MS-LS1 Cells, body systems and sensory processing
Aligned to MS-LS1 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Living things are organized in levels: cells group into tissues, tissues form organs, and organs work together as body systems. Special cells also let an organism sense its surroundings and respond, sending signals through the nervous system to react quickly.
Worked example
Muscle cells join into muscle tissue, which forms the heart organ, which works with blood vessels as the circulatory system. When you touch something hot, sensory cells fire a signal up your nerves so fast that your hand pulls back before you even think about it.
Practice questions
- Put these in order from smallest to largest: organ, cell, tissue, body system.
- Give an example of cells forming a tissue that forms an organ.
- Explain how a reflex like pulling your hand off a hot stove works.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
MS-LS1 Células, sistemas del cuerpo y procesamiento sensorial
Los seres vivos están organizados en niveles: las células se agrupan en tejidos, los tejidos forman órganos, y los órganos trabajan juntos como sistemas del cuerpo. Células especiales también permiten que un organismo perciba su entorno y responda, enviando señales a través del sistema nervioso para reaccionar rápidamente.
Ejemplo: Las células musculares se unen para formar tejido muscular, el cual forma el órgano del corazón, que trabaja junto con los vasos sanguíneos como el sistema circulatorio. Cuando tocas algo caliente, las células sensoriales envían una señal por tus nervios tan rápido que tu mano se retira antes de que siquiera lo pienses.
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