6.

Human Physiology
Teacher(s) Sreekala Subject group and Group 4 - Biology
course
Topic 6: Human physiology
Course part SL or HL/Year 1 or 2 SL Year 1 Dates Feb - April
and topic
Digestion and Absorption, The blood system, Defence 20 hours
against infectious diseases, Gas exchange & Neuron and
synapses

Unit description and texts DP assessment(s) for unit

Topic 6: Human physiology Formative assessments:

Research into human physiology is the foundation of modern medicine. Lab activities related with the respirometer, measuring the tidal volume,
Body functions are carried out by specialized organ systems. comparison of heart rate between the resting stage and while doing the exercise.
The structure of the wall of the small intestine allows it to move, digest
and absorb food. The chemical digestion is explained to the molecular Drawing the and labelling of structure of heart, lungs, neuron and transmission of
level and the absorption of the nutrients shows the connection with impulses.
membrane transport of the chapter 1.
The blood system continuously transports substances Class test
to cells and simultaneously collects waste products. This topic briefly
describe the histology of heart muscles and how it facilitates the cardiac Summative assessments
cycle/
Term Examinations: Questions for
The skin and immune system resist the continuous threat of invasion by Paper1 MCQ
pathogens with a detailed explanation of the working of T and B
lymphocytes and passive & active immunity with examples. Paper 2 Data Analysis, Factual and extended response questions.
The lungs are actively ventilated to ensure that gas exchange can occur
passively. It explains the physical activity involving the respiration Paper 3 : Section A questions
namely ventilation and gas exchange.
An outline of the transmission of the message, synapses modulate the
message are dealt in this chapter.
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Hormones are used when signals need to be widely distributed.

INQUIRY: establishing purpose of the unit

Transfer goals
List here one to three big, overarching, long-term goals for this unit. Transfer goals are the major goals that ask students to “transfer”, or apply, their
knowledge, skills, and concepts at the end of the unit under new/different circumstances, and on their own without scaffolding from the teacher.

Students will be able to understand:

The human body has structures and processes that resist the continuous threat of invasion by pathogens.
The lungs work actively to maintain the pressure and volume gradients so that the gas exchange can occur passively in a healthy person.
Neurons and hormones controls and coordinates the life process. Nervous system controls it physically involving the transmission of impulses whereas the
hormones do it chemically.

Essential understandings
List here the key content/skills/concepts that students will know/developby the end of the unit.

Students will know the following content:

 The contraction of circular and longitudinal muscle of the small intestine mixes the food with enzymes and moves it along the gut
 Enzymes digest most macromolecules in food into monomers in the small intestine
 The pancreas secretes enzymes into the lumen of the small intestine
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 Villi increase the surface area of epithelium over which absorption is carried out
 Villi absorb monomers formed by digestion as well as mineral ions and vitamins
 Different methods of membrane transport are required to absorb different nutrients
 Arteries convey blood at high pressure from the ventricles to the tissues of the body
 Arteries have muscle cells and elastic fibres in their walls
 The muscle and elastic fibres assist in maintaining blood pressure between pump cycles
 Blood flows through tissues in capillaries
 Capillaries have permeable walls that allow exchange of material between cells in the tissue and the blood in the capillary
 Veins collect blood at low pressure from the tissues of the body and return it to the atria of the heart
 Valves in veins and the heart ensure circulation of blood by preventing backflow
 There is a separate circulation for the lungs
 The heart beat is initiated by a group of specialised muscle cells in the right atrium called the sinoatrial node
 The sinoatrial node acts as a pacemaker
 The sinoatrial node sends out an electrical signal that stimulates contraction as it is propagated through the walls of the atria and then the walls of the
ventricles
 The heart rate can be increased or decreased by impulses brought to the heart through two nerves from the medulla of the brain
 Epinephrine increases the heart rate to prepare for vigorous physical activity
 The skin and mucous membranes form a primary defence against pathogens that cause infectious disease
 Cuts in the skin are sealed by blood clotting
 Clotting factors are released from platelets
 The cascade results in the rapid conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin by thrombin
 Ingestion of pathogens by phagocytic white blood cells gives non-specific immunity to disease
 Production of antibodies by lymphocytes in response to particular pathogens gives specific immunity
 Antibiotics block processes that occur in prokaryotic cells but not in eukaryotic cells
 Viruses lack a metabolism and cannot therefore be treated with antibiotics
 Some strains of bacteria have evolved with genes that confer resistance to antibiotics and some strains of bacteria have multiple resistance
 Neurons transmit electrical impulses
 The myelination of nerve fibres allows for saltatory conduction
 Neurons pump sodium and potassium ions across their membranes to generate a resting potential
 An action potential consists of depolarization and repolarization of the neuron
 Nerve impulses are action potentials propagated along the axons of neurons
 Propagation of nerve impulses is the result of local currents that cause each successive part of the axon to reach the threshold potential

