Jodie Haney

Scaffolding Project

The concept: Skeletal muscle contraction
The concept of skeletal muscle contraction requires knowledge of the H zone, A and I bands, and Z disc.
Previous understanding of the muscle, what it does, and where it is located, would be assumed and needed
to understand the full function of skeletal muscle contraction within the body.
Assumptions of Knowledge Bridging the Gap
1. Children show their muscles to their
parents by flexing different body parts.

2. In P.E. class, a student would learn
background information such as where
there is muscle on the body, the physical
limitations (tiring and stress), and the
importance to maintenance (stretching).

3. Muscles identified as a body system
(later elementary)

4. Where the muscles are specifically
located, functionality of the muscle, and
a basic understanding of body
movement.

5. Recognition of the components to an
animal cell and understanding of how the
basic cell functions (middle school)

6. Ability to identify and describe different
cell types within the body (high school)

7. The difference between the types of
muscles within the body.
Review the different kinds and their
function through slides, figures, and
diagrams. Also, take time to discuss
reasons for the muscles fitting in their
respective category with examples.
8. Skeletal muscle characteristics (striated,
multiple nuclei, and voluntary)

9. The anatomy of skeletal muscle
10. A background, basic knowledge of nerve
function

11. Knowledge of diffusion and chemical
gradients
Explain the different types of active and
passive diffusion with a figure and also a
demonstration using the students and a
doorway in the wall or basketball hoop.
12. The movement of the fibers together or
apart to contract or release the muscle

13. Identify a contracted muscle
14. Explain the entire process with ability to
estimate outcomes from different
manipulations to the process