Teacher’s questions for respecting the body’s clocks

SCIENCE

Before reading:

1. Why do you tend to wake, get hungry and get tired at about the same time

every day?

2. If your body has a “clock,” where do you think it’s located?

3. What do you think might reset that clock, especially when you travel across

many time zones?

4. What value might having such a clock offer?

During reading:

1. What are circadian rhythms?

2. Why should national and international athletes care about these rhythms?

3. Name at least three things that can affect (reset) body clocks.

4. Explain the difference between the master body clock and other body clocks.

5. Where is the master clock and what is its name?

6. How accurate is that clock and what keeps it roughly on time?

7. How does RNA relate to DNA?

8. What is melatonin, what produces it — and when?

9. Why might light matter, especially when it’s bright or at night?

After reading:

1. What health benefits might scientists learn about by studying body clocks?

2. What could you do to deliberately affect — or help protect — your body

clock?

3. What segments of society regularly abuse their body clocks? (Hint: Who works

at unusual places or times?)

SOCIAL STUDIES

1. What jobs or activities are most likely to confuse body clocks, putting

people’s health at risk?

2. How might people be able to fool their body clocks at times when work, play

and sleep schedules might threaten to unintentionally reset those clocks?

LANGUAGE ARTS

1. Write at least four paragraphs comparing — and contrasting — your master

body clock to a real, ticking alarm clock.

2. Write at least four paragraphs explaining why you personally think

protecting the timing of your body clocks is important — or potentially overrated.