This slide show supports a class activity to learn

the explanation of muscle contraction one step

at a time.

© David Faure, InThinking http://www.thinkib.net/biology

Allocate one step to each member of the class.
(Pairs of students can split the explanation)

Students to prepare to explain their individual one step.

Show the slides and students narrate them.

At the end, students rotate one step forwards

- 1 becomes 2 etc. 6 becomes 1

Repeat the explanation 6 times, until everyone has explained each step.

For a bit of added pressure, time each explanation.

When a nerve impulse arrives at a muscle
1) Ca2+ ions are released by sarcoplasmic reticulum.
2) Ca2+ ions cause cross-bridges to form between actin
and myosin heads.
3) Energy in the head of the myosin moves the head,
4) The movement slides actin past the myosin – which
shortens the muscle.
5) ATP is used to disconnect myosin head from actin
6) ATP also resets the myosin head.
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