Coordination and control: hormones and the human endocrine system
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Threads
Why this why now
This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Coordination and control: the human nervous system, where they explored how the body uses electrical signals to respond to stimuli. It deepens their understanding by examining the endocrine system, focusing on how hormones regulate body functions and maintain homeostasis. This prepares pupils for Photosynthesis: requirements and products, where they will explore how plants use environmental signals to regulate growth, linking control across organisms.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Humans are multicellular organisms – they are made up of millions of living cells.
- Specialised cells in animals have shapes, sizes and structures that are adapted for the jobs the cells do.
- The circulatory system transports substances around the body in the blood.
- The human body has a nervous system that enables us to sense and respond quickly to changes outside and inside the body.
- Receptors detect stimuli.
- Sensory neurons transmit nerve impulses from receptors to processing centres such as the brain in the CNS.
- Motor neurons transmit nerve impulses from the CNS to effectors that carry out responses.
Threads
Why this why now
This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Coordination and control: the human nervous system, where they explored how the body uses electrical signals to respond to stimuli. It deepens their understanding by examining the endocrine system, focusing on how hormones regulate body functions and maintain homeostasis. This prepares pupils for Photosynthesis: requirements and products, where they will explore how plants use environmental signals to regulate growth, linking control across organisms.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Humans are multicellular organisms – they are made up of millions of living cells.
- Specialised cells in animals have shapes, sizes and structures that are adapted for the jobs the cells do.
- The circulatory system transports substances around the body in the blood.
- The human body has a nervous system that enables us to sense and respond quickly to changes outside and inside the body.
- Receptors detect stimuli.
- Sensory neurons transmit nerve impulses from receptors to processing centres such as the brain in the CNS.
- Motor neurons transmit nerve impulses from the CNS to effectors that carry out responses.
Biology
Coordination and control: hormones and the human endocrine system
This unit explores hormonal control by the endocrine system, including blood sugar regulation by insulin and glucagon, and the roles of thyroxine and adrenaline. It covers the importance of maintaining a stable internal environment and compares types 1 and 2 diabetes and their treatments.
3 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the Coordination and control: hormones and the human endocrine system unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our OCR secondary combined science curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for OCR secondary combined science programmes.