6th grade · Science · Unit 1 of 6
Body Systems
Nerves, hormones, kidneys and more
What your child practices
How the nervous and endocrine (hormone) systems send messages, how the excretory system removes waste, and the basic organs of the reproductive system, all at a simple organ-and-job level.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: MS-LS1-3 · body systems made of interacting groups of cells
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- The nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves) sends fast electrical messages.
- The endocrine system sends slower messages with hormones. The pituitary is the “master gland”.
- The excretory system removes waste: kidneys filter blood into urine, and lungs breathe out carbon dioxide.
- In the reproductive system, a baby develops in the uterus.
Example: Which organs filter wastes out of your blood? Filtering blood is part of the excretory system. The kidneys filter blood and make urine. Answer: the kidneys
Body Systems in Maine
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 1 of 6 in 6th grade Science, before Our Senses.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Maine Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which part of the brain helps with balance and coordination?
- the cerebrum
- the brain stem
- the spinal cord
- the cerebellum
the cerebellum
Hint: The cerebellum sits at the back of the brain, under the larger cerebrum. It keeps your movements smooth and steady.
Question 2
Which body system does each part belong to? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: ⚡ nervous system · 🚰 excretory system · 🧪 endocrine (hormone) system
- 🎛️pituitary gland
- 〰️nerves
- 🎈bladder
- 🏃adrenal glands
- 🧵ureters
- 🧠brain
⚡ nervous system: nerves, brain · 🚰 excretory system: bladder, ureters · 🧪 endocrine (hormone) system: pituitary gland, adrenal glands
Hint: The nervous system carries fast electrical messages. The excretory system removes wastes. Endocrine glands release hormones into the blood.
Question 3
Which part of the brain automatically controls breathing and heartbeat?
- the cerebrum
- the pituitary gland
- the cerebellum
- the brain stem
the brain stem
Hint: The brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It runs things you never have to think about.
Question 4
A ball is thrown to you. Put the steps in order as your nervous system helps you catch it.
- 🧠Your brain decides to catch it
- 🙌Your hands close around the ball
- 👀Your eyes see the ball coming
- Sensory nerves send the message to your brain
- Motor nerves carry signals to your arm muscles
Your eyes see the ball coming → Sensory nerves send the message to your brain → Your brain decides to catch it → Motor nerves carry signals to your arm muscles → Your hands close around the ball
Hint: Messages travel from your senses to your brain, the brain decides, and then messages travel out to your muscles.
Question 5
What is a reflex?
- a fast, automatic response you don't have to think about
- a hormone made by the kidneys
- a slow decision you plan carefully
- a type of bone in the arm
a fast, automatic response you don't have to think about
Hint: Blinking when something flies at your eye is a reflex. It happens before you can think about it.
Question 6
What are hormones?
🧪- tiny bones inside the ear
- electrical signals that travel along nerves
- cells that fight germs
- chemical messengers carried in the blood
chemical messengers carried in the blood
Hint: Glands in the endocrine system release hormones into the blood, which carries them all over the body.