This honors course examines the major body systems organ structures and functions, and the hierarchy of organization within an organ system. Students will focus on the physiological and structural details of the body and then, for each body system, learn the scientific background and procedural methods required to gather factual data, evaluate that data and develop conclusions about the disease or conditions involoved in that particular body system.

The objective of this course is to offer students a rigorously paced life science course to prepare them for the challenges of the college level material they will encounter in pursuit of a career in a health or medical profession. The course development has been guided by three main goals: to give students interested in a health or medical profession the opportunity to engage in deeper content knowledge related to the structure and functions of human body systems and how they work together to maintain homeostasis to develop real-world laboratory and clinical skills through engagement in the seven Science and Engineering Practices outlined by the Next Generation Science Standards to give students who are interested in pursuing a health or medical profession insight into the wide variety of options for participating in these fields by exposure to the clinical, research, and professional opportunities available to them through research, field trips, and guest lecturers.

In addition to developing content knowledge and laboratory skills, students will also be taught the study skills necessary to learn and retain large quantities of information so they can be successful in this course and in their future studies. Medical terminology will be integrated into the students’ study as they work through each body system. Students will gain physical and critical thinking skills as they apply their knowledge of the body to many laboratory activities, medical case studies, and real life scenarios to which they must respond appropriately.