Introduction: This set of activities is about understanding parts of the body and what they do. Part 1 is on the skeleton and muscles; it gets pupils to think about how a skeleton does the different things it needs to. Part 2 is on digestion and how the body gets what it needs from food. Part 3 is on circulation and how this system works. All three sections are directly related to the ‘Inside the Human Body’ interactive tool, which can be used before, during or after working on the activities with the pupils. Overall learning objectives Overall learning outcomes Part 1 – The Skeleton-muscular system • To understand the functions of the skeleton • To be able to explain various features of the skeleton • To relate images of bones, muscles and joints to diagrams and the body Part 1 – The Skeleton-muscular system • To clearly identify the key features of the skeleton • To explain the form and function of parts of the skeleton Part 2 – The Digestive System • To identify parts of the digestive system • To describe their function Part 2 – The Digestive System • To describe what happens to food as it goes through the body Part 3 – The Circulatory System • To describe how the circulatory system works • To describe the purpose of the main parts of the circulatory system Part 3 – The Circulatory System • To be able to explain what the circulatory system does and how Curriculum learning objectives: The human body will support the following national curriculum learning objectives at KS2. Science: Pupils should be taught to: • identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement (Part 1) • describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system in humans (Part 2) • identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions (Part 2) • identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood (Part 3) • describe the ways in which nutrients are transported within humans (Part 3)
Part 1 The skeleton-muscular system Introduction: This series of activities is designed to run over several lessons and to involve pupils in a range of learning activities relating to the human body. Some of these activities make use of the Siemens Education resource ‘Inside the Human Body’ interactive tool. Others make use of different materials. The ideas are divided into episodes which can be drawn upon as appropriate. Overall learning objectives Overall learning outcomes • To understand the functions of the skeleton • To be able to explain various features of the skeleton • To relate images of bones, muscles and joints to diagrams and the body • To clearly identify the key features of the skeleton • To explain the form and function of parts of the skeleton Curriculum learning objectives: The human body will support the following national curriculum learning objectives at KS2. Science: Pupils should be taught to: • identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement
Resources required: Pictures of invertebrates Image of a human body Part 1, Episode 1 cont’d The skeleton-muscular system Learning activities 1. Begin by displaying a picture of the human skeleton. Use could be made of ‘Inside the Human Body’ and invite pupils to suggest what it is. Ask pupils if they have ever seen a real one. Ask them if they have one. Ask them how they know they have one. Ask for what evidence they have – what can they do to show you that they have bones? Take ideas and recognise that there are parts of the body where the bones can be felt quite easily. You might need to indicate that some parts, such as the nose, are not bones (but cartilage) but that nevertheless we can tell a lot about the shape of the bones by gently feeling. Ask what would happen if we didn’t have bones. Most pupils will probably realise that without support we couldn’t stand or walk, but they should also be encouraged to think about other aspects such as protection for organs such as the brain or lungs. Movement depends upon bones as well as other muscles. 2. Ask pupils what other animals do – whether they have skeletons. Draw out that some do, and show some images. Ask pupils to compare images of different skeletons and identify similarities. Draw out that even though the shape and size varies, a common feature is the backbone. This is why scientists use the presence (or absence) of a backbone as an important way of grouping animals. Animals with backbones are vertebrates. Draw out that many (indeed, most) animals don’t have skeletons, or at least, not skeletons made of bones. Show pictures of invertebrates, such as: • Beetles (exoskeleton – instead of our endoskeleton) • Snails (no skeleton but a shell) • Octopus (no skeleton) 3. Ask pupils to identify the reasons why we have a skeleton. Group the ideas and develop these points: • A skeleton provides protection, e.g. skull and ribs • A skeleton provides support, e.g. legs and backbone • A skeleton enables movement in conjunction with muscles, e.g. arms and legs At this stage use could be made of the ‘Inside the Human Body’ resource to consolidate ideas about the functions of the parts of the skeleton, images of bones and supporting information.