TE804:StudentLearningStories

Name:JenniferFulton
MentorTeacher:JenniferBara
Classandgradelevel:Biology,10thgrade

School:EasternHighSchool
Date:March21,2015

BriefOverview
The Big Ideas for this unit (Human Body Systems and Homeostasis) include from the
organism itself as a unit down to the smallest cell, each organism displays multiple levels of
organization. Life processes are based on the maintenance of a relatively constant internal
environment. Regulating this environment depends on the continual vigilance of many systems
that monitor conditions both inside and outside an organism and work together to correct any
significant deviations. The mechanisms involved in maintaining homeostasis require both
communication in alerting the organism that changes have occurred as well as means to reestablish stable conditions. Some examples of life processes that require constant monitoring
include many regulated by the nervous system (e.g., reactions, reflexes, reproduction, basic
housekeeping functions) working in concert with the endocrine system and all other organ
systems. These mechanisms are similar in all animals, although the specific conditions that are
homeostatically regulated may be different. Many of the regulatory responses to changes in an
organisms environment involve negative feedback. These mechanisms work by signaling
changes in the body that allow it to reverse the direction of change. Many other examples may be
used to illustrate these kinds of homeostatic mechanisms. An organism can receive and act on
signals received from external stimuli through the nervous system and through these signals can
find food, shelter, reproduce, and escape from predators. Many chronic diseases are the result of
the inability of the body to respond efficiently to changes. Organisms that do not possess
advantageous adaptations or abilities to resist change within their environment can die. (from
the Clarifying Goals Assignment, Jennifer Fulton, January 2015)
Students will become more proficient at asking scientific questions, developing models,
and planning and carrying out investigations. Throughout the first unit, we will be conducting
investigations into how homeostasis works within the human body and interactions between
human body systems, such as interactions between the skeletal system and the muscular system.
One specific investigation they will be carrying out includes an experiment with exercise and
measurement of breathing and heart rates. Another investigation they will carry out, which will
actually be the summative assessment of the unit, will be a deeper look into how diseases impact
homeostasis and human body systems ability to regulate homeostatic processes. The students
looked at observations and data, which was highly scaffolded through investigations and textbased evidence, and made connections to patterns. They created their own patterns to fit the
observations and data. After recognizing patterns, they were able to build models, specifically in
this case, the model of homeostasis and regulating ones internal environment.

GoalsforStudentLearning
ThegoalsIhadformystudentslearninginthefinaldaysoftheHumanBodySystems
andHomeostasisunitwereforthestudentstobeabletoSYNTHESIZEandAPPLYthe
knowledgetotheirlives.Thisisimportanttomeandtothembecausetheyarewalkingaroundin
theirbody;theyshouldprobablyknowhowitworks!Inthisunit,studentswereengagedand
interestedtoknowwhathomeostasisisandhowdifferentbodysystemsworkwithinyourbody
tomaintainaconstant,stableinternalenvironment.Thestudentswereexpectedtoknowthe
majorstructuresandfunctionsofeachbodysystemaswellashowthatbodysystemworkedto
maintainhomeostasis.Theywerealsorequiredtoconductathoroughinvestigationintohow
homeostasisismaintainedbyfeedbackmechanismsandwhatsomeexamplesofthosefeedback
mechanismsareinaformallabandaccompanyingreport.
Thespecificunitobjectivesfromstatestandardswereasfollows:
PerformanceExpectationsforStudentLearning
NGSSPerformanceExpectation

Associated
NGSSPractice

NGSSPerformanceExpectation(s)
1. HS-LS1-3. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that

feedback mechanisms maintain homeostasis.

Engagingin
argumentfrom
evidence

Specific Unit Objective(s)

1. B2.3d Identify the general functions of the major systems of the human body
(digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, protection from disease, and
movement, control, and coordination) and describe ways that these systems interact with
one another. (Michigan HSCE)
2. B2.3e Describe how human body systems maintain relatively constant internal
conditions (temperature, acidity, and blood sugar). (Michigan HSCE)
3. B2.6a Explain that the regulatory and behavioral responses of an organism to external
stimuli occur in order to maintain both short- and long-term equilibrium. (Michigan HSCE)
4. B2.3B Describe how the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment is
required for the continuation of life. (Michigan HSCE)

