1. Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
System Interactions
Structure and Function
Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
Activity
All of the systems within an organism, including the human body, interact to keep the organism healthy and alive. Although each system has specific functions, they are all interconnected and dependent on one another, like you determined and recorded on your Organs Systems’ Function and Interactions chart.
Part I: Interaction and Systems/Parts Card Sort
Take out the System/Parts Cards and the Interaction Cards.
Pick an Interaction Card.
Match the Systems/Parts Cards that the Interaction Card describes.
Record what systems are interacting from each numbered card on the table below.
Continue matching Interaction Cards to Systems/Parts Cards until you have recorded Systems Interacting for each Interaction Card.
Systems Interactions Card Sort
Interaction Card #
Systems Interacting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

2. Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
System Interactions
Structure and Function
Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
Activity, continued
Part II: System Interactions During Activities
Take out the Systems Name Cards and the Activity Diagrams.
For each activity, there is a minimum number of interacting systems that you should pick, which is shown in the chart below next to the activity name.
Record the interacting systems’ names in the table below.
Using your Organs Systems’ Function and Interactions chart, the System/Parts Cards, and/or the Interaction Cards, explain how these systems interact during this activity in the “How do they interact?” column in the table below.
Systems Interacting During Activities
Activity
Systems Interacting
How do they interact?
Infection (3)
Eating (4)
Running (5)

3. Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
System Interactions
Structure and Function
Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
Activity, continued
Part III: Paper Clip Experiment
Now it’s your turn to participate in an activity and analyze the systems that interact within your body.
Procedure:
Obtain an alligator paper clip from your teacher.
Hold the paper clip in the hand that you write with.
Have your partner set a stop watch for 30 seconds.
When your partner says go, open and close the paper clip as many times as you can, counting each time it opens completely, in a 30-second time period.
Record the number on the data table.
Repeat the process again, for a total of 5 consecutive trials, recording your number of squeezes after each trial. Do NOT rest your fingers between each trial.
Data Table: Number of Squeezes of an Alligator Paper Clip in 30-Second Intervals
How did your fingers feel in Trial 1 versus in Trial 5? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Why did you lose strength as you continued through each trial? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Trial
# of squeezes 1 2 3 4 5

4. Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
System Interactions
Structure and Function
Animal Systems Interactions in Real Life
Activity, continued
Part III: Clothespin Experiment, continued
What organ systems are interacting as you squeeze the paper clip? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
During cellular respiration, your body makes energy from glucose and oxygen. When you do not get enough glucose (food) or oxygen, your body and muscles become fatigued (tired) because it is not able to produce energy.
How do the systems that you listed in question 3 interact? Explain in as much detail as possible. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part IV: Your Activity
Pick an activity you do every day and write one paragraph about the systems involved and how they interact during that activity.
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