Best for
Introductory anatomy, hauora science, and body-systems units where students need to notice relationships between systems, not just memorise terms.
Science / Hauora • Years 5-8 • Systems thinking
Human Body Systems Connection Builder
Use this handout to help ākonga understand that the body is not a set of isolated facts. It is a network of systems working together to move, breathe, repair, think, and stay in balance.
Free systems overview, premium adaptation path
This handout is ready to print as-is. If you want it adapted to your PE unit, a junior body-systems topic, or a senior explanation task, Te Wānanga can rebuild the prompts for your sequence.
- Rewrite it for junior oral-language learners or older science writers.
- Swap in a sport, kapa haka, or hauora context from your class.
- Save the adapted copy in My Kete and continue later in Creation Studio.
Kaiako planning snapshot
- Use length: 35-50 minutes.
- Grouping: Whole-class model, then pair explanation and independent observation writing.
- Prep: Optional pulse timers, body outline chart, or prior vocabulary wall.
- Teaching move: Keep asking “What systems are helping here?” so students shift from single-answer thinking to systems thinking.
Resources already provided
- System-role overview cards
- Systems-working-together table
- Movement observation prompt
- Diagram and explanation space
- Support, core, and stretch options
- Teacher-only curriculum companion
If the lesson mentions a response grid, sketch space, or comparison task, those supports are already built in.
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga / Learning Intentions
- We are learning to identify major human body systems and their roles.
- We are learning to explain how body systems work together during everyday actions.
- We are learning to connect science ideas about the body to hauora and wellbeing.
Paearu Angitu / Success Criteria
- I can describe the job of at least four body systems.
- I can explain how two or more systems work together during one action.
- I can use accurate science vocabulary when I write or label my ideas.
Curriculum integration / Te Mātaiaho alignment
Use the companion page to connect this handout to body-systems understanding, observation, oral explanation, and hauora-aware science teaching.
Science in an Aotearoa context
Body-systems learning becomes more meaningful when ākonga connect it to real life: sport, kapa haka, work, rest, stress, sleep, kai, and movement. These are all part of how people experience hauora in Aotearoa classrooms and communities.
Te Whare Tapa Whā reminds us that physical wellbeing never stands alone. The science here focuses on the body, but kaiako can naturally link it to emotions, relationships, and daily choices that affect the whole person.
Major body systems
Circulatory
Moves blood, oxygen, and nutrients around the body.
Respiratory
Brings oxygen in and removes carbon dioxide.
Digestive
Breaks food down so nutrients can be absorbed.
Muscular
Helps the body move and maintain posture.
Skeletal
Provides structure and protects major organs.
Nervous
Sends messages so the body can react and coordinate.
One action, many systems
| Action | Which systems are involved? | What is each one doing? |
|---|---|---|
| Running to catch a bus | Muscular, respiratory, circulatory | |
| Eating lunch | Digestive, circulatory, nervous | |
| Balancing on one foot | Skeletal, muscular, nervous |
Observe your own body in action
Quick observation
- Take your pulse or count your breaths while resting.
- March or jog on the spot for 30 seconds.
- Count again and note what changed.
- Explain which systems caused the change and why.
My explanation
Write a short explanation of what changed in your body and which systems were cooperating.
Body systems map
Draw one human outline. Choose two systems and show how they connect during a movement, a sport, or an everyday action. Label at least four parts.
Different ways in
Support
Choose one action and identify only two systems with a labelled drawing.
Core
Complete the table and write a paragraph explaining how systems work together.
Stretch
Compare what changes first and what changes later when a person moves from resting to intense exercise.
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Social Sciences — Tikanga ā-Iwi
Level 3–4: Investigate social, cultural, environmental, and economic questions; gather and evaluate evidence from diverse sources; communicate findings and reasoning clearly for different audiences and purposes.
English — Communication
Level 3–4: Read, interpret, and evaluate information texts; write clearly and purposefully for specific audiences; apply critical thinking skills to evaluate sources and construct well-reasoned responses.
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
This resource sits within a kaupapa that recognises mātauranga Māori as a living knowledge system with its own frameworks, values, and ways of understanding the world. The New Zealand Curriculum calls for learning that reflects the bicultural partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which means every subject area has an obligation to engage authentically with Māori perspectives — not as cultural decoration but as substantive contributions to how we understand our topics. The concepts of manaakitanga (care for others), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship and belonging), and tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) provide a values framework applicable across all learning areas, and all are relevant to the work in this handout.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Support Materials
This handout is designed to be used alongside the broader unit resources available at Te Kete Ako handouts library. Related resources from the same unit are linked in the unit planner. All resources are provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.