Respiratory Biology
Students explore the structure and function of the respiratory system, learn how gases are exchanged in the lungs, and understand how air pollution affects respiratory health.
5
Lessons
5
Class Periods
Low
Materials Cost
3
NGSS Standards
Essential Question
How do our lungs process air, and what happens when the air we breathe contains harmful particles?
Lessons
-
1→The Respiratory System
-
2→Gas Exchange: The Magic of Alveoli
-
3→Defense Systems: How Lungs Fight Back
-
4→When Defenses Fail: Particles in the Lungs
-
5→Lung Capacity Lab
Key Concepts
Respiratory Anatomy
- Nose/mouth → trachea → bronchi
- Bronchioles → alveoli
- ~300 million alveoli per person
- Surface area of a tennis court
Gas Exchange
- O2 diffuses into blood
- CO2 diffuses out
- Happens across thin alveolar walls
- High to low concentration
Defense Mechanisms
- Nose hairs filter large particles
- Mucus traps particles
- Cilia sweep particles up
- Macrophages engulf invaders
PM Health Effects
- Inflammation and irritation
- Worsens asthma/allergies
- Long-term lung damage
- Can enter bloodstream (ultrafine)
Standards Alignment
| Standard | Description |
|---|---|
| MS-LS1-3 | Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems |
| MS-LS1-7 | Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions |
| MS-LS1-8 | Gather and synthesize information on how sensory receptors respond to stimuli |
| 7.SP.A.1 | Understand that statistics can be used to gain information about a population |