11 SENIORHIGH

DAVAO INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, INC

EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE

QUARTER 2
Module 6
Organ Systems of Representative Animals

Name:

Grade & Section:

 MODULE 6: Organ Systems of Representative Animals

The human body and even the simplest animal is made up of several organ systems that
work as one unit. The major organ systems of the body work together, either directly or indirectly, to
keep the body functioning normally. The body is a chemical and physical machine. As such, it is
subject to certain laws. These are sometimes called natural laws. Each part of the body is
engineered to do a particular function necessary for everyday living.

The Animal Organ Systems

1. Digestive System

Animal nutrition is the process of taking in, taking apart and taking up the nutrients from the food
source. Food processing has four main stages: Ingestion, Digestion, Absorption, and Elimination or
Egestion.

In animals with a complete digestive system, where the entrance and exit of food and waste are
different, they have different kinds of mechanisms of ingestion depending on their evolutionary
adaptation to their food.

In other animals, such as in cnidarians (jellyfish, anemone, coral) where the entrance and exit of
food and waste is the same, the region where this occurs is called the gastrovascular cavity.

2. Respiratory System

Gas exchange is very important among animals, as they require oxygen in the production of higher
amounts of energy compared to the process of energy production without oxygen.

Air as a respiratory medium. Hence, as air is lighter and has more oxygen content compared to the
same volume of water, ventilation is not much of a problem for terrestrial organisms. The tracheal
system of insects-

The tracheal system of insects has a branched network of tracheal tubes which responds to the
problem of decreased surface area in the respiratory structure. The tracheal system opens
externally through the side of the insect through a structure called a spiracle. Air enters and exits
through the spiracles. As the respiratory system of insects are independent from their circulatory
system, gases are directly exchanged through tracheoles which have extensions that are directly
connected to the cells. Air sacs act like an aspirator which takes in and pushes air out of the body
of the insects.

The mammalian respiratory system- Compared to insects, mammals and other organisms have
respiratory systems that work together with their circulatory system. Gases are transported via the
bloodstream and are exchanged via diffusion.

Terrestrial ventilation - The alternating process of inhalation and exhalation. There are two
mechanisms of breathing, one is positive breathing and the other is negative breathing. In positive
breathing air is pushed into the lungs, such as in frogs.

3. Circulatory System

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There are different ways in which animals transport substances across their body. In animals with a
closed circulatory system, the circulatory fluid does not go out of the vessel. Exchange occurs
through diffusion via thinner vessels called capillaries across the interstitial fluid.

Different animals have adapted different mechanisms for transport such as in fishes where a single
circulation is enough. Compared to cnidarians, the gastrovascular cavity of flatworms have
extensions in order to reach areas of the body far from the axis. Without these extensions of the
gastrovascular cavity, diffusion might not be enough in the transport of substances.

Amphibian double circulation differs from mammalian, crocodilian and avian as blood is mixed. The
presence of one ventricle does not prevent the mixing of blood, unlike in the four-chambered heart
of a mammal, crocodilian and an avian where the ventricle is divided into two. Mixing of blood does
not have major implication on amphibians as:

1) they have low metabolic rate, thus, less need for energy;
2) they have the ability to respire through their skin, thus not needing to fully oxygenate the blood
through the lungs.

4. Urinary System

In order to remove wastes, animals have the excretory system, which enables it to remove excess
salt or water in the body. Waste removal follows the following processes, 1.) filtration, 2.)
reabsorption, 3.) secretion, and 4.) excretion

Organisms have different wastes in the form of nitrogenous wastes which they need to excrete.
Different organisms have different excretory systems, such as the protonephridia of flatworms,
metanephridia of annelids, malpighian tubules of insects and the nephrons of humans and
mammals.

5. Immune System

Defends the internal environment from invading microorganisms and viruses, as well as cancerous
cell growth. The immune system provides cells that aid in protection of the body from disease via
the antigen/antibody response. A variety of general responses are also part of this system.

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6. Endocrine System

Hormones are substances which can cause a reaction to a cell, in Greek it literally means to excite.
It is secreted into extracellular fluid such in blood or lymph and transported to target cells to elicit a
specific response, which can be rapid or slow. The growth and development of the body are
examples of slow and long term effect of a hormone while circadian rhythm which is responsible for
the sleep and-wake cycles respond to a more rapid response to a hormone. In an endocrine
pathway, the reaction involves an endocrine cell, which releases the hormone to the bloodstream
or the lymphatic system, which is able to attach to receptors of a target cell.

7. Nervous System

The central nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord, while, the peripheral nervous
system is composed of corresponding structures outside of this two organs of the nervous system.
The central nervous system is responsible for data/information processing which is gathered by the
peripheral nervous system. Upon processing, the CNS transmits the message again to the PNS,
which then conveys the message for the appropriate response.

