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Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    The stomach contains muscle tissue, glandular tissue and lining tissue. So the stomach is…

    • A. a tissue
    • B. a cell
    • C. an organism
    • D. an organ

  2. Question 2

    Which organ system includes this part: brain?

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

  3. Question 3

    Which list goes from largest to smallest?

    • A. cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism
    • B. organ, cell, organism, tissue, organ system
    • C. organism, organ system, organ, tissue, cell
    • D. tissue, organism, cell, organ, organ system

  4. Question 4

    Which organ system includes this part: vertebrae?

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

  5. Question 5

    Which two systems work together to deliver oxygen to muscle cells?

    • A. nervous and skeletal
    • B. digestive and nervous
    • C. respiratory and circulatory
    • D. digestive and skeletal

  6. Question 6

    Which organ system includes this part: small intestine?

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

  7. Question 7

    Which organ system includes this part: oesophagus (esophagus)?

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

  8. Question 8

    What is a tissue?

    • A. a single cell
    • B. a group of similar cells working together
    • C. a group of organs
    • D. a whole organism

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Answer key: Cells, tissues, organs and organ systems

  1. 1. D. an organ

  2. 2. C. nervous system

  3. 3. C. organism, organ system, organ, tissue, cell

  4. 4. D. skeletal system

  5. 5. C. respiratory and circulatory

  6. 6. A. digestive system

  7. 7. D. digestive system

  8. 8. B. a group of similar cells working together