Muscular System Lesson Plan – A Complete Science Lesson Using the 5E Method of Instruction

By the end of this lesson plan about the muscular system lesson plan, students will be able to identify the main functions of the muscular system and how it is structured. They will also be able to identify the main organs associated with this system. Each of our lessons is designed using the 5E method of instruction to ensure maximum comprehension by the students. This well-thought out unit does the heavy lifting, giving teachers easy-to-implement, highly engaging lesson plans.

This blog will walk you through each of the steps and activities of the Muscular System 5E Lesson Plan.

ENGAGEMENT

Objective Introduction

At the beginning of the lesson, the class will do a Think-Pair-Share to discuss the objective.

Class Activity

1. Have students tell you what they already know about the muscular system.
2. Write the words Voluntary and Involuntary on the board.
3. Ask students to define these words.
4. Watch the video using the provided link.

Student Activity

1. How many types of muscles are in the human body?
2. Name these types of muscles.
3. Which of the three types of muscles are voluntary?
4. Which of the three types of muscles are involuntary?
5. Where are smooth muscles found?
6. What connects muscles to bones?
7. Name two major skeletal muscles.
8. How do you keep your muscles strong?

The teacher will help to clear any misconceptions about the muscular system. A major misconception is that students think that cardiac muscle cells generate their own action potentials without nervous system input.

Estimated Class Time for the Engagement: 20-30 minutes

EXPLORATION

This student-centered station lab is set up so students can begin to explore the muscular system. With nine stations in total, you can introduce the muscular system to your middle school students in a variety of ways! Four of these stations are considered input stations where students will learn new information about the muscular system, and four of the stations are output stations where students will be demonstrating their mastery of the lesson's material. A bonus station offers challenges for your early finishers and independent learners. You can read more about how I set up the station labs here.

Watch It!

At this station, students will be watching a short video explaining the muscular system. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example: What is the primary function of the muscular system? What are the five major properties of the muscular system? What are the three types of muscles?

Read It!

This station will provide students with a one-page reading about the fun facts about the muscular system. There are 4 follow-up questions that the students will answer to demonstrate their comprehension of the reading material.

Explore It!

Students will be working in pairs to better understand the muscular system. In this station, students will be observing diagrams pertaining to the muscular system. As they explore, students will record their observations on their lab sheet.

Research It!

The research station will allow students to explore an interactive webpage that has students take a scientific approach to understanding the muscular system. Students will be instructed to complete a few tasks and record answers on their lab sheets.

Organize It!

Students at this station will match the sets of cards.  Students will read a series of cards and will match the descriptions to their correct locations on the diagram. Once students have completed their organization, the teacher will check their understanding.

Illustrate It!

Your visual students will love this station. Students are to create and label a diagram that shows the function of the muscular system.

Write It!

Students who can answer open-ended questions about the lab truly understand the concepts that are being taught.  At this station, the students will be answering three task cards: Explain the muscular system including the structures involved and the function of the system. How does the muscular system work directly with the skeletal system? A common sports injury in football and basketball is an injured Achilles tendon. Explain why you think this happens so often.

Assess It!

The Assess It station is where students will go to prove mastery over the concepts they learned in the lab.  The questions are set up in a standardized format with multiple choice answers.  Some questions include: Which is not a part of the muscular system? Which of these activities is not related to the muscular system? Cardio and Smooth muscle types are involuntary. Skeletal muscle types are ______. The muscular system works directly with the _____ system to allow the body to move.

Challenge It! - Bonus Station

Early finishers and advanced students will love the extension activities in this station. Four activity choices offer them ways to expand their learning through mini-games and mini-projects.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: One or two 45-minute class periods

EXPLANATION

The explanation activities will become much more engaging for your class once they’ve completed the exploration station lab. During the explanation piece of the lesson, the teacher will be clearing up any misconceptions their students may have about the muscular system with a variety of materials. These materials include on-level and modified versions of the interactive presentation (may be used individually or projected), anchor charts, and paper or digital interactive notebook activities. If you have students that need modified notes, the 5E lessons come equipped to help give every student access to the lesson.

Interactive notebook samples: Above-left is a digital INB activity slide; above-right is an example of the paper INB activities.

The students will also be interacting with their journals while taking notes from the PowerPoint. If you have students that need modified notes, the 5E lessons come equipped to help give every student access to the lesson.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: Two or three 45-minute class periods

ELABORATION

The elaboration section of the 5E method of instruction gives students choices that allow them to prove they’ve mastered the concepts behind the lesson. When students are given a choice, they’re much more enthusiastic and invested in the project than they are when their teachers choose their projects for them. There are a total of nine choices to demonstrate understanding of the muscular system. A separate set of choices that offer more teacher support are also available for students that need them. Rubrics guide students to doing their best work and assist in grading.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: Two or three 45-minute class periods (can also be used as an at-home project)

EVALUATION

The final piece of the 5E model is to evaluate your students' comprehension. Included in every 5E lesson is a homework assignment, assessment, and modified assessment. Research has shown that homework needs to be meaningful and applicable to real-world activities in order to be effective. When possible, I like to give open-ended assessments to truly gauge the student’s comprehension.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: One 45-minute class period

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