Big Idea 14: Organization and Development of Living Organisms

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A. All plants and animals, including humans, are alike in some ways and different in others.

B. All plants and animals, including humans, have internal parts and external structures that function to keep them alive and help them grow and reproduce.

C. Humans can better understand the natural world through careful observation.

General Information
Number: SC.2.L.14
Title: Organization and Development of Living Organisms
Type: Big Idea
Subject: Science
Grade: 2
Body of Knowledge: Life Science

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Independent

SC.2.L.14.In.1
Identify major external body parts, such as hands and legs, and their uses.

Supported

SC.2.L.14.Su.1
Match external body parts, such as a foot, to their uses.

Participatory

SC.2.L.14.Pa.1
Recognize one or more external body parts.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plans

Tarpon Lesson Plan:

Students will learn how body shape and fin placements make tarpon efficient swimmers and leapers that are well adapted to their environments. They will complete exercises that help them understand the function of each fin, and they will create their own paper tarpon.

Type: Lesson Plan

Analyzing Human Body Parts:

This is a great activity for students to work in cooperative groups, research a topic, and use graphic organizers. The students will investigate the brain, heart, lungs, stomach, skeleton, muscles, and their basic functions by creating a human body from construction paper.

Type: Lesson Plan

What Am I? A Human Body Riddle Book:

In this lesson, students will be able to identify and describe the function of major body parts by listening to a book and using an interactive tutorial. Students will then use their knowledge to create a student-made riddle book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Body Systems:

This lesson demonstrates how students can use text features to gather information in informational text. The lesson provides the opportunity for students to apply reading concepts while encountering informational text. This lesson provides students with the opportunity to read and discuss various informational selections about body systems.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Body is Your Universe:

In this lesson, students will work in groups of two or three to read an article about one of the major human body parts. They will create a list of facts related to their body part and turn them into questions.

The students will be reading online articles from kidshealth.org. These articles can be read online or printed. Each article describes the major purpose for each body part, how it relates to other systems in the body, and fun facts. Videos are also included.

Each group will present their facts and questions generated with the entire class. The teacher will create an anchor chart for each major body part and post them in the classroom.

Each student will use the relevant details generated during their group work to assist them in writing a paragraph about their body part. A diagram will be completed to go along with their paper. The questions generated by each group will be compiled into a final assessment for the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

Amazing Body Parts:

In this lesson students will gain the skills to explain the characteristics and functions of observable body parts.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorial

Play Your Part: All Your Parts and What They Do:

Take a look at some organs in your body and the jobs they do as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Perspectives Video: Expert

Brain Structures and their Functions:

<p>If you watch this video, your brain will be learning more about itself! Think about it.</p>

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Muscle Physiology:

Understanding human physiology will allow you to stand under your own power at the end of a long rowing trip.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Unit/Lesson Sequence

Parts of the Human Body:

In this unit, students explore the major parts of the body in different stations. An engineering design process lesson allows students to design and construct a helmet that protects the "main computer" for your body: the brain.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorial

Play Your Part: All Your Parts and What They Do:

Take a look at some organs in your body and the jobs they do as you complete this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plan

Amazing Body Parts:

In this lesson students will gain the skills to explain the characteristics and functions of observable body parts.

Type: Lesson Plan