Project Description
The body is made up of eleven major organ systems that work together to help you function. In this project we had to build a model that represented the function of two of these systems. My group chose to represent the circulatory and immune systems.
Our Model
The heart was a bottle that could pump the "blood" around a a tube that represented the blood vessels. A wooden box represented connective tissue in the body, where pathogens had gotten in the blood. These pathogens were represented by balloons and styrofoam. Small playdough balls with paper clips represented t cells and b cells that attacked the pathogens(balloons), and popped them. Acetone, representing white blood cells, melted down other pathogens(styrofoam).
Concepts
Lymphocytes-type of white blood cell, crucial to immune system
B lymphocytes / B Cells: recognize antigens & grow and divide rapidly
Plasma Cells: specialized B Cells that release antibodies
Antibody: Protein that helps destroy pathogens - has 2 identical antigen-binding sites
T Lymphocytes / T Cells: assists and regulates activation of plasma cells/antibodies (Helper T Cells)
Killer T Cells: attack antigen-bearing cells directly
Phagocytes: engulf antigen-bearing cells
Pathogen: microorganism that can cause disease
Antigen: substance that triggers response, pathogen can carry receptors that act as antigen
Humoral Immunity - immunity against pathogens in body fluids (blood and lymph)
Cell-Mediated Immunity - killer T cells attack antigen bearing cells directly
Heart- an organ composed of muscle, enclosed in the pericardium that pumps blood
Arteries- The largest blood vessels that carry oxygen rich blood to the general area where it is needed
Capilleries- The smallest blood vessels in the tissue where oxygen is dropped off and carbon dioxide is picked up
Veins-Blood vessels that carry oxygen poor blood back to the heart
Atrium- first part in the heart that blood enters
Ventricles- the blood flows here from the atrium, and valves stop backwash
Valves- extremely important pieces of the heart that only allow blood to go one direction, so it doesn't go backwards
B lymphocytes / B Cells: recognize antigens & grow and divide rapidly
Plasma Cells: specialized B Cells that release antibodies
Antibody: Protein that helps destroy pathogens - has 2 identical antigen-binding sites
T Lymphocytes / T Cells: assists and regulates activation of plasma cells/antibodies (Helper T Cells)
Killer T Cells: attack antigen-bearing cells directly
Phagocytes: engulf antigen-bearing cells
Pathogen: microorganism that can cause disease
Antigen: substance that triggers response, pathogen can carry receptors that act as antigen
Humoral Immunity - immunity against pathogens in body fluids (blood and lymph)
Cell-Mediated Immunity - killer T cells attack antigen bearing cells directly
Heart- an organ composed of muscle, enclosed in the pericardium that pumps blood
Arteries- The largest blood vessels that carry oxygen rich blood to the general area where it is needed
Capilleries- The smallest blood vessels in the tissue where oxygen is dropped off and carbon dioxide is picked up
Veins-Blood vessels that carry oxygen poor blood back to the heart
Atrium- first part in the heart that blood enters
Ventricles- the blood flows here from the atrium, and valves stop backwash
Valves- extremely important pieces of the heart that only allow blood to go one direction, so it doesn't go backwards
Reflection
I enjoyed this project because we were able to build something, which is one of my favorite parts of STEM. The model was fun to make, and I learned a lot about how the circulatory and immune systems work.
One low in this project was when we could not get the heart to pump. It seemed like no matter what we did to try and fix it, it still woudn't work. A peak in this project was right after when we completely replaced the bottle and valves in order to get the heart functioning.
A personal low in this project was when I was having trouble focusing while we were working on our presentation. I became bored after a while, once we had done a good amount of work, and became complacent with what we had done, instead of pushing to make our presentation the best it could be. I was glad that I caught myself, because after this I was able to bust out a lot of work and make a lot of improvements on our presentation.
One low in this project was when we could not get the heart to pump. It seemed like no matter what we did to try and fix it, it still woudn't work. A peak in this project was right after when we completely replaced the bottle and valves in order to get the heart functioning.
A personal low in this project was when I was having trouble focusing while we were working on our presentation. I became bored after a while, once we had done a good amount of work, and became complacent with what we had done, instead of pushing to make our presentation the best it could be. I was glad that I caught myself, because after this I was able to bust out a lot of work and make a lot of improvements on our presentation.