Mississippi Science HAP.5.3
The Standard
- HAP.5
- Students will investigate the structures and functions of the muscular system, including the cause and effect of diseases and disorders.
Explain the molecular mechanism of muscle contraction and relaxation.
2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Muscular System
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Trace how a nerve signal releases calcium and exposes binding sites on actin. Explain how myosin pulls actin, how ATP lets myosin detach and reset, and how calcium removal allows relaxation.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can put calcium release, myosin binding, pulling, ATP-driven detachment, and calcium reuptake in order. They can explain why the filaments slide past each other rather than shorten.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think actin and myosin get shorter when a muscle contracts. They may also think ATP is only needed for contraction, or that calcium pulls the filaments.
How to Assess It
- On an exit ticket, have students order calcium release, myosin binding, pulling, ATP-driven detachment, and calcium reuptake. Ask them to explain what makes the muscle relax.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use yarn for actin, paper clips for myosin, and labeled calcium and ATP slips to model pulling, detachment, and relaxation.
Ask pairs why pumping calcium back into storage stops myosin from grabbing actin, even while ATP is available.
Give groups shuffled contraction event cards and have them race to sequence the cards, then explain each step.
Write 'A body becomes stiff after death' on the board, then ask students to connect rigor mortis to ATP and myosin detachment.
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Printable HAP.5.3 Worksheet
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Related Standards
- HAP.5.6
Use technology to plan and conduct an investigation that demonstrates the physiology of muscle contraction, muscle fatigue, or muscle tone. Collect and analyze ...
- HAP.5.5
Compare and contrast the anatomy and physiology of the three types of muscle tissue.
- HAP.4.5
Construct explanations detailing how mechanisms (e.g., Ca2+ regulation) are used by the skeletal system to maintain homeostasis.
- HAP.5.2
Describe the structure and function of the skeletal muscle fiber and the motor unit.
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