Excretory WebQuest
Print out completed pretest and hand in to me at the end of class. Then continue with Webquest.
Introduction
You are a doctor and a female patient, 32 years of age, comes into your office complaining of frequent urination during the night. You suspect, diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, or first stages of kidney disease. She is very nervous and scared. To help alleviate her anxiety you explain the basic function of the excretory system, what you will be testing for, and the possible reasons she is experiencing this urination problem.
Task
By the end of the WebQuest you will be able to draw and label a nephron and answer the following questions.
1. What organs make up the excretory system?
2. What are excretory substances?
3. What structures compose the kidney?
4. What are the different areas of the nephron called?
5. How is urine formed and what is an electrolyte?
6. How does the nephron maintain homeostasis, through filtration, reabsorption, and secretion?
7. What is the function of ADH in maintaining homeostasis?
8. What is the function of aldosterone in maintaining homeostasis?
9. What are some conditions of poorly functioning kidneys?
Process
First, use this website to explain to your patient the organs of the excretory system. http://www.whitman.edu/biology/vpd/excquiz.htmlNext, you use the following web site to explain the parts of the kidney and how filtration works.
http://interactivehuman.blogspot.com/2008/06/animation-kidney-parts-of-nephron.html
Because your patient is suffering from frequent urination, what might you expect to find during the urinalysis?
Then, you explain to your patient you will do a urinalysis. Use this web site, http://www.biologymad.com/resources/kidney.swf, to explain how a normal nephron filters water, glucose, sodium, urea, and protein.
Using this web site, http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec11/ch142/ch142c.html explain briefly to your patient what high levels of the following might indicate:
1. Protein
2. Glucose
3. Urine concentration
Your patient’s urinalysis shows normal levels protein and glucose. However, she has very concentrated urine.
Based on the information you have gathered, what is possible cause of her symptoms?
Now watch these videos, diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disease to diagnose your patient based on her symptoms.
Is she suffering from diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, or early kidney disease?
What is your recommendation for treatment?
Evaluation
Find other teams with the same diagnosis. As a group, present to the class your diagnosis of the patient's ailment. Include a detailed, visual representation of what is occurring in her kidney and how you will treat her.
Conclusion
At the end of this WebQuest you should have a firm understanding of the organs excretory system. You should be able to discuss in detail how homeostasis is maintained in the nephron and give examples of renal ailments and their causes.
