This unit was on homeostasis. For this unit, I completed 4 assignments including the introductory pogil worksheet, the homeostasis runner video analysis, the homeostasis investigation, and the final homeostasis investigation. There was also a check in test on homeostasis that I took on Google classroom. The first Assignment was the introduction pogil. This introduced the concepts of positive and negative feedback loops to better our understanding of how the body achieves and maintains homeostasis. The next assignment was the homeostasis runner video analysis, in which I watched a video on how running interferes with homeostasis and how your body copes and recovers. This led into the homeostasis investigation research we conducted in class. This was the third assignment. My group was assigned homeostasis through breathing rate. We researched the respiratory system to prepare for our final investigation. The fourth and final assignment in this unit was a group project that went into more depth about specific facets of homeostasis. My group conducted an experiment to see how running interferes with breathing rate and how long the body takes to recover. We used the information gathered from our research into the respiratory system from the previous assignment to form a hypothesis and analyse the data we collected. The data we collected is included in the Homeostasis Final Investigation page, which is the button below this text.

Homeostasis - homeostasis is the tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements maintained by physiological processes in a living organism. This unit was about homeostasis in humans.

Blood pressure - blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system of a living human. Blood pressure is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Blood glucose - blood glucose level is the measure of concentration of glucose present in the blood of humans. Approximately 4 grams of glucose, a simple sugar, is present in the blood of a 70 kg human at all times.Blood glucose is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Blood water level - osmoregulation is the control of water levels and mineral salts in the blood. Water levels and mineral salts in the blood are controlled to protect cells by stopping too much water from entering or leaving them. Up to 60% of the body of an adult human is water. Blood water level is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Breathing rate - breathing rate or respiratory rate is the rate at which breathing occurs. This is usually measured in breaths per minute and maintained by the respiratory system. The normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Breathing rate is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Heart rate - heart rate is the speed of the human heartbeat measured by the number of contractions of the heart per minute. A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute, though fit adults may have a lower heart rate due to a more efficient heart. Heart rate is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Hypothalamus - the hypothalamus is the part of the brain that regulates temperature. It is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit that was first introduced in the introductory pogil (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) worksheet.

Heart - the heart is an organ in the chest that pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen to the organs in the human body.

Lungs - the lungs are a pair of spongy, air-filled organs located on either side of the chest. The trachea conducts air into the lungs through its bronchi. The lungs are responsible for the gas exchange within the human body, providing the blood with oxygen to deliver to the organs of the body, and removing carbon dioxide.

Brain - the brain is the central organ of the human nervous system. With the spinal cord, it makes up the central nervous system. The brain consists of the cerebrum, the brainstem and the cerebellum. The brain controls the body, and is responsible for our movement, speech and thoughts—among other things.

Respiratory system - I conducted an experiment on breathing rate and recovery after exertion in a group, which is maintained by the respiratory system. The respiratory system is responsible for the gas exchange in the human body and provides the blood with oxygen to carry to the organs in the body, while also removing the resulting carbon dioxide through the processes of inhalation and exhalation. It includes your airways, lungs, and blood vessels, as well as the muscles that make breathing possible. The respiratory system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Circulatory system - the circulatory/cardiovascular system carries oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to cells through blood, and removes waste products, like carbon dioxide. It includes your heart, veins and arteries. The circulatory system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Nervous system - the nervous system coordinates the actions and sensory information of the human body by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. It includes the brain, spinal cord, sensory organs, and all of the nerves that connect these organs with the rest of the body. The nervous system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Endocrine system - the endocrine system is responsible for controlling the feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of in a human directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. It consists of the hypothalamus, pineal body, pituitary gland, thyroid and parathyroid, thymus, adrenal gland, and pancreas, as well as the sex organs. The endocrine system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Digestive system - the digestive system breaks down food into smaller components that can be absorbed and assimilated into the body to produce energy and provide nutrients to cells through metabolism. It includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus, as well as the solid liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The digestive system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Excretory system - the excretory system is responsible for excreting wastes from the body produced as food and water are used by the body, or as the body gets rid of unwanted substances. It consists of the skin, liver, large intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The excretory system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Skeletal system - the skeletal system provides your body with structure and protects your vital organs. It consists of bones and connective tissue, including cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. The skeletal system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Muscular system - the muscular system allows movement of the body, maintains posture, and circulates blood throughout the body. It includes skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles. The muscular system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Lymphatic system - the lymphatic system collects extra lymph fluid from the body tissues and returns it to the blood. It includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus gland, lymph nodes, and tonsils. The heart, lungs, intestines, liver, and skin also contain lymphatic tissue. The lymphatic system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Integumentary system - the integumentary system acts as a physical barrier between the external environment and the internal environment of the body that it serves to protect and maintain. It includes the set of organs forming the outermost layer of the human body, such as the skin and appendages. The integumentary system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

Reproductive system - the reproductive system functions to ensure the survival of the homo sapien species. It allows humans to produce fertile offspring through the process of procreation. The sex organs, or testes and ovaries, are responsible for producing the gametes and hormones in the system. It also includes secondary fluids, hormones, and pheromones which are important accessories to the reproductive system. The reproductive system is a component of homeostasis in humans that was explored in this unit.

During this unit, I learned about homeostasis and conducted an experiment on breathing rate homeostasis—as maintained by the respiratory system—in a group with Joshua Bumgarner and Joshua Danziger, in which we measured the breathing rate of Joshua Danziger after running at a relatively steady speed for x amount of time, and the amount of time it took for his breathing rate to return to normal. The control was his resting heart rate and the results were only moderately accurate as human error was enabled since we did not measure speed. This would have over-complicated the experiment so we left it out and just got an idea of how running interferes with homeostasis in breathing rate. The experiment did go well and elicit a satisfying data chart, yet—with more time—I would have preferred to collect more data points and account for speed to get better and more accurate results.

In this unit, I acquired competence in writing descriptive and detailed procedures, and learned that I enjoy conducting experiments and going through the scientific process.

I could have done a better job collecting relevant data for this experiment by increasing my sample size. Even with time constraints, there were three people in my group and only one ran; it would have been possible to time ourselves and all run to get three sets of data for different subjects. Then we could have also matched each others speed by running shoulder to shoulder, also making it possible for only one of us to time us all. In the future I will try to do a better job using time in class more efficiently and effectively to propound the best quality of work I can. I also initially planned on marking to points to run between and measure the distance between them to measure speed—distance/time—and use that in consideration to relative change in bpm to get more accurate results. I definitely could have done a better job planning and executing this experiment and will try to keep this in mind for similar projects—or just generally—in the future.

During this unit I did a good job being a conscientious learner and a collaborator, but a mediocre job being creative and a critical thinker. For instance, during the Homeostasis Runner assignment, I did a good job being a conscientious learner by providing profound and relevant answers to the prompts as I watched the video. Also, during the Introduction to Homeostasis assignment, I did a sub-par job of being a critical thinker because I wasted a lot of time trying to reformat the pogil on a google doc, rather than just printing it out. During the Homeostasis Final Investigation assignment and the previous Homeostasis Investigation assignment that conduced the final investigation, I did a good job collaborating on the poster, graphic organizer, and scientific article within my group, but a poor job being creative in the experiment portion of our endeavor. Furthermore, I did an adequate job learning conscientiously during the investigation assignments because I was able to identify skills I could improve upon in the future, and an inadequate job thinking critically when I was planning and executing the final experiment.