Unit 07 · Endocrine & Reproductive Systems
Two systems share this unit because they run on the same currency — chemical messengers. The endocrine system releases hormones from ductless glands into the blood to regulate metabolism, growth, the stress response, and blood sugar from a distance; the reproductive system is itself hormone-driven, producing gametes and the sex hormones that shape it. Mastery means you can name a gland, the hormone it releases, and the target that hormone reaches — and, for the reproductive system, use the clinical anatomical vocabulary precisely and without euphemism.
| Criterion | Not yet | Approaching | Mastered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endocrine glands & their hormones | Cannot locate the major endocrine glands or name what they release. | Locates the glands but cannot pair each with its principal hormone. | Locates the major endocrine glands and names the principal hormone each releases. |
| Hormone action & feedback | Thinks a hormone acts on every cell at once. | Says hormones travel in blood but cannot name a target or a feedback loop. | Explains that a hormone reaches specific target tissues and describes a negative-feedback loop (e.g. blood sugar or thyroid). |
| Reproductive anatomy (male & female) | Cannot identify the major structures, or uses slang instead of anatomical terms. | Names some structures but confuses the ducts or uses imprecise vocabulary. | Identifies the major male and female structures in order and names each with the correct anatomical term. |
| Gametes & the reproductive cycle | Cannot say where gametes are made or what the cycle does. | Names the gonads but cannot connect them to the hormonal cycle. | Identifies where gametes form and outlines how sex hormones drive the ovarian / menstrual cycle or sperm production. |
| Lab technique (gland / gonad ID) | Cannot bring a slide into focus or identify a gland on a model. | Names a gland or gonad but cannot point to the features that justify the call. | Identifies an endocrine gland or gonad on a model or prepared slide and defends the ID with two visible distinguishing features. |
| Integration (cross-domain) | Treats the science as isolated facts; makes no cross-domain connection. | Names a link to history, reading, or writing but cannot defend why it matters. | Connects the unit to its anchor across History · Reading · Writing (plus chosen electives) and defends why the connection matters. |
“This is thyroid tissue — the round follicles filled with pink colloid are the giveaway. The thyroid releases T3 and T4, which set the metabolic rate of nearly every tissue, and TSH from the pituitary controls it through negative feedback.”
“Some gland with circles in it. Hormones do stuff to your body.”
You demonstrate this unit at the bench — identifying glands and gonads on models or prepared slides, naming the hormone each releases, and using precise anatomical vocabulary — not on a multiple-choice test. The reproductive system is taught in clinical register: canonical terms, no euphemism. A criterion counts as mastered only when you can find the structure and explain what it does. Mastery is demonstrated, not awarded.
A 5-page clipboard packet — unit overview, key terms, the mastery rubric, anchor examples, and a score sheet you can print and grade against.