Title: How do muscles move?

Subject/Course: PSE4U (Exercise Science)

Time: 75 minutes
Strand: Biological Basis of Movement
Grades: 12
Lesson Description
Students will be learning about the Sliding Filament Theory. This is the way that human
muscles contract and lead to locomotion of the body.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Fundamental Concepts/Skills
Apply how the sliding filament theory works and how all muscles in our bodies move
using this theory.
Can the students relate this physiological principle to human performance?
Big Ideas/Essential Question

How do our muscles move?

Ontario Curricular Overall Expectation

-

Describe the structure and function of the body and of physiological principles relating to
human performance.

Ontario Curricular Specific Expectation

-

Use correct anatomical terminology when describing human performance.

Describe muscle contraction, demonstrating their understanding of sliding filament
theory, the use of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and calcium, excitation/coupling
contraction theory, and concentric, eccentric, and static contractions.

Lesson Goals

Students will learn all the different phases of the sliding filament theory
Students will observe this mechanism of human movement in three types of muscle in the
body (skeletal, smooth, and cardiac)
Students will also learn the differences between concentric, eccentric, and static
contractions

Key concepts and/or skills to be

learned/applied:

Background Knowledge:

Students must be able to explain all the

different phases of the sliding filament
theory
Students must understand the 3 different
types of contractions

Understanding of ATP as it Is the basic form

of energy in the human body

Stage 2: Planning learning experience and instruction

Student Groupings
Instructional Strategies
Whole group
Teacher-led discussion
Individual work
Individual work sheet
Large group discussion

Materials
Computer with projector
White board
Work sheets with phases of sliding
filament theory in the wrong order
Props for group activity (broom, garbage
bag, clothes pins, and plungers)
Accommodations

Students who do not want to partake in the class activity do not have to, only those who
volunteer will take part.
Students who need extra time for their worksheet may take it home and complete it as
homework.

Stage 3: Learning experience and instruction

Motivational Hook ( 5 MINS.):
Pose the question to the class how do our muscles move? Most should have a good guess as
this is a grade 12 elective class that they decided to take.
Open ( 10 MINS):
Discuss with the class how not only humans use this as their form of locomotion but many other
creatures on earth do as well. Explain how the sliding filament, although very small, when
millions contract at once we can see incredible amounts of forced produced
Elude to the idea of steroids and how they affect the contractility of a muscle
Add some of the new vocabulary discussed in the hook and opening to the word wall of the new
terms the students have seen (Actin, myosin, tropomyosin, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle,
cardiac muscle, etc)
Body (50 MINS):

Begin to lecture on all the different phases of the sliding filament theory (20-25 minutes).
Be thorough in the explanation as these students have never seen this material before.
Include video at the end to summarize for the students. Also show the students where
exactly the sliding filament theory occurs in a muscle.
Ask 4 students to volunteer to rein act all the different phases of the sliding filament
theory. With the help of their peers they will properly rein act each phase of the sliding
filament theory by being creative with the given props (broom, garbage bag, clothes
pins, and plungers). After some preparation time the group of students will present their
production of the sliding filament to the class and teacher. (15 minutes)
Students will now be given a work sheet to try and recall again all the different phases of
the sliding filament
Speak briefly about the different types of contractions (3 main kinds) and what is
happening at the microscopic level during these contractions.

Close ( 10 MINS):

Ask students how they think that some people are stronger than others and how do they
think our muscles can produce more force?

Elude to how energy systems are linked to muscle contractility and how bodies are
shaped due to their training regime
Finally mention how we will start to look at muscle fiber types (type I. type IIa and type
IIx)
o If students are not done worksheet it will be homework

Extension Activity: what if students finish early?

If students finish the activity and/or worksheet early they can have a look in their
textbooks or online for the use of steroids and the physiological repercussions that it has
on the human body and on the sliding filament theory.
Have them write down what they believe to be the major implications and be ready to
lead a discussion at the start of the next class regarding these substances.

Link to Future Lessons

Steroid use and abuse

Muscle fiber type and abilities of these muscles
Energy system uses in regards to human performance
What effect training has on skeletal muscle and human performance (in sport and day to
day living)

Assessment

Marks for creativity and use of the props in the class presentation but also accuracy of
the specific phases that were taught during the lesson
Direct results from the students work sheets to see if they understood all the phases of
the sliding filament theory.

Rationale
This lesson covers a very important building block for the entire course with the sliding
filament theory. As the strand of this section of the course is entitled Biological Basis of
Movement, it is necessary for the students to understand how it is that we as humans move.
It is very important that the students do not refer to specific muscles or bones in the body
with generalizations like the arm or the leg so by making it mandatory to use the correct
terminology we are accomplishing one of the specific expectations set out in the curriculum.
The other specific expectation that is achieved in this lesson is that of teaching the students
about muscle contractility via the sliding filament theory. Through students background
knowledge of the different types of muscle contractions and the use of ATP, they will be able
to understand how the basic unit of the muscle functions. This knowledge is conveyed in a
multitude of formats. It is conveyed through lecture, video, performance, and a work sheet. It
will be stressed how important it is to understand the general idea of how the structure works
and not just rote memorizing all the different steps. The purpose of having the students learn
the steps is to know where the muscles utilize energy and make practical sense of it when we
start to apply it to human performance. When we relate this information to human
performance we ultimately achieve the overall expectation of the course that says students
will be able to describe the structure and function of the body and of physiological principles
relating to human performance. Although they will not obtain all of the skills from this lesson
to 100% achieve this expectation, it is a very important building block to help them through
the rest of the semester and the course.