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 Synapses are junctions between neurons and between neurons and receptor or effector cells
 When presynaptic neurons are depolarized they release a neurotransmitter into the synapse
 A nerve impulse is only initiated if the threshold potential is reached
 Insulin and glucagon are secreted by β and α cells of the pancreas respectively to control blood glucose concentration
 Thyroxin is secreted by the thyroid gland to regulate the metabolic rate and help control body temperature
 Leptin is secreted by cells in adipose tissue and act on the hypothalamus of the brain to inhibit appetite
 Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland to control circadian rhythms
 A gene on the Y chromosome causes embryonic gonads to develop as testes and secrete testosterone
 Testosterone causes pre-natal development of male genitalia and both sperm production and development of male secondary sexual characteristics during
puberty
 Estrogen and progesterone cause pre-natal development of female reproductive organs and female secondary sexual characteristics during puberty
 The menstrual cycle is controlled by negative and positive feedback mechanisms involving ovarian and pituitary hormones


Students will develop the following skills:

 Production of an annotated diagram of the digestive system
 Identification of tissue layers in transverse sections of the small intestine viewed with a microscope or in a micrograph
 Identification of blood vessels as arteries, capillaries or veins from the structure of their walls
 Recognition of the chambers and valves of the heart and the blood vessels connected to it in dissected hearts or in diagrams of heart structure
 Causes and consequences of blood clot formation in coronary arteries
 Florey and Chain’s experiments to test penicillin on bacterial infections in mice
 Effects of HIV on the immune system and methods of transmission
 Ventilation maintains concentration gradients of oxygen and carbon dioxide between air in alveoli and blood flowing in adjacent capillaries
 Air is carried to the lungs in the trachea and bronchi and then to the alveoli in bronchioles
 Type I pneumocytes are extremely thin alveolar cells that are adapted to carry out gas exchange
 Type II pneumocytes secrete a solution containing surfactant that creates a moist surface inside the alveoli to prevent the sides of the alveolus adhering to
each other by reducing surface tension
 Muscle contractions cause the pressure changes inside the thorax that force air in and out of the lungs to ventilate them
 Different muscles are required for inspiration and expiration because muscles only do work when they contract
 Monitoring of ventilation in humans at rest and after mild and vigorous exercise
 Analysis of oscilloscope traces showing resting potentials and action potentials
 Annotate diagrams of the male and female reproductive system to show names of structures and their function
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Students will grasp the following concepts:
 Processes occurring in the small intestine that result in the digestion of starch and transport of the products of digestion to the liver
 Use of dialysis tubing to model absorption of digested food in the intestine
 William Harvey’s discovery of the circulation of blood with the heart acting as a pump
 Pressure changes in the left atrium, left ventricle and aorta during the cardiac cycle
 Causes and consequences of occlusion of the coronary arteries
 Causes and consequences of lung cancer
 Causes and consequences of emphysema
 External and internal intercostal muscles, and diaphragm and abdominal muscles as examples of antagonistic muscle action
 Secretion and reabsorption of acetylcholine by neurons at synapses
 Blocking of synaptic transmission at cholinergic synapses in insects by binding of neonicotinoid pesticides to acetylcholine receptors
 Causes and treatment of Type I and Type II diabetes
 Testing of leptin on patients with clinical obesity and reasons for the failure to control the disease
 Causes of jet lag and use of melatonin to alleviate it
 The use in IVF of drugs to suspend the normal secretion of hormones, followed by the use of artificial doses of hormones to induce superovulation and
establish a pregnancy
 William Harvey’s investigation of sexual reproduction in deer

Missed concepts/misunderstandings
List here likely misunderstandings students may have during the unit with relation to skills, content and concepts.

Content-based:
 Systems operate in isolation from each other.
Concept-based:
 Stomach is most of the area below the belt. Intestines are in the stomach.
Fertilization happens in the vagina. The fetus does not need oxygen in the womb. The fetus does not produce waste products in the womb.
 Joints bend Joints allow us to move (muscles)
 Alcohol is a stimulant

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Inquiry questions
List here the understandings above written in question form, preferably as ones that inspire students to answer them. Feel free to create additional questions
that help inspire further inquiry in the unit but may not directly connect to an above essential understanding.

Content-based:
What are the components of respiratory,circulatory and digestive system. What are the functions of these systems and their role in homoeostasis.

Skills-based:
Does the volume of the lungs change during inspiration and expiration

What is the line of defence of body against infectious diseases..

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ACTION: teaching and learning through inquiry

Essential understanding goals Assessment of essential understanding goals Learning process

Copy and paste the essential understanding goals from above Write a 1:1 matching assessment for all goals. Assessments Check the boxes for any
“Inquiry” section. should be labelled formative (F) or summative (S). pedagogical approaches used
during the unit. Aim for a
variety of approaches to help
facilitate learning.

