Chapter 7: Chemical Coordination

Textbook pages
98–103

Chapter overview
This chapter covers the endocrine system, the roles of different hormones and the differences
between hormonal and nervous communication.

What to expect
Specification areas covered:
2.80 understand how organisms are able to respond to changes in their environment
2.82 understand that a coordinated response requires a stimulus, a receptor and an effector
2.86 describe how nervous and hormonal communication control responses and understand the
differences between the two systems
2.94 understand the sources, roles and effects of the following hormones: adrenaline, insulin,
testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen

2.95B understand the sources, roles and effects of the following hormones: ADH, FSH and LH

Homework tasks will typically be research on the effects of hormones and worksheet questions with
factual questions on hormones, or data analysis of blood glucose changes or effects of adrenaline.

Teaching Notes
 This topic is best introduced after nervous coordination. The general definition of hormones
and what endocrine glands are should be covered, and the endocrine and nervous system
compared. Apart from adrenaline and insulin, all other hormones are probably best
considered when teaching particular topic areas (ADH: excretion; testosterone,
progesterone, oestrogen; FSH, LH: human reproduction). A list of the hormones should be
discussed with pupils, but the details of hormones should be covered in the relevant topics.
 Pupils could make a table to compare nervous and hormonal communication. This could be
done by giving them cards with terms such as ‘electrical’ and ‘chemical’ and asking them to
identify with method the cards fit with.
 A graph of changing blood glucose levels during a 24-hour period could be analysed. Pupils
can identify when meals have been taken, when exercise has occurred and where insulin
would be released.
 A list of effects of adrenaline could be given to pupils (e.g. increased heart rate, increased
breathing rate, raised blood glucose level, blood diverted to muscles) and pupils then discuss
the function of each of these changes in groups before reporting back to the class.
 As a revision exercise, a table on A3 paper can be drawn up with columns labelled
‘hormone’, ‘source’, ‘role’, ‘effects’. Pupils then summarise each hormone on the table,
either individually or by passing the paper round and each filling in one fact and the final
table then discussed.

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Differentiation
 For extension, pupils could research other hormones such as glucagon (extending knowledge
of blood glucose regulation) and thyroxine.
 For less-able pupils, hormones, sources and functions can be written on cards and then the
cards matched up with each other.

Possible misunderstandings
 Some pupils are confused by the effects of ADH, often thinking that it reduces permeability
of the collecting duct.
 Some pupils think that glucose, rather than glycogen, is stored in liver cells.

Practicals
Practi cals listed in the textbook

There are no practicals in this chapter.

Additi onal Practi cals

 There are few practicals possible, although it may be possible to test the effects of drinking
caffeinated cola compared to decaffeinated cola on the heart rate of pupils. This can be
completed as an experimental planning exercise and the need for a control experiment
(caffeine-free cola) discussed.

© Pearson Education Ltd 2018. Copying permitted for purchasing institution only. This material is
not copyright free.