Developing&using
models
Developing&using
models
Constructing
explanations
Obtaining,
evaluating,and
communicating
information

Theassessmentcenteredaroundadiseaseandidentificationandexplanationofwhich
bodyorgansandsystemswereaffected.Ratherthansimplyrequiringthestudentstoidentify
whichorgansareincludedinwhichsystemsonastandardmultiplechoiceexam,theywere
requiredtoprovidethisinformationusingareallifeexample.Theywerealsorequiredtoexplain
howhomeostasisisdisruptedbythisdisease.Itisextremelyimportantthattheyknowwhat
homeostasisisandhowitcanbedisruptedbecausethatisreallythebestwayofexplaininghow
diseasesimpactthehumanbody.Forexample,inJesussdisease,Alzheimers,heexplainedthat
Alzheimersdiseaseimpactsthenervoussystem,becauseyourbrainisthemajororganimpacted
anditispartofthenervoussystem.Itprovidesanecessaryfoundationforstudentstohavethis
knowledgefromhighschoolbiologythatgoontobecomemedicalprofessionals.Eveniftheydo

notjointhemedicalfield,itisvitaltounderstandthefunctionalityofthehumanbodysothatyou
donotjusttakeyourdoctorswordforitwhenyouaretoldsomethingiswrong.Knowledge
trulyispower,asmuchofaclichasthatis.

StoryofWhatHappened
Studentsbegantheunitbydivingrightintocelldifferentiationandspecialization.From
there,theywerereadytolearnaboutdifferentlevelsoforganizationinthehumanbody.From
cellstoorgansystems,theyinvestigatedthedifferingsizesandimportanceofdifferentstructures
andtheirfunctions.Welearnedthatthehumanbodyisdividedupintosystemsthatinclude
tissuesandorgans.Thestudentsgotabrieffeelforwhathomeostasisisandtheythen
transitionedintolearningaboutdifferenthumanbodysystems.Theybeganwiththemajor
structuresandfunctionsofthecirculatoryandrespiratorysystems,andhowthetwosystems
worktogethertomaintainhomeostasis.Theirinvestigationintothereallifefunctioningofthese
twosystemsandtheirinteractionswithandimportancetohomeostasisincludedaformallabin
whichtheyexercisedforatotalofnineminutes.Theyhadsomedowntimeinbetweenexercise
burststogatherqualitativeandquantitativeobservationsaboutchangesoccurringwiththeirheart
andbreathingrates,aswellbodycolor,perspirationlevel,andfatigue.Thestudentswereableto
drawconclusionsabouthowyourbodyusesnegativefeedbackloopstocounteractchangesto
homeostasis,evenadvantageousonessuchasexercise.Thestudentsmadeconnectionsbetween
seeminglyhypotheticalprocesseswelearnedaboutinclassesthroughtextreadingandthisreal
lifeexperienceduringthelab.BecauseofEasternHighSchoolsfocusonInstructionalLearning
Cycles(ILCs)andReadingApprenticeship(RA),readingisnecessaryineveryclassroom.
However,thestudentsweregivenmanydifferentwaystointeractwiththetextinthisunit,from
theirstandardannotationstowritingsummarysentencesonawhiteboardtowritingthemain
ideainaparagraphsummarytomakingadrawingtoillustratewhattheyhavejustread.Itook
ideasfromthestudentsthemselvesabouthowtointeractwithtextindifferentways.
Laterintheunit,Iallowedtheassignmentstotakeonamorestudentdrivenfeel.The
assessmentforthemwasnotamultiplechoiceorshortanswerquestion/responsetest.The
assessmentwasmuchmorecomplexandshowedmewhattheyhadtrulylearnedintheunit.
Studentsvotedonthediseasestoincludeintheassessmentprocessandmadesuggestions
tomeupuntiltwoweeksbeforetheassessmentitself.Ichosefromthepooltheysuggestedand
madefactsheetssothattheywouldhavealltheresourcestheyneeded.Moredetailisincluded
belowabouthowtheassessmentactuallyworkedandsamplestudentresponses.

