Hierarchical Organization of Interacting Systems
Performance Expectation: HS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
Estimated Time: 45 minutes Materials: Computer with internet access, “Hierarchical Organization of Interacting Systems” Simulation.
1. Engage
Anchoring Phenomenon: An organism cannot survive more than a few minutes without the continuous oxygen supply provided by the respiratory system. If you hold your breath or a person chokes, the entire body quickly fails and faints.
Question: Why does stopping a single bodily process (breathing in oxygen) cause the whole human body—including parts far away like the brain or leg muscles—to shut down?
Write your initial ideas below: ___ _______
2. Explore
- Open the “Hierarchical Organization of Interacting Systems” simulation.
- Select the Respiratory System.
- Use the Explore Mode navigation on the left. Start at the Cell level and click the buttons to zoom out all the way to the Organism level.
- Read the Contextual Info Panel at each level to see its Structure, Specific Function, and Hierarchy Interaction.
3. Explain
As you move through the levels, record the specific structure and function for the first three levels of the Respiratory System in the table below.
| Hierarchy Level | Component Name | Scale | Specific Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1: Cell | _____ | _____ | _____ |
| Level 2: Tissue | _____ | _____ | _____ |
| Level 3: Organ | _____ | _____ | _____ |
System Interactions
At the Organ System level (Level 4), a new feature appears. Click the Show Interactions button.
Read the interaction popup. How does the Respiratory System interact with the Digestive and Circulatory Systems to keep the organism alive? ___ _______
4. Elaborate/Evaluate
Now, switch to the Digestive System. Click Build Mode.
- Try building the Tissue level by dragging the correct Cell components into the drop zone.
- Continue building up to the Organism level.
Based on what you learned building the systems, if the Level 1 Cells of the Digestive System (Enterocytes) were severely damaged by a disease, how would this affect the Level 5 Organism? Trace the impact up the hierarchy. ___ _______
Deliverable: Create a Model
Create a Model: On a separate sheet of paper, draw a diagram that illustrates the hierarchical organization of either the Respiratory or Digestive system.
Your model must include:
- The relevant parts at each level (Cell → Tissue → Organ → System → Organism).
- Arrows showing the flow of materials (like oxygen or nutrients) or how the lower level makes up the higher level.
- A brief description of how the specific function of the system (e.g., getting oxygen) contributes to the overall function of the organism (e.g., producing energy to stay alive).
Teacher Notes
NGSS Alignment:
- Performance Expectation: HS-LS1-2 Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
- Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs): Developing and Using Models. Students develop a model based on evidence from the simulation to illustrate the relationships between components of a system.
- Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs): LS1.A: Structure and Function. Multicellular organisms have a hierarchical structural organization, in which any one system is made up of numerous parts and is itself a component of the next level.
- Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs): Systems and System Models. Models can be used to simulate systems and interactions within and between systems at different scales.
Evidence Statements Addressed:
- Components of the model: Students identify and describe the relevant parts (e.g., organs and component tissues) and processes (e.g., transport of fluids) of body systems. (Demonstrated in the Explore/Explain data table and final Evaluate model).
- Relationships: Students describe the relationships between components, including ways the functions of two different systems affect one another and relate to the overall function of the organism. (Demonstrated in the System Interactions section and Elaborate question).
- Connections: Students use the model to illustrate how the interaction between systems provides specific functions. (Demonstrated in the final Evaluate diagram deliverable).
Guidance: Ensure students understand that while the simulation shows clear discrete levels (Cell, Tissue, Organ), in reality, tissues are complex mixtures of multiple cell types. The “Build Mode” helps reinforce that higher levels are completely composed of the lower levels.