Anatomía y fisiología humana para adolescentes

Each week will focus on a different organ system in the human body. Each class will start with introducing ourselves to the other learners. I will then present 10-12 slides to present the new vocabulary and to have a visual  display of the organ system. The second half of the class will be used for a hands-on activity, which may require some extra materials/ supplies. Supply lists will be provided to learners as soon as they have enrolled for the course. The content for each organ system is described here.

Cells and Tissues: The first week we will learn about mammalian cells, and how they interact together to form tissues. We will learn about the four types of tissues (neural, epithelial, connective, and muscle). We will then put these tissues together to form organs. Our hands on activity will be creating models of an animal cells using items from home.

The Nervous System: Learners will understand the differences between the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), and learn how they work together. The brain is the main control center of the body: it controls our thoughts, feelings, movement, bodily functions, sensory information, and more. The spinal cord helps to transmit information to and from the brain. The brain and spinal cord are so important that they are protected within the hardest bones in the body, and have a special liquid cushion and membrane system. The brain receives oxygen and nutrients from the blood stream before any of the other organs. The PNS functions to transmit neural signals to and from the rest of the body. We will learn about the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system. Next, we will learn about how the cells of the nervous system work. We will learn about synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters, and  the importance of glial cells. Lastly, we will learn about some diseases and disorders that affect the nervous system. Our hands-on activity will be testing two of our sensory systems: the olfactory (sense of smell) and gustatory (sense of taste) systems.

The Cardiovascular System: Learners will understand the main components of the cardiovascular system including the heart, blood vessels (arteries, veins, arterioles, venules, capillaries), and blood. They will learn the path of blood through the body and into the heart and lungs. We will learn about cardiac muscle and about the pacemaker (sinoatrial node) in the heart. We will learn about red blood cells and how they carry oxygen to the tissues of the body. Lastly we will learn about some disease and conditions that affect the cardiovascular system. Our hands-on activity will be testing our pulse and determining how exercise affects our pulse. 

The Respiratory System: Learners will understand the main components of the respiratory system including the airway and passages, the lungs, and the muscles of respiration (diaphragm and ribs). We will look at how the diaphragm creates negative pressure within the thoracic cavity to help the lungs inflate. We will learn how oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged within the alveoli of the lungs, and relate this information back to what we learned about the passage of blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart. Lastly, we will learn about some diseases and conditions that affect the respiratory system. Our hands-on activity will be constructing a model of the respiratory system.

The Digestive System: Learners will understand the gastrointestinal tract and accessory organs involved in digestion. We will trace the path of food from the mouth through the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus). We will learn how the accessory organs help to molecularly digest food molecules into glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids that get absorbed in the small intestine. We will also talk about how insulin works to allow glucose molecules into cells. We will talk about how the large intestine and liver work together to form solid waste that exits our bodies through the anus. We will talk about what happens when your digestive system gets sick or irritated and how vomiting and diarrhea can happen. Lastly we will learn about some diseases or conditions that can affect the digestive system. Our hands-on activity will constructing a model of the digestive system.

The Urinary system: Learners will understand the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra and how these function together to excrete liquid waste from our bodies. We will talk about the nephron/ cellular structure of the kidney and how urea, uric acid, and water get excreted from the body. We will also talk about how this impacts our cardiovascular system and blood pressure. Lastly we will talk about kidney failure, kidney stones, and dialysis. Our hands-on activity will be constructing a model of the urinary system.

The Immune System: Learners will understand the key components of the immune and lymphatic systems. This includes lymph nodes and ducts, white blood cells, B cells, T cells, antibodies, antigens, and immune responses. We will learn about the innate immune response and the adaptive immune response. We will talk about how vaccines work. The  hands-on activity will be creating  a PlayDoh "screen play" of the immune system. 

The Endocrine System: Learners will understand the key components of the endocrine system starting in the brain (hypothalamus), pituitary gland, and all of the other endocrine glands of the body. The pineal gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas. We will mention the sex glands (ovaries and testes) but will not be discussing their specific functions in this class. We will learn how feedback loops work in the endocrine system to modulate the levels of hormones released into the blood. The hands-on activity for the endocrine system is a model feedback loop of blood glucose regulation.

The Reproductive Systems: Learners will understand the key components of the male and female reproductive systems. We will learn about the biological aspects of puberty. We will learn that most body cells are diploid (have 23 pairs of chromosomes) and that if you were to combine these to create a new human, there would be too many chromosomes. The function of the reproductive systems are to create haploid gametes with only 23 chromosomes (sperm and ova) that can combine to create a diploid zygote that can develop into a human baby. We will learn that the male reproductive system creates sperm within the testes, and that the other organs (vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland and penis) help to allow the sperm out at the right time. We will learn that the female reproductive system creates ova within the ovaries and that approximately one ova is released once a month into the fallopian tubes. If the ova meets a sperm, it may implant into the uterus to begin developing into a human baby. If the ova does not meet a sperm, it will be passed through the vagina during the female's monthly menstrual cycle. This class will talk about the biological aspects of sexual intercourse. The hands-on activity for this class will focus on the haploid cells being formed from diploid cells through the process of meiosis. We will make a paper cut out diagram of meiosis and fertilization of the ova.

The Skeletal system: Learners will understand the functions of our skeleton, including structural support, protection of internal organs, movement, and generation of blood cells. We will learn about the different types of bone, and the types of tissues found within those bones. We will learn how bones can repair themselves. We will learn about joints and tendons. We will do exercises in moving our joints.

The Muscular system: Learners will understand how our muscles work. We will learn about opposing muscle groups, how muscles attach to bones using tendons across joints to create specific movements. We will understand the terms origin, insertion, and contraction. Then we will take a deeper look inside of muscles to view the individual fibers and cells. We will see how the neuromuscular junction works to stimulate muscle contraction. We will talk about how regular exercise, including stretching, can help keep your muscles strong and healthy. Our hands on activity for this class will be watching a video of dissection of a chicken leg, with an optional component to do the dissection from home.

The Integumentary system: Learners will understand the structure and purpose of our skin, hair, and nails. We will talk about the epiderims, dermis, and hypodermis. We will learn about the other structures found within our skin like hair follicles, sebaceous glands, nerve endings, sensory fibers, sweat glands, and adipose tissue. Some of the disorders common to our skin are melanoma, acne, eczema, and cold sores. Our hands-on activity for this class will be to create an edible model of the skin.