Lesson Plan Feedback Mechanisms
Lesson Plan Feedback Mechanisms
Summary:
Organisms use positive and negative feedback mechanisms to coordinate activities within the
body. Negative feedback helps regulate normal body functions like blood glucose, water and
electrolyte levels and temperature regulation in the body. These feedback mechanisms primarily
function through receptors that detect the concentration of the agent (glucose, water,
temperature) in the body and send feedback to the brain. Positive feedback occurs in processes
such as contractions during labor, lactation and blood clotting. The endocrine system functions
by secreting hormones that help maintain homeostasis and coordinate processes in the body.
Subject: Science
TEKS:
6.1 A, B Conducting investigations
6.2 A-E Scientific Inquiry Methods
6.3A-D Critical thinking and problem solving, use of logical reasoning to critique scientific
explanations, use and limitations of models in science
6.4 A,B Using Tools and Equipment
Learning Objectives:
Negative Feedback plays a key role in maintaining body homeostasis.
Endocrine system secretes and releases hormones that reach the target organs in the body
and regulate and maintain normal ion, glucose concentration.
Receptors are present on the target organs and they send negative feedback signals to the
hypothalamus in the brain. This stimulates endocrine glands to release hormones to
maintain normal concentrations levels in the body.
© Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health at 1
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University
Funding support from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health
Feedback Mechanisms
Positive feedback helps regulate certain processes in the body such as contractions during
labor, lactation and blood clotting.
Lesson Plan:
A feedback mechanism is a cycle in which part of the output is returned to the input to regulate
further output release. The endocrine system releases chemical messengers called hormones and
this lesson discusses eight glands that are involved in hormone secretion and release. The
hypothalamus receives signals from the receptors located on the target organs and stimulates the
pituitary gland (primary endocrine gland) to release eight hormones. The hormones released by
the pituitary gland maintain important body functions like glucose and insulin regulation,
temperature regulation and water regulation in kidneys. Negative feedback mechanisms are
important for maintaining homeostasis. Positive feedback mechanisms help regulate special
processes such as contractions during labor, lactation and blood clotting. In positive feedback
loops, the output of a system acts to enhance the changes to the input of the system.
Keywords:
Motivation:
Students will perform the Negative Feedback Activity-Designing a Pet Watering System
Activity to begin this lesson. In this activity, students investigate the idea of feedback systems
and design a simple model of a negative feedback system. Caution: Although this investigation
allows students to design a model of a pet watering system, this model should not be made and
used for pets because of insufficient time to test the designs properly for proper function.
Presentation:
A PowerPoint presentation on feedback mechanisms is included that defines feedback
mechanisms and thoroughly explains the different types of feedback mechanisms and how the
operate in the human body.
Application:
© Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health at 2
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University
Funding support from the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health
Feedback Mechanisms
Two laboratory activities are included that allow students to see the application of the
information on feedback mechanisms.
1. Negative Feedback Activity-Modeling the Kidney
This activity uses plastic cups with holes to model the activities of the kidney in
maintaining water balance in the body. Complete instructions are included in the activity
sheet.
Authors:
Undergraduate Fellow Name: Brittany Sanchez