To evaluate the different integumentary systems found in the animal kingdom, students conduct an exploratory research-based lab. During the activity, students create a model epidermis that contains phosphorescent powder and compare the results to a control model. After learning about the variations of integumentary systems—systems that comprise the skin and other appendages that act to protect animal bodies from damage—students act as engineers to mimic animal skin samples. Their goal is to create a skin sample that closely represents the animal they are mimicking while protecting the base ‘epidermis’ from UV light.

The integument, or skin is an organ system of the body made of tissues that work together as a single structure to perform unique and critical functions, such as protection from the external environment and body temperature regulation. The skin is composed of many layers of cells. It is made of two to three layers- the epidermis, and the dermis, which are made up of both epithelial tissue and different types of connective tissue. These layers are held to underlying structures by connective tissue

Towards finding a solution to the unit's Grand Challenge Question about using nanoparticles to detect, treat and protect against skin cancer, students continue the research phase in order to answer the next research questions: What is the structure and function of skin? How does UV radiation affect the chemical reactions that go on within the skin? After seeing an ultraviolet-sensitive bead change color and learning how they work, students learn about skin anatomy and the effects of ultraviolet radiation on human skin, pollution's damaging effect on the ozone layer that can lead to increases in skin cancer, the UV index, types of skin cancer, ABCDEs of mole and lesion evaluation, and the sun protection factor (SPF) rating system for sunscreens. This prepares students to conduct the associated activity, in which they design quality-control experiments to test SPF substances.

Hank introduces us to one of the most diverse and important families in the tree of life - the vascular plants. These plants have found tremendous success and their secret is also their defining trait: conductive tissues that can take food and water from one part of a plant to another part. Though it sounds simple, the ability to move nutrients and water from one part of an organism to another was an evolutionary breakthrough for vascular plants, allowing them to grow exponentially larger, store food for lean times, and develop features that allowed them to spread farther and faster. Plants dominated the earth long before animals even showed up, and even today hold the world records for the largest, most massive, and oldest organisms on the planet.

Chapters:
1) 3 Tissue Types
2) Primary Growth
3) Secondary Growth
4) Dermal Tissue
a) Epidermis
5) Parenchyma Cells
6) Vascular Tissue
7) Xylem
8) Collenchyma
9) Sclerenchyma
10) Ground Tissue
a) Mesophyll
b) Photosynthesis
11) Phloem