SCIENCE
Before reading:
- Why do you tend to wake, get hungry and get tired at about the same time
every day? - If your body has a “clock,” where do you think it’s located?
- What do you think might reset that clock, especially when you travel across
many time zones? - What value does having such a clock offer?
During reading:
- What are circadian rhythms?
- Name at least three features that can affect (reset) body clocks.
- What kind of a compound is leptin and what does it do?
- Leptin concentrations in the body dropped, due to mixed-up body clocks. What
did that suggest to the scientists? - What does the leptin concentration drop suggest might happen when kids
frequently stay up late? - At least in mice, the master body clock is like what member of a symphony
orchestra? - Explain the difference between the master body clock and the “food” clock?
After Reading:
- What health benefits might scientists learn about by studying body clocks?
- What could you do to deliberately affect — or help control — your body
clock? - What segments of society regularly abuse their body clocks? (Hint: Who works
at unusual places or times?)
SOCIAL STUDIES
- What jobs or activities are most likely to confuse body clocks, putting
people’s health at risk? - 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
- Write at least four paragraphs comparing — and contrasting — your master
body clock to a real ticking alarm clock. - Write at least four paragraphs explaining why you personally think
protecting the timing of your body clocks is important — or probably overrated.
