Lesson: The Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands Biology • Third Year of Secondary School

Students will be able to

• describe the structure of the thyroid gland and its location in the human body,
• describe the structure of the parathyroid gland and its location in the human body,
• recall that thyroxine is released from the thyroid gland and outline its function in regulating metabolic rate, maintaining heart rate and blood pressure, and supporting normal growth,
• recall that calcitonin is released from the thyroid gland and outline its function in decreasing calcium levels in the blood,
• recall that parathyroid hormone is released from the parathyroid gland to increase calcium levels in the blood,
• outline the complications and health problems associated with oversecretion or undersecretion of the thyroid and parathyroid hormones.