THE 6 MAJOR BODY SYSTEMS
And how they interact with each other to keep the “body machine” alive and working well.
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM / CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: transport blood throughout the body by circulating
PRIMARY ORGANS/PARTS: Heart, blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries)
(1) Transports/carries nutrients and oxygen through the blood to most parts of the body
(2) Transports/carries waste in cells and carbon-dioxide (CO2) away from the parts:
(a) Cell waste goes to the kidneys for filter and disposal
(b) Carbon-dioxide (CO2) goes to the lungs to exhale (breathe out)
Kidneys and Lungs have a close relationship with Cardiovascular system
Kidneys: filter through blood to take out the waste and get it eventually out of the body
Lungs: breathes in oxygen and gives it to the blood for Circulatory system to carry throughout the body; and
takes unneeded carbon-dioxide (CO2) from the blood and breathes that out.
Circulatory/Cardiovascular System through the blood to most parts of the body provides nutrients and oxygen
which is needed for our bodies to have ENERGY!
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Breathing - taking in Oxygen, pushing out Carbon-Dioxide (CO2)
PRIMARY ORGANS: Lungs, trachea (tube going from lungs to nose/mouth)
(1) Inhales (breathes in) Oxygen - good for the body - gives it to the Circulatory System to be transported
throughout the body through the blood.
(2) Exhales (breathes out) Carbon-Dioxide (CO2) - lungs get this gas from the blood (Circ. Sys.) and pushes it out
of the body
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: take in food; break down food into nutrients (good) and waste (unneeded)
PRIMARY ORGANS: Stomach, large and small intestines, esophagus (tube from stomach to mouth)
(1) Digestive System gets nutrients (good) from food and hands it over to the blood and Circulatory System then
carries those nutrients where they need to go.
(2) Filters out waste from food and pushes it through intestines and out the body (and you know how and where it
gets out).
NERVOUS SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Control Center: transports messages to/from the Brain!
PRIMARY ORGANS: Brain, nerves, neurons, spinal cord (main connection coming out of the brain to the rest
of the body’s nerves)
(1) Sends messages to the entire body from the Brain.
(a) Involuntary messages/signals tell the body parts to do regular actions for body to work; We don’t think
about these actions; like breathing, heart-pumping, digestion, etc
(b) Voluntary messages/signals tell the body parts to do something particular; We think about these
actions; LIKE: We decide to raise our arms; We choose words to speak; We choose to look in a certain
direction; etc.
(2) Receives messages from the 5 senses (hearing, touch, taste, seeing, smelling) takes those to the Brain and
the brain processes the new information - and how to react if necessary.
And how they interact with each other to keep the “body machine” alive and working well.
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM / CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: transport blood throughout the body by circulating
PRIMARY ORGANS/PARTS: Heart, blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries)
(1) Transports/carries nutrients and oxygen through the blood to most parts of the body
(2) Transports/carries waste in cells and carbon-dioxide (CO2) away from the parts:
(a) Cell waste goes to the kidneys for filter and disposal
(b) Carbon-dioxide (CO2) goes to the lungs to exhale (breathe out)
Kidneys and Lungs have a close relationship with Cardiovascular system
Kidneys: filter through blood to take out the waste and get it eventually out of the body
Lungs: breathes in oxygen and gives it to the blood for Circulatory system to carry throughout the body; and
takes unneeded carbon-dioxide (CO2) from the blood and breathes that out.
Circulatory/Cardiovascular System through the blood to most parts of the body provides nutrients and oxygen
which is needed for our bodies to have ENERGY!
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Breathing - taking in Oxygen, pushing out Carbon-Dioxide (CO2)
PRIMARY ORGANS: Lungs, trachea (tube going from lungs to nose/mouth)
(1) Inhales (breathes in) Oxygen - good for the body - gives it to the Circulatory System to be transported
throughout the body through the blood.
(2) Exhales (breathes out) Carbon-Dioxide (CO2) - lungs get this gas from the blood (Circ. Sys.) and pushes it out
of the body
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: take in food; break down food into nutrients (good) and waste (unneeded)
PRIMARY ORGANS: Stomach, large and small intestines, esophagus (tube from stomach to mouth)
(1) Digestive System gets nutrients (good) from food and hands it over to the blood and Circulatory System then
carries those nutrients where they need to go.
(2) Filters out waste from food and pushes it through intestines and out the body (and you know how and where it
gets out).
NERVOUS SYSTEM
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Control Center: transports messages to/from the Brain!
PRIMARY ORGANS: Brain, nerves, neurons, spinal cord (main connection coming out of the brain to the rest
of the body’s nerves)
(1) Sends messages to the entire body from the Brain.
(a) Involuntary messages/signals tell the body parts to do regular actions for body to work; We don’t think
about these actions; like breathing, heart-pumping, digestion, etc
(b) Voluntary messages/signals tell the body parts to do something particular; We think about these
actions; LIKE: We decide to raise our arms; We choose words to speak; We choose to look in a certain
direction; etc.
(2) Receives messages from the 5 senses (hearing, touch, taste, seeing, smelling) takes those to the Brain and
the brain processes the new information - and how to react if necessary.