The nervous system has evolved in increasing complexity throughout the different groups of
animals. Connections among the neurons have increased, as seen in the development of the
nervous system from a simple nerve net to a system with ganglia (group of neurons) to
encephalized organisms where concentration of neurons are centered in the head. Below shows
the changes in the nervous system of organisms:

8. Muscular System

The skeletal muscle is organized from its largest structure (the muscle tissue itself) to its functional
unit (the sarcomere) as a repeating longitudinal structure that is bound together. Contraction is
possible because of the structural organization of protein molecules that makes up the sarcomere.
When contraction occurs, the sarcomere shortens and this is reflected in the contraction of a
muscle (you can ask the students to flex their biceps, and ask them if their muscle shortened). In
terms of the molecular and physiological process of contraction, nerve impulse transmission is
needed to depolarize the cell membrane of the muscle to stimulate contraction.

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9. Skeletal System

It provides support and protection, and attachment points for muscles. The skeletal system
provides a rigid framework for movement. It supports and protects the body and body parts,
produces blood cells, and stores minerals. A clam’s shell is an example of an exoskeleton and the
bones and cartilage in a human is an example of an endoskeleton. An endoskeleton should not be
misconceived to be only made up of bones, as even in humans, our skeletons are made up of
cartilage and bones, while, shark’s endoskeleton is made up of cartilage. We have different bones
which our muscles can pull to create movement, and the different types of joints are responsible for
different movements that our body can create.

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DAVAO INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, INC

Earth and Life Science
LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Name: ___________________________________________________ Module #: _____________

Grade and Section: _________________________________________ Score: _______________

Activity 1. Tissues, Organs, & Systems

Multi-cellular organisms have many cells that work together in specific ways, each group performing certain
functions. When each group does its part, the organism gets everything that it needs. A Tissue is a large group of cells
that all have the same purpose or function. Each kind of cell has unique characteristics such as shape, size, flexibility,
color and texture. Nerve cell is combined with other nerve cells to make nerve tissue. Muscle cells combine with other
muscle cells to make muscle tissue. Bone cells combine with other bone cells to make bone tissue. An Organ is a
group of tissues that work together to do a certain job for the body. Some of the human body’s organs include the
stomach, lungs, heart, kidneys, brain and liver. Some of a plant’s organs include roots, stems, fruit and leaves. When
several different organs join to meet the organism’s needs, they are working together in an organ system.

There are several different organ systems constantly working in most multicellular organisms. You are probably
familiar with some of the human body systems. The respiratory system includes the lungs and all the body parts that
allow us to breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. The circulatory system includes the heart and all the body
parts that help move blood around the body. The blood, in turn, carries nutrients and oxygen to all the cells of the body.
The respiratory and circulatory systems work very closely together. The digestive system helps to get nutrients from the
food that we have eaten and stored energy for future use. The excretory system helps remove waste product that
would otherwise harm the body. Each of the body’s systems is necessary for the overall health of the body. As the
body’s building blocks, cells join to make tissues. Tissues join to make organs. Organs join to make systems. It’s all
arranged to ensure the organism’s survival.

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage
whenever necessary to find or confirm your answers.

1) Which statement supports the fact that bone cells are smaller than bone tissue?
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2) What is an organ? Give an example of an organ.

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3) Which among the nine organ systems do you think is the most interesting? Why?
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DAVAO INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, INC

Earth and Life Science
LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Name: ___________________________________________________ Module #: _____________

Grade and Section: _________________________________________ Score: _______________

Activity 2
Match the body system (Column A) with the body function (Column B)

Body System Function

_____ 1. Circulatory System A. Takes food into the body
_____ 2. Digestive System B. Makes body move
_____ 3. Endocrine System C. Control some chemical body function
_____ 4. Urinary System D. Removes wastes
_____ 5. Immune System E. Supports body
_____ 6. Muscular system F. Carries blood through the body
_____ 7. Nervous System G. Fights diseases
_____8. Respiratory System H. Controls most body function
_____9. Skeletal System I. Bring oxygen, eliminate carbon dioxide

Activity 3. Group the words where they belong

Questions:

1. What will happen to the body if one organ system malfunctions?

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2. What do you think are the functions of the organ systems that are necessary for life?
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DAVAO INSTITUTE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, INC

Earth and Life Science
LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Name: ___________________________________________________ Module #: _____________

Grade and Section: _________________________________________ Score: _______________

Activity 4 Match column A with column B.

Write the letter of the correct match on the blank. Use CAPITAL letter

______1. Skeletal System A. Gas exchange occurs via the movement of air
From the external environment and is exchanged via
a dead-end of clusters of thin epithelium of the walls
of air sacs called alveoli.

______2. Muscular System B. Removes excess salt and water in the body.
______3. Nervous System C. Formation of antibodies
______4. Respiratory System D. The growth and development of the body
______5. Digestive System E. Responsible for data/ information processing which
is gathered by the peripheral nervous system
______6. Endocrine System F. Movement is the reaction of the contraction of
muscle.
______7. Urinary System G. Framework of the body
______8. Immune System H. Heart is the main organ for this system
_____9. Circulatory System I. Allows the animal to acquire the necessary Energy,
organic molecules and essential nutrients from the
digested foods.
Activity 5
In the space provided, explain how the terms in each pair differ in function.

1. Gastrovascular cavity, Digestive tract

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2. Gills, Lungs
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3. Open circulatory system, Closed circulatory system

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4. Exoskeleton, Endoskeleton
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5. Urination, Digestion
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