Mississippi Science HAP.9.1

ScienceGrades 9–12Human Anatomy and Physiology

The Standard

HAP.9: Students will analyze the structure and functions of blood and its role in maintaining homeostasis.

Describe the structure, function, and origin of the cellular components and plasma components of blood.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Blood

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma in a blood diagram. They explain what each part does and where it comes from, including bone marrow for cells and platelets, and the gut and liver for plasma components.
What Mastery Looks Like: They tell biconcave red cells, nucleated white cells, and tiny platelet fragments apart in a diagram. They connect red cells to oxygen transport, white cells to defense, platelets to clotting, and plasma to carrying dissolved materials. They trace blood cells and platelets to marrow, plasma water to the gut, and most plasma proteins to the liver.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think platelets are whole cells or that plasma is just water with nothing dissolved in it. They may say white blood cells carry oxygen or that the liver makes blood cells.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Draw and label red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Add one job and source for each; name separate sources for plasma water and most plasma proteins.

Lesson moves

Build a blood model with red clay discs, white clay balls, tiny paper dots, and water; label each part's job and source.
Ask: Why would a cut keep bleeding if a person had too few platelets but a normal red blood cell count?
Match red cell, white cell, platelet, and plasma picture cards to job cards and source cards labeled marrow, gut, and liver.
Show a mock blood test with a low platelet count and ask why the patient bruises easily despite a normal red cell count.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to HAP.9.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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