Human Systems
In addition to the misconception regarding breathing and respiration mentioned earlier several other aspects of human system mechanism give rise to difficulties amongst teachers.
Different aspects of human systems are introduced at stages throughout the Singapore primary science curriculum. Digestive and muscular/Skeletal systems are covered in P3, Respiratory and circulatory systems in P4 , reproduction in P5 along with greater depth of understanding of respiration.
The most common problem is that teachers appear to take a one dimensional view of the different systems and often fail to appreciate the necessary levels of inter-working between systems that takes place in order for the body to function.
This one dimensional view is illustrated in Example Question 10 taken from a P5 paper. The teacher’s intended answer is option 2. However, at the end of the exercise run, the chest will be heaving, the diaphragm moving and the heart beating-all of these are muscular systems. Therefore, none of the statements is false and so no correct answer key is available.
Similarly in Example Question 11 , also from a P5 test paper, the intended answer of option 1 – circulatory and digestive systems – is likely to cause problems for many pupils who will rightly see that if the respiratory system is not working then neither will be the circulatory or digestive systems.