Skin

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/skin

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the epidermal turnover rate?The epidermis completely renews itself approximately every 28 days
2. What is the thermoregulatory mechanisms?Involves vasodilation/vasoconstriction of dermal blood vessels and eccrine sweat gland activity
3. What is the skin and why is it important?The skin is the body's outer suit. It protects us from the outside world and lets us feel touch, heat, and cold.
4. How does the skin keep us safe from germs and water?The outer layer of the skin, called the stratum corneum, stops water from leaving and germs from entering. Tiny glands called sebaceous glands produce sebum that helps keep germs away.

Integumentary System: The organ system that includes the skin, hair, nails, and glands.
Keratinocytes: The primary cells of the epidermis, producing the protein keratin.
Homeostasis: The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.