What are the muscles and how do they work? - Teacher notes

Within the human body, muscles play a crucial role in facilitating movement and are connected to bones by tough, fibrous cords known as tendons. Teachers are encouraged to explain to their pupils that these muscles are responsible for movement by contracting and relaxing. When a muscle contracts, it becomes shorter, which results in a pulling force on the bone to which it is attached. Conversely, when the muscle relaxes, it elongates, returning to its original size and shape.

Teachers are tasked with conveying the important concept that muscles are only capable of pulling, not pushing, which is why they typically operate in pairs to enable movement at a joint. For example, to move a joint, one muscle in the pair will contract to pull the joint in one direction, while its counterpart contracts to pull in the opposite direction. To aid in the pupils' understanding, they are advised to refer to provided materials and to watch educational videos from BBC Bitesize. Furthermore, the lesson includes an interactive element where pupils work in pairs to formulate questions about muscle function and then challenge another pair in a quiz-style format to reinforce their learning.