Life functions in animals

Teacher: Natalia Cosmo Narváez

Subject: Biology

Level: 1st ESO

This unit has been planned for approximately 8-9 sessions. Students will learn about life functions in animals.

We are going to develop the following Learning outcomes

- To recognize the main processes involved in nutrition and describe the types of digestion that occur in animals.

- To describe cellular respiration and recognize the different types of respiration in animals.

- To list the main components of the circulatory systems in animals.

- To explain the process of excretion and name the organs it involves.

- To recognize the main elements that are part of interaction.

- To distinguish between nervous and hormonal coordination.

- To describe characteristics of the nervous system in different animal groups.

- To identify the types of skeletons and muscles in animals.

- To recognize different types of reproduction and describe types of asexual and sexual reproduction.

Subject Content is as follows

- Nutrition and the digestive process in animals: invertebrates and vertebrates.

- Types of respiratory systems: cutaneous respiration, branchial respiration, tracheal respiration and pulmonary respiration.

- The circulatory system: open and closed.

- The excretory system: in invertebrates and vertebrates.

- The function of interaction: receptors: Photoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors and thermoreceptors.

- Systems of coordination: the endocrine system. The organization of the endocrine system.

- The nervous system: in invertebrates and vertebrates.

- The musculoskeletal system: animal skeletons and muscles.

- Reproduction: asexual and sexual.

The Activities will be

1. Nutrition and the digestive process

Students will learn about the digestive process and will do some reading comprehension activities at the following link

https://evaprofebio.jimdo.com/natural-science-2nd-eso/ud-2-nutricion/2-1-digestion/

2. Types of respiratory systems

(Adapted from:https://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/BioBookRESPSYS.html)

The Respiratory System

Cellular respiration involves the breakdown of organic molecules. A sufficient supply of oxygen is required. Carbon dioxide is also generated by cellular metabolism and must be removed from the cell. There must be an exchange of gases: carbon dioxide leaving the cell, oxygen entering. Animals have organ systems involved in facilitating this exchange as well as the transport of gases to and from exchange areas.

Respiratory Surfaces

Large animals cannot maintain gas exchange by diffusion across their outer surface. They developed a variety of respiratory surfaces that all increase the surface area for exchange, thus allowing for larger bodies. A respiratory surface is covered with thin, moist epithelial cells that allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to exchange. Those gases can only cross cell membranes when they are dissolved in water or an aqueous solution, thus respiratory surfaces must be moist.

Methods of Respiration

Sponges and jellyfish lack specialized organs for gas exchange and take in gases directly from the surrounding water. Flatworms and annelids use their outer surfaces as gas exchange surfaces. Arthropods, annelids, and fish use gills; terrestrial vertebrates utilize internal lungs.

Cutaneous respiration

Gas exchange takes place through the skin of the animal. Cutaneous respiration requires thin, moist skin and a network of blood vessels that capture oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide. Cutaneous respiration is characteristic of animals that live in humid or aquatic environments. Amphibians use their skin as a respiratory surface.

Gills: Branchial respiration

Gills greatly increase the surface area for gas exchange. They occur in a variety of animal groups including arthropods. Gills are thin extensions on he body walls surrounded by many tiny blood vessels where gas exchange takes place.

The template for this didactic unit can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VL_g6m_RidM8ro4fx0PLbkMmdtNMLfwN

Tracheal respiration

Gas exchange takes place through tubes or tracheae. Air enters the body through small openings called spiracles located on the abdomen. Many terrestrial animals have their respiratory surfaces inside the body and connected to the outside by a series of tubes. Tracheae are these tubes that carry air directly to cells for gas exchange. Spiracles are openings at the body surface that lead to tracheae that branch into smaller tubes known as tracheoles.

Pulmonary respiration: Lungs

Gas exchange takes place in the lungs. Lungs are internal organs with very thin, moist walls.

Pulmonary respiration is characteristic of most terrestrial vertebrates and some invertebrtes, like land snails and some arachnids. It is also characteristic of some aquatic vertebrates, like dolphins and whales.

Respiratory System Principles

1. Movement of an oxygen-containing medium so it contacts a moist membrane overlying blood vessels.

2. Diffusion of oxygen from the medium into the blood.

3. Transport of oxygen to the tissues and cells of the body.

4. Diffusion of oxygen from the blood into cells.

5. Carbon dioxide follows a reverse path.

Activity: group game at https://quizlet.com. "Who breathes better?"

3. The circulatory and excretory systems

Students will read about the circulatory and excretory systems and then, they will find some activities, such as a puzzle or label the different parts of the circulatory system.

http://secundariacienciasnaturales.blogspot.com/2015/08/unit-5-circulatory-and-excretor-system.html

- Interactive video and true or false activity: http://edistribucion.es/anayaeducacion/8440042/U03_SC3/02_Digestive%20system/La_digestion_ingles/laDigestion.html

7. The nervous system

Activity: alphabet soup https://es.educaplay.com/es/recursoseducativos/4053853/nervous_system.htm

Final Project (in groups)

Information panels on life functions

The template for this didactic unit can be found here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VL_g6m_RidM8ro4fx0PLbkMmdtNMLfwN

Natalia Cosmo Narváez

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Natalia Cosmo Narváez

Jerez de los Caballeros, Badajoz, Spain