EvidenceofStudentLearning
Thestudents,Ifeel,gotmuchmoreoutoftheassessmentforthisunit.Theywere
responsibleforfillingoutadiseasefactsheetandgraphicorganizerhybridthatIcreatedbased
onagraphicorganizertheyhadusedforacellorganelleprojectlastsemester.Thisway,they
hadatleastseenasimilarversionofthegraphicorganizerbeforeanditwasnotasscaryasit
couldhavebeen.Thestudentsfrequentlytellmethattestsarescaryandthattheydonotlike
them.Ofcourse,NOstudentlikestests!Increatingthisdiseaseinformationgraphicorganizer
thatthestudentswereresponsibleforfillingout,theywereforcedtothinkcriticallyaboutall

theyhadlearnedabouthumanbodysystemsuptothatpoint.Theywereallowedtoworkwitha
partner,andintheclasswherethereisahighEnglishLanguageLearner(ELL),Special
Education(SE),andLearningDisabled(LD)population,theywereallowedtoworkinagroup.
Eachstudentwasresponsibleforproducingtheirownworkandeachstudentwasheld
accountablefortheinformationtheyrecorded.Theyhadageneralideaofwhattheassessment
wouldbefromthebeginningoftheunitandweretoldtheywouldbeabletousetheirnoteson
theassessment.Thisencouragedthestudentstotakemoredetailednotesandkeeptrackoftheir
papers,whichIfeelmadethemmoreactiveparticipantsintheirlearning.Ingeneral,theclass
averagefortheassessmentwasbetween7585%.Thisisahugeleapfromthenormal60%
averageonourpreviousassessmentformat,thetraditionalmultiplechoicetest.Thestudents
becamekeyplayersinthelearningexperiencethroughoutthisunit,especiallythroughthis
criticalthinkingassessmenttaskattheend,insteadofjustsittingbackandfillinginbubblesona
scantron.Ialsofeelthattheassessmentgavemeatruerreflectionoftheknowledgetheyhad
learnedduringtheunit,becauseIwasabletoseetheirthinkingmuchmoreclearlythanifthey
hadanswereda,b,c,ordonasheetofpaper.Icouldreadthroughtheirreasoningandtheir
notesandseehowtheymadeconnectionsintheirheads.Itallowedthemtogainmorepoints
backiftheydidnotexplainsomethingexactlyright(whereasamultiplechoicetestwouldnever
havegivenmeorthestudents,forthatmatterthatlevelofinsightintowhattheyknewor
theirthoughtprocess)becauseIgavepartialcredit.
Somesampleresponsesincluded(thesewerespecificallyinresponsetothequestion
howishomeostasisdisruptedbyyourdisease):
1) Mary:HomeostasisisdisruptedbyAlzheimersdiseasebecausethebrainisno
longerfunctioningnormally.Itisnotabletosendsignalsinquitetherightwayand
soyourbraindoesntworkaswell.Thebrainispartofyournervoussystemandso
whenitdoesntworkyournervoussystemcantregulatehomeostasisthesameway
anymore.Itreallymessesupyourwholelifeandallyourmemories.
2) Carlos:Cerebralpalsyhappenswhenyourmuscularsystemgoesoutofwhack.Itsa
processcalledhomeostasis,whenyourbodytriestokeepeverythingconstantandthe
sameinside,becauseitssoimportanttoyourlife.Youcantlivewithout
homeostasis.Itinvolvesyourmuscles,whichareapartofyourmuscularsystemand
letsyoumovelikeanormalperson.Cerebralpalsystartsfromabraininjurywhen
youarelittle,soyoureallycantstopitorpreventitunlessyourmomdoes.
3) Hayley:CeliacdiseasewassomethingIdidntevenknowaboutbefore.Yoursmall
intestineiswherenutrientsareabsorbed,sothediseasestopsthatfromhappening.
Thisoccursinyourdigestivesystem,whichprocessesandbreaksdownyourfood
intousableproducts,likeglucose.Itisveryimportanttohaveadigestivesystemthat
functionsnormallyandcanmaintainhomeostasiswhichisnormalconditionsbecause
everycellinyourbodyneedsnutrientstofunction.Peoplewhohavethediseaseneed
totakemedicationbecausetheyneedtogetbacktonormal.

GradingRubric
Summary Comments

Comments on specific sections. Criteria for grading are the bulleted lists in each section.
Overview
Goals for student learning
Story of what happened
Evidence of student
learning
Final Grade =