Anatomy & Physiology
This is a course intended for upperclassmen who have successfully completed biology and chemistry. This is a great class to teach as an elective for multiple reasons. First, unlike first-year biology, the students should have a pretty solid chemistry background. Second, as the primary focus is the human body, the interest level amongst the students tends to be very high.
These resources have been written for juniors and seniors taking a regular-level year long anatomy course. The units have been arranged in the order that we teach, but are certainly interchangeable. Two textbooks were used as a reference in designing this course: Marieb's Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology and Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology by Frederic Martini. Select a unit to the left to begin.
This is the sequence and approximate time allotment I use for teaching anatomy & physiology to high school students. I follow a similar sequence for my introductory college course, although it is compressed into a single semester instead of across an entire year.
| Unit | Time | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry of Life | 12 days | Apply basic chemistry concepts to the major classes of macromolecules and chemical interactions found in living organisms. |
| Cells | 16 days | Describe the function of all major cell structures. Locate and identify cells with a microscope. Explain basic cell functions, such as respiration and protein synthesis. Explain cell division and its relationship to cancer. |
| Tissues | 9 days | Relate cell shapes and arrangements within tissues to their function. Identify tissue types from microscope slides. |
| Skin | 10 days | Compare the structure and function of the three skin layers. Relate skin anatomy to healing, color, tattoos, and tanning. |
| Central Nervous System | 10 days | Identify different structures and regions within the brain and describe their function. Locate structures within a sheep brain. Explain the process of axon depolarization. |
| Special Senses | 6 days | Describe the anatomy of the eye, ear, taste buds, and olfactory epithelium, and relate each to its function. Locate structures within a sheep eye. |
| Skeletal System | 9 Days | Describe the internal structure of bone. Compare different bone types and relate to their function in the body. Identify each of the bones in the human body, as well as major regions within each. Compare types of skeletal joints. |
| Muscular System | 22 days | Explain the process of muscle contraction at the cell and tissue level. Describe the conditions that lead to fatigue and cramping. Identify each of the external muscles of the human body. |
| Respiratory System | 9 days | Explain the process of respiration, including all muscles, passages, and other tissues. Relate respiration to energy needs. |
| Cardiovascular System | 13 days | Describe the composition of blood. Compare the structure and function of arteries, veins, and capillaries. Identify each of the parts of the human heart and describe their functions. Locate regions in a sheep heart. |
| Digestive System | 14 days | Explain the chemical breakdown, physical breakdown, and absorption of macromolecules within food as they pass through each of the regions of the GI tract. Identify all human digestive organs and major regions within each. |
| Urinary System | 5 days | Identify the organs and ducts within the human urinary system. Explain the role of the kidneys in blood homeostasis. |
| Reproductive System | 11 days | Explain the processes of mitosis and meiosis, and apply them to the formation of sperm and ova. Identify all reproductive organs and ducts within human males and females. Describe major stages of development of a human embryo leading to birth. |
| Endocrine System | 3 days | Identify the source, target, and role of each of the major human hormones. |
