The Muscular System

Muscular System Intro Lab

Do not do any of the labs that you feel physically unable to do. We don't want anyone hurting themselves!

Learning Target

  • Form a conclusion about how muscles work in the muscular system

Success Criteria

  • diagram the muscular system
  • compare and contrast a flexed muscle vs. a relaxed muscle
  • assess different ways in which our muscles

Station 1 - Static Flex Observation

Station Directions: Observe muscles in a flexed position. Sit on lab table and hold a stack of 2-6 books on legs straight out.

  • Q: How did your legs feel when books were first added?
  • Q: How did your legs feel the longer you held the books?
  • Q: Why do you think your muscles felt like that?

Station 2 - Tendon Count

Station Directions: Flex different muscles in your body and count how many tendons we have.

  • Q: What is a tendon?
  • Q: How many tendons are in your body?
  • Q: What do tendons feel like?

Station 3 - Static Flex Test

Prediction: Does Oxygen play a role in muscle function? Why or Why not?

Station Directions: Do 3 different Wall Sits and time how long you could hold the exercise.

  • Trial 1 - breathe normally then do a wall sit.
  • Trial 2 - hold your breath while doing a wall sit.
  • Trial 3 - breathe excessively for 30 seconds to oxygenate blood then do a wall sit.

Station 4 -Dynamic Flex

Station Direction: Curl the dumbbell as many time as possible in 30 seconds. Do this 3 times and record how many you could do each time.

  • Q: How did your muscles feel after each trial?
  • Q: What bones were moving when you did the exercise?
  • Q: Was one muscle working more than any other?

Station 5 - Muscles Background Review

Station Direction: Read and answer the following questions. Base your answers on the various systems that we have studied.

  1. Are there muscles in the Digestive System? If so where and what do they do?
  2. Are there muscles in the Respiratory System? If so where and what do they do?
  3. Are there muscles in the Circulatory System? If so where and what do they do?
  4. What do the muscles do in all of these systems? Where are they and what do they do?

Station 6 - Interactive Muscular System

Station Direction - Visit the link to the right to view the muscular system in detail.

  • Read and take notes on the Muscular System at the top of the page.
  • Scroll down to the Anatomy Explorer and click on each of the following:
    • HEAD AND NECK
    • CHEST AND UPPER BACK
    • ABDOMEN AND LOWER BACK
    • ARM AND HAND
    • LEG AND FOOT
  • Fill in the muscular system diagram for your notebook using information from the site and the diagram below.

In your Muscle diagram you will not need to include all of the muscles. Just make sure you have the following:

  1. Pectorals
  2. Deltoid
  3. Trapezius
  4. Biceps
  5. Triceps
  6. Quadriceps
  7. Latissimus Dorsal
  8. Hamstrings
  9. Abdominals
  10. Gluteals
  11. Gastrconemius
  12. Tibialis Anterior
Muscular System Diagram

From Molecules to Organisms