Unpacked Content
Scientific and Engineering Practices
Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts
Cause and Effect; Structure and Function
Knowledge
Students know:
- The endocrine system is composed of glands that produce endocrine secretions that go directly into the blood and are cellular signals.
- Hormones work through a feedback loop—they attach to receptors on target cells, cause a metabolic change within the target cell, which causes the target cell (effector) to act in response to the stimulus or signal.
- Chemicals that carry out the job of a hormone by turning on a cell response are called agonists.
- Chemicals that carry out the job of a hormone by turning off a cell response are called antagonists.
- There are two types of hormones—peptide hormones are usually involved in rapid body changes and lipid hormones play a role in body fluid control and sexual reproduction.
- The human endocrine system is composed of ten endocrine glands: hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, parathyroid glands, thyroid, thymus, adrenal, pancreas, ovary and testis.
- Each of the endocrine glands produces specific hormones that effect various functions within the body.
- Each endocrine gland needs some type of feedback signal to control its level of hormone production.
- Diseases of the endocrine system can cause too much or too little hormone secretion.
- Changes in hormone production contribute to aging.
Skills
Students are able to:
- Gather, read, and interpret scientific information about the endocrine system and its structure, including endocrine glands and the hormones they produce.
- Evaluate, based on evidence, the claim that endocrine glands secrete hormones that help the body maintain homeostasis through feedback loops.
- Communicate scientific information, in multiple formats (e.g., orally, graphically, textually) to explain the structure and function of the endocrine system, as a whole, and of its intrinsic parts.
- Use scientific literature to identify conditions and diseases that effect the endocrine system.
- Evaluate, based on evidence, how these conditions and diseases affect the body.
- Analyze data in order to make a valid and reliable scientific claim about how the body responds to the identified conditions and diseases in its attempt to maintain homeostasis.
- Analyze data to determine a correlation and possible cause and effect relationship.
Understanding
Students understand that:
- The endocrine system is composed of several glands throughout the body that secrete hormones to specific target tissues.
- The endocrine system uses feedback loops to maintain homeostasis within the human body.
- Genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can contribute to the development of endocrine disorders.
- Lifestyle choices and various medications can help alleviate some endocrine disorders.
- Multiple systems interact to play a part in endocrine function and pathology.
Vocabulary
- ductless glands
- endocrine glands
- endocrine secretions
- environmental signals
- exocrine glands
- exocrine secretions
- hormones
- receptors
- target cells
- ligand
- surface receptor
- internal receptor
- effector
- negative feedback
- agonists
- antagonists
- peptide hormones
- lipid hormones
- pituitary gland (anterior and posterior)
- hypothalamus
- releasing hormones
- oxytocin
- prolactin
- growth hormone
- pineal gland
- melatonin
- serotonin
- adrenal glands
- glucocorticosterioids
- cortisol
- mineralcorticosteroids
- adrenaline
- epinephrine
- thyroid gland
- parathyroid gland
- calcitonin
- parathyroid hormone
- pancreas
- insulin
- glucagon
- thymus gland
- thymosin
- gonads (ovaries, testes)
- estrogen
- progesterone
- testosterone
- pituitary dwarfism
- Addison's disease
- diabetes mellitus
- diabetes insipidus