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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Body temperature

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=250

A lesson plan for grade 7 Science

Provider: American Association for the Advancement of Science


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In this Science Update, students explore why people generate heat because of metabolism. Dr. Matthew Kuger of the Medical College of Georgia says our bodies constantly generate a lot of heat, so we have to constantly lose heat to maintain our normal temperature. Thus, when it’s hot outside, our bodies sweat and increase blood flow to the skin to cool down faster. The goal of the body is to reach equilibrium—a state where everything is the same temperature as everything that surrounds it. This process is called thermoregulation. Science NetLinks provides a link to the audio file, a written transcript, and questions to engage students in discussion about how the body maintains its temperature even when it is hotter or colder outside, and the process of thermoregulation. This activity also contains links to information on thermoregulation and equilibrium from the University of Oregon and Harvard University.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 7

  • Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
    • Objective 1.01: Identify and create questions and hypotheses that can be answered through scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
      • Explain observations.
      • Make inferences and predictions.
      • Develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
    • Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
      • Communicate findings.
      • Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
    • Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
      • Research.
      • Gather and analyze data.
      • Visualize data.
      • Disseminate findings to others.
    • Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
      • Scientific text.
      • Articles.
      • Events in the popular press.
  • Goal 4: The learner will conduct investigations, use models, simulations, and appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the complementary nature of the human body system.
    • Objective 4.01: Analyze how human body systems interact to provide for the needs of the human organism:
      • Musculoskeletal.
      • Cardiovascular.
      • Endocrine and Nervous.
      • Digestive and Circulatory.
      • Excretory.
      • Reproductive.
      • Respiratory.
      • Immune.
      • Nervous system.
    • Objective 4.02: Describe how systems within the human body are defined by the functions it performs.
    • Objective 4.03: Explain how the structure of an organ is adapted to perform specific functions within one or more systems.
      • Liver.
      • Heart.
      • Lung. Brain.
      • Stomach.
      • Kidney.
    • Objective 4.04: Evaluate how systems in the human body help regulate the internal environment.