Organs and Body Systems Lesson Plan: The

Guts and Bolts Game

Grade Levels: 6-8

In this organs and body systems lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades 6-8, students use
BrainPOP resources to explore the primary functions of various body systems. Students will also
explore the parts of each system and their respective roles through a collaborative role play and
an online simulation during game play. In addition, students will construct a prototype of a body
system using real-world objects.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Grade: 04
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs,
diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the
information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
Grade: 06
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings.
Grade: 06
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.7
Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as
well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
Grade: 07
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning
and tone.
Grade: 08
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.7
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text,
video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
Grade: 06, 07, 08
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text
distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Grade: 06, 07, 08
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7
Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that
information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
Grade: 06, 07, 08
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9
Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or
multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.2
Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats,
including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Grade: 06
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2
Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
Grade: 07
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.2
Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g.,
visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under
study.

Students will:

1. Understand the primary functions of various body systems.

2. Explore the parts of each system and their respective roles through a collaborative role
play and an online simulation during game play.
3. Construct a prototype of a body system using real-world objects.

Materials:

 Internet access for BrainPOP

 Computers for students to use in pairs
 Class set of photocopies for the Vocabulary activity page you select and the Guts and
Bolts worksheet (downloadable below)
 Blank signs/index cards (one or more for each student)
 One ping pong ball (or other small ball) for each group
 Student copies of Moby's Notebook

Preparation:
With the Guts and Bolts game, students will learn about the interplay of body systems as they
help Moby construct a cyborg Tim.

To prepare for this lesson, preview the movie topics in our Body Systems Unit and determine
which ones you would like to include in your lessons. The Circulatory System and Digestive
System topics are most closely related to the game. Photocopy the vocabulary activity page for
the movie you will use right before students begin game play, as well as the Guts and Bolts game
guide and worksheet/note-taking guide which are available below under "Downloadable
Resources." You might also want to view our video Using "Guts and Bolts" as a Teaching Tool,
which shows how one teacher used various questioning and scaffolding techniques to help
students problem solve during game play.

Lesson Procedure:

1. Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about the function of the body system you've
selected for today's activity. Bring the class to a whole group discussion and guide
students to define the body system succinctly. Write their ideas on the board or on chart
paper for student reference.
2. Explain that students will role play how the body system works. Divide students into
groups and pass out the blank signs/index cards. Ask students to discuss which organs
and parts the body system is comprised of, and to write one part on each card. If students
need more background knowledge, you can show the related BrainPOP movie now
instead of after the role play.
3. Have each each group member take one card and assume the role of a body part. Explain
that the ping pong ball represents food for the digestive system, blood for the circulatory
system, and air for the respiratory system. Emphasize the goal for each group: the
digestive system must pass food through itself and remove nutrients; the respiratory
system should pass air through itself, removing oxygen, and expelling carbon dioxide;
and the circulatory system must take oxygen from the respiratory system (while giving it
carbon dioxide) and nutrients from the digestive system, then passes those things on to all
the cells of the body.
4. Talk with students about the layers of teamwork that happen between each system within
our bodies, and clarify how the systems are each made up of semi-autonomous organs
communicating with one another and with other body systems.
5. Show the related body systems movie from BrainPOP, ensuring that closed captioning is
turned on. Encourage students to take notes on the vocabulary sheet as needed.
Afterward, allow the groups to discuss their order for the role play again and make
adjustments as needed. You may want to play the movie through a second time.
6. Have each group (or one or two groups who volunteer) come to the front of the classroom
and demonstrate the role play, holding up their signs/index cards to show which organ
they represent. Talk with students about their choices: how did they determine which
organ would stand in which place? What would happen if their places were changed?
What if a particular part was missing or not working correctly--could another body part
compensate? What would be the effect on the body?
7. Tell students they will now have the opportunity to conduct a body system simulation
through online game play. Let them know that the game is like a puzzle: there are no
 clearly defined instructions, as the object is to figure out how the game works by testing
different ideas.
8. Pass out the Moby's Notebook game worksheet. Explain that it will function like a
blueprint for a project students will build at the end of the unit (if you choose to do the
final activity below.) Alternatively, inform students that the worksheet is like a blueprint
of the system they will build during the game, and they should feel free to use the form to
record their confidential plans.
9. Allow students to explore the game in pairs for 10-15 minutes. Students should have
enough time to complete the digestive level.
10. If students have individual logins through My BrainPOP, they’ll be able to take snapshots
during game play to capture significant moments and reflect on their work. Clicking on
the snapshot tool generates a thumbnail image which is stored on the bottom left of the
screen. At any point during game play, students can click on their snapshot(s) and type a
caption or response to a prompt, and save or submit it to your teacher’s account. Check
out Guts and Bolts: Additional Features for My BrainPOP for more information and
specific snapshot prompts you can give students during Guts and Bolts game play.
11. Bring students back to a whole class discussion to talk about their strategies. What
worked? What strategies were not successful? Give students time to record these thoughts
on their worksheet and document how they solved the digestive level. You may want to
play portions of the game as a class to model strategies and help students make
connections. This video can give you more ideas for facilitating student thinking.
12. Provide an additional 10-15 minutes of time for game play. Encourage students to reflect
back on their worksheets as they progress to harder levels.
13. After the time for game play is over, ask students to pause the game before closing it out
and draw their creation at the bottom of the worksheet.
14. Explain that students will design their own level of the game and build it in real life,
combining both the role play activity and the simulation they did online. Challenge
students to work with their initial group to get their ping pong ball through a system they
build together. Each students should bring in an object to represent a body part to build a
prototype. They may bring in random items, or brainstorm in advance what they might be
able to use from home to represent each part. Encourage students to make a blueprint by
creating a diagram on the back of their worksheet.
15. The following day, have students construct their prototypes. Observe as students pipe it
together, and ask questions to stimulate their thinking about the flow. Make sure each
group has a clear goal, which is to get the ping pong ball to go completely through the
system. As an assessment piece, you may want to have them reflect on their learning
through this experience either in writing, by taking photographs and captioning them, or
through a video/podcast.

Extension Activities:

There are several ways you can extend and deepen student understanding after this lesson:

 Have students focus on a particular organ and how it does its job. The Guts and Bolts
game operates from the assumption of a healthy system where everything works together
as it should. Have students generate and explore questions such as: What happens if the
 intestines break down? What if you only had one lung? What if the system was ravaged
with diabetes or congestive heart failure? Have students alter their prototypes to
demonstrate the effects of various health conditions.
 During game play, the brain controls many of the autonomic body functions without the
player having to do anything. You can encourage students to explore these functions of
the brain within the nervous system by talking about the unseen role the central nervous
system (CNS) played. For example, the lungs continued breathing because the diaphragm
was getting signals from the brain stem. Invite students to incorporate the role of the CNS
in their body system prototype and re-create the simulation.
 Ask students to brainstorm a list of organs that were not featured in the game, such as the
pancreas and liver. Divide students into small groups, and have each group select one of
these organs to research. Allow students to utilize the other BrainPOP movies about the
human body (a full list is at the top of this page) to learn more about the system.
Challenge students to demonstrate their knowledge by creating a prototype that simulates
the function of that organ.
 Invite students to design their own assessment for the prototypes they create. How will
they know whether the prototypes are successful? You can provide a simple 3 point
rubric template and have students work in teams to create the criteria for each level of
achievement. Alternatively, students may want to create a checklist of basic standards
that must be met. Encourage students to create a meaningful system of evaluation and use
that system to evaluate their own projects as well as those of the other groups