Students will know the following content: Content-based: ☒Lecture

 How does the small intestine adapted for the absorption Students will take test of human physiology at the end of ☐Socratic seminar
of the nutrients. the unit
☐Small group/pair work
 How does the artery walls modified for the transport of ☒Powerpoint lecture/notes
blood with high pressure to flow throughout the body?
☒Individual presentations
 What is the role of capillaties in the closed circulation Skills-based: ☐Group presentations
like that of human beings?
☐Student lecture/leading
 How does the vein control the back flow of the blood ☐Interdisciplinary learning
while the bringing back the blood to the heart?
Details:
 How the heart does beats by itself? ☐Other/s:
 Is there any neural or hormonal control for the
autorhythamicity of the heart? Concept-based:

 Outline the defence mechanism of our body? Students will make presentations on any system of their
choice and present it to the class
 What leads to the clotting of wounds?

 How does our body attains immunity against a particular

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 disease?

 Antibiotics block processes that occur in prokaryotic cells

but not in eukaryotic cells

 Viruses lack a metabolism and cannot therefore be treated

with antibiotics

 Some strains of bacteria have evolved with genes that

confer resistance to antibiotics and some strains of
bacteria have multiple resistance

 Neurons transmit electrical impulses

 The myelination of nerve fibres allows for saltatory

conduction

 Neurons pump sodium and potassium ions across their

membranes to generate a resting potential

 An action potential consists of depolarization and

repolarization of the neuron

 Nerve impulses are action potentials propagated along the

axons of neurons

 Propagation of nerve impulses is the result of local

currents that cause each successive part of the axon to
reach the threshold potential

 Synapses are junctions between neurons and between

neurons and receptor or effector cells

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 When presynaptic neurons are depolarized they release a
neurotransmitter into the synapse

 A nerve impulse is only initiated if the threshold potential

is reached

 Insulin and glucagon are secreted by β and α cells of the

pancreas respectively to control blood glucose
concentration

 Thyroxin is secreted by the thyroid gland to regulate the

metabolic rate and help control body temperature

 Leptin is secreted by cells in adipose tissue and act on the

hypothalamus of the brain to inhibit appetite

 Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland to control

circadian rhythms

 A gene on the Y chromosome causes embryonic gonads

to develop as testes and secrete testosterone

 Testosterone causes pre-natal development of male

genitalia and both sperm production and development of
male secondary sexual characteristics during puberty

 Estrogen and progesterone cause pre-natal development

of female reproductive organs and female secondary
sexual characteristics during puberty

 The menstrual cycle is controlled by negative and

positive feedback mechanisms involving ovarian and

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 pituitary hormones

Students will develop the following skills:

Students will learn to Measure changes in lung volume by
using spirometer

Students will learn how to perform Pregnancy test.

Students will learn to dissect heart and liver and then prepare
slides.

Students will grasp the following concepts:

Students will grasp the concept of working of respiratory
system, digestive and circulatory system
Students will have the concept of how electrical impulses
travel in neurons and the function of synapses.

Resources
● Biology for the IB Diploma Course bookby Brenda Walpole ,Ashby Merson –Davies
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkJN4X6wysM

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Approaches to learning (ATL)
Check the boxes for any explicit approaches to
learning connections made during the unit. For
more information on ATL, please seethe guide.
Metacognition Differentiation:
Check the boxes for any metacognitive approaches For more information on the IB’s approach to
used that ask students to reflect on unit content, differentiation, please seethe guide.
their own skills, or unit concepts. For more
information on the IB’s approach to
metacognition, please see the guide.

☐Thinking ☐Reflection on content ☐Affirm identity—build self-esteem

☐Social ☐Reflection on skills ☒Value prior knowledge
☐Communication ☒Reflection on concepts ☐Scaffold learning
☒Self-management Details: ☐Extend learning
☒Research By taking tests of both the topics the students will Details:
reflect upon their concepts.
Details: Students will be shown videos for visual aid.
Students will make presentations for which they Pairing up of week students with bright students to
will be given a deadline. They will work to submit help them in their assignments and class work.
their presentations on time

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Language and learning
Check the boxes for any explicit language and
learning connections made during the unit. For
more information on the IB’s approach to
language and learning, please seethe guide.
TOK connections CAS connections
Check the boxes for any explicit TOK connections Check the boxes for any explicit CAS connections.
made during the unit. If you check any of the boxes, provide a brief note
in the “details” section explaining how students
engaged in CAS for this unit.

☒Activating background knowledge ☐Personal and shared knowledge ☐Creativity

☐Scaffolding for new learning ☐Ways of knowing ☐Activity
☐Acquisition of new learning through practice ☐Areas of knowledge ☒Service
☒Demonstrating proficiency ☐The knowledge framework Details:
Details: Details:
Before starting any topic activation of the prior
knowledge will be done by class discussion.

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REFLECTION: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

What worked well What didn’t work well Notes/changes/suggestions:

Transfer goals
List the transfer goals from the beginning of this unit planner.

Transfer reflection
How successful were the students in achieving the transfer goals by the end of the unit?

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