Most teaching of animal biology at the primary level focuses very strongly on humans. This is perfectly reasonable, since humans are the animals of which children have the greatest experience and working knowledge! Those aspects of animal biology that relate more specifically to humans (exercise, drugs, food groups and so on) are addressed elsewhere. However, the focus on humans must be balanced with an overall understanding that humans are simply one of many mammalian (let alone animal) life forms. Children need to realise that humans are mammals, sharing many of the same internal and external bodily systems with cats and horses. The definition of a mammal is dealt with in another section.
The key ideas to be developed here are:
1. Many external body parts have specialised functions.
2. Mammals have an internal frame (skeleton) that provides protection and support
3.The respiratory system causes energy to be released around the body.
4. Food must be broken down both physically and chemically, before it can be absorbed into the body
5. A nervous system transmits information around the body.
6. Energy is converted within muscles to allow movement of bones around joints in the skeletal structure.
7. Mammals use an array of specialised organs to sense their environment.
8. Mammals go through different stages of development within their life cycles.
Teaching Concepts
Click on each concept to see Subject facts, Why you need to know these, Vocabulary, Amazing facts, Common misconceptions, Questions and Teaching Ideas
Concept 1: What's that bit called?
Concept 2: Internal skeletal structures
Concept 3: Beating and Breathing
Concept 4: The digestive system
Concept 5: Internal communications
It is important to be aware of how these concepts can be developed in teaching. The following is one way in which the progression can be described. It goes up to Key Stage 3, because it is necessary to know where the children will be going next.To demonstrate your own understanding of the concepts, it is useful to produce your own concept chain.
All of a mammal's external body parts have particular names and functions. The same basic body part can be known by several different names (foot, hoof, paw, trotter and so on). Some of these body parts are concerned with movement. Some body parts allow information about the surroundings to be received (sensed): This information is received as sight, sound smell, taste or touch. Food is needed by mammals for life, growth and activity. Mammals reproduce by giving birth to living babies.
Most mammals have similar body parts, though the names may differ from species to species. Some mammals (such as whales and bats) have very specialised body parts particularly suited to their environment. Systems of internal organs carry out specialised functions within the body such as digestion, respiration and circulation. The internal organs in these systems have particular names and functions. An internal skeleton of bone provides structure and allows movement. The skeleton protects key internal organs from injury. Muscles, joints and the skeleton combine to allow coordinated movement. The blood circulatory system conveys dissolved food, oxygen and waste products between the organs. Sense organs have specialised functions. Different mammals require different foods. Food is absorbed into the body through the process of digestion. Most mammals progress through five stages of development infant, immature young, adolescent, adult and elderly. Mammals grow inside their mother until they are mature enough to survive. Infant mammals rely initially on their mother's milk for food.
The digestion system is a combination of related organs which progressively break down food into usable chemical components; these components are either used stored for later use or ejected. The heart—lungs respiratory system allows external and internal gaseous exchange to take place In muscles the chemicals obtained from food (via digestion)are combined with the oxygen obtained from the air (through the lungs) to release energy and drive movement. The body's internal environment is constantly monitored and controlled to achieve stability through homeostasis. The menstrual cycle has a specific role in reproduction, Conception is the beginning of pregnancy.