Maintaining Balance: Exploring Homeostasis in the Human Body

Biology Grades High School 3:40 Video
Print Lesson Plan Watch Video

Lesson Description

This lesson explores the concept of homeostasis, focusing on how the human body maintains a stable internal environment despite external changes. Students will learn about thermoregulation, blood sugar regulation, and blood pressure regulation, and the mechanisms involved in each.

Video Resource

Homeostasis

MITK12Videos

Duration: 3:40
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Homeostasis: Maintaining a stable internal environment.
  • Thermoregulation: Regulation of body temperature.
  • Feedback mechanisms: Processes that counteract deviations from equilibrium.

Learning Objectives

  • Define homeostasis and explain its importance for survival.
  • Describe the mechanisms the human body uses to maintain a stable body temperature.
  • Explain how the body regulates blood sugar and blood pressure.
  • Provide examples of positive and negative feedback loops within homeostasis

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students about their understanding of the word 'homeostasis'. Introduce the video and explain that it will demonstrate how the human body maintains a stable internal environment.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the MITK12Videos video on 'Homeostasis'. Instruct students to take notes on the key concepts and examples presented.
  • Discussion (15 mins)
    Facilitate a class discussion about the video. Use the discussion questions below to guide the conversation. Encourage students to share their observations and ask questions.
  • Interactive Activity: Homeostasis Scenario (15 mins)
    Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different scenario (e.g., exercising on a hot day, being exposed to cold temperatures, eating a sugary snack). Have them discuss and present how the body maintains homeostasis in that scenario. They should identify the stimulus, the body's response, and the resulting effect on internal balance.
  • Wrap Up and Assessment (10 mins)
    Review the key concepts of homeostasis and its importance. Administer the multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank quizzes to assess student understanding.

Interactive Exercises

  • Homeostasis Scenario
    Students will break into groups and be assigned a specific condition like exercise in the heat, or exposure to cold temperatures. They should describe how the body would react homeostatically

Discussion Questions

  • What is homeostasis and why is it important?
  • How does the body regulate its temperature when exposed to cold?
  • How does the body regulate its temperature when exposed to heat?
  • Can you describe any other examples of homeostasis besides temperature regulation?
  • What happens when homeostasis fails?

Skills Developed

  • Critical thinking
  • Scientific reasoning
  • Communication
  • Data Analysis

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is the definition of homeostasis?

Correct Answer: The ability to maintain a stable internal environment.

Question 2:

Which of the following is an example of homeostasis in the human body?

Correct Answer: Regulation of body temperature

Question 3:

What is the normal human body temperature in Celsius?

Correct Answer: 37 degrees Celsius

Question 4:

What happens to blood vessels when your body is cold?

Correct Answer: They constrict, reducing blood flow to the skin.

Question 5:

What is the purpose of shivering when you are cold?

Correct Answer: To generate heat through muscle movement.

Question 6:

Which process is used to cool the body when it is overheated?

Correct Answer: Sweating

Question 7:

What does insulin do in the body?

Correct Answer: Lowers blood sugar levels.

Question 8:

What happens to blood vessels when blood pressure drops suddenly?

Correct Answer: They constrict.

Question 9:

Which organ releases insulin to lower blood sugar?

Correct Answer: Pancreas

Question 10:

Diabetes affects the body's ability to maintain homeostasis of what?

Correct Answer: Blood sugar

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The scientific term for the body's ability to maintain equilibrium is called _________.

Correct Answer: homeostasis

Question 2:

When cold, tiny muscle movements generate heat by _________.

Correct Answer: shivering

Question 3:

When you're cold, blood is directed away from your skin and _________.

Correct Answer: extremities

Question 4:

_________ are created when your hair stands on end and creates an insulating layer.

Correct Answer: goosebumps

Question 5:

Sweat pulls heat from your body to _________ into the air.

Correct Answer: evaporate

Question 6:

When blood pressure drops suddenly, blood vessels _________ to bring blood pressure back up to normal.

Correct Answer: constrict

Question 7:

When blood sugar rises, the _________ releases insulin.

Correct Answer: pancreas

Question 8:

_________ is the disease that affects your body's ability to maintain blood sugar homeostasis.

Correct Answer: diabetes

Question 9:

Healthy body temperature is _______ degrees Celsius.

Correct Answer: 37

Question 10:

When warm, homeostasis mechanisms let blood move near the _______ of your skin so you get cooler.

Correct Answer: surface

Educational Standards

B.LS1.3:[Standard] Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the importance of maintaining homeostasis in living organisms. B.LS1.2:[Standard] Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.

Teaching Materials

Download ready-to-use materials for this lesson:

Student Worksheet Classroom Slides Assessment Quiz
Add to Google Classroom

User Actions

Sign in to save this lesson plan to your favorites.

Sign In

Share This Lesson

Related Lesson Plans