Name __________________________________________________________________ Date _________________ Period _____
The Integumentary System - Your Skin
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It provides a protective covering. The thin outer part is the
epidermis, in which new cells multiply continuously and push dead skin cells outward. Nails and hair are
dead cells, so it does not hurt to cut them. A thicker, inner layer of the skin is the dermis. The dermis
contains connective tissue which has blood vessels, nerve endings, sweat glands, oil glands, hair follicles,
muscles, and fatty tissue. Folds of skin, or creases, help us to move with comfort and ease. Tiny openings or
holes called pores are in the skin to aid in getting rid of waste products through perspiration, also called
sweat. This also helps us to maintain a constant body temperature. Using a thermometer in the mouth, the
normal body temperature is 98.6oF or 37oC. Oil is produced in the glands to keep the skin smooth and
moist. Another name for oil gland is sebaceous gland. Cells in the epidermis contain cooling matter or
pigment which gives skin its color. In the presence of sunlight, the skin produces Vitamin D. It is healthy to
be in the sun, but too much can cause sunburn, dryness, and over a period of years, cancer can develop.
The nerve endings in the skin detect many sensations such as touch, heat, cold, pressure, and pain. Hair
grows from tiny tubes that extend into the dermis where the cells divide rapidly. The length of the hair
depends on the location in the body. For example, eyelashes have a specific length. They will never grow as
long as the hairs on your head. Muscle fibers of either side of the hair follicle may contract and you get
“goose bumps”. When this happens, air is trapped between the hairs which provides insulation to help keep
you warm. Every human being has a unique fingerprint; no two are alike.
Use the reading to complete the sentences below:
1.
The largest organ of the body is the _______________.
2. The two main layers of the skin are the ___________________________ and the ________________.
3. Why doesn’t it hurt to cut your hair or nails? _______________________________________________________.
4. Why is the skin also considered to be part of the excretory system? ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the normal body temperature? _________________
6. Sebaceous glands produce _____________.
7. The part of the skin that gives it its color is called _______________________________.
8. In sunlight, the skin is able to produce _________________________________.
9. Too much exposure to the Sun can cause ___________________, ___________________, & ________________.
10. Explain what happens when you get goose bumps. _________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. What is a fingerprint? ______________________________________________________________________________
12. Is your fingerprint like anyone else’s? _________________
13. List the 5 functions of the skin: 1) __________________________________
2) ____________________________________________ 3) ____________________________________________
4) ____________________________________________ 5) ____________________________________________
Glue
Glue
Glue
THIS PUZZLE IS OPTIONAL!
Use this vocabulary about the skin and its functions to find these same words in the puzzle.
The words may be vertical, horizontal, forward, backward, or diagonal. Happy hunting!!
HAIR
VITAMIN D
PAIN
TOUCH
PRESSURE
PORES
SKIN
MUSCLES
NAILS
SWEAT
DERMIS
PERSPIRATION
EPIDERMIS
FOLLICLE
PIGMENT
GLANDS
FAT
TISSUE
TEMPERATURE
COLD
FINGERPRINT
V
R
E
F
O
G
S
E
L
C
S
U M W
T
S
K
I
N
L
A
P
C
L
T
I
K
U
P
I
U
N
E
Q
A
D
P
O
R
E
S
T
E
E
C
G
M
I
K
I
U
G
L
N W
E
R
R
T
E
N
C
P
C
L
X
E
D
E
M
S
U
P
R
E
W H
F
Q
O
F
K
A
P
P
S
Y
P
I
G
A
E
U
S
S
I
T
E
I
S
E
R
N
V
I
T
A
M
I
N
D
R
R
E
P
I
D
E
R
M
I
S
A
R
S
A
A
R
A
N
E
Q
F
P
A
Z
E
N
D
T
T
P
D
T
R
E
O
N
A
I
L
S
N
U
I
M
A
T
M
A
I
G
D
F
C
G
A
R
O
F
K
U
I
K
F
O
L
L
I
C
L
E
N
Z
E
F
S
T
N
E
M G
I
P
G
X