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B2.7 · Research a disease affecting tissues, organs, or systems

Learn to research a disease affecting tissues, organs, or systems through clear examples and targeted practice.

Ontario Grade 10 Science

Biology: Tissues, Organs, and Systems

A Grade 10 guide to investigating how a disease affects tissues, organs, or systems

A cough, a rash, or unusual tiredness is something a person may notice. By itself, though, an observation does not explain what is happening inside the body or identify a disease. Research helps us build a more reliable explanation. In this lesson, you will learn how to investigate one disease that affects a tissue, an organ, or a body system. You will practise asking a focused question, checking sources, and connecting evidence to an explanation. This is a research skill, not a way to diagnose yourself or another person.

What you will learn

Identify a disease and the tissue, organ, or body system it affects.
Find and compare information from trustworthy sources.
Explain a disease’s effects using clear, supported statements.
Present research in your own words and respect privacy.

1. From body structures to a research question

In earlier science, you may have learned that cells form tissues, tissues form organs, and organs work together in body systems. A tissue is a group of similar cells that performs a job. An organ is a body structure made of different tissues. A body system is a group of organs that work together. These ideas help you describe where a disease has an effect.

A disease is a condition that interferes with normal body function. Diseases can affect different levels of the body. For example, asthma affects the airways, which are part of the respiratory system. The airways are the passages that carry air into and out of the lungs. This example helps show how to name both an affected structure and its larger system.

Start research by choosing one disease and asking a question that can be answered with reliable information. A focused question might be: “What part of the body does asthma affect, and how can it change breathing?” This question is more useful than “What is asthma?” because it points to the body effect you need to investigate.

Keep your topic narrow enough to explain clearly. You do not need to describe every detail about a disease. For this expectation, focus on how it affects a tissue, organ, or system. You may also include useful information about signs people might notice, how the disease is managed, or ways it can be prevented, if those details help explain the disease and your sources support them.

Name the disease and the body structure or system it affects.
Use a focused research question to guide what information you collect.
Do not treat a symptom as proof that someone has a disease.

2. Find evidence and check sources

Evidence is information that supports a statement. In disease research, evidence may include a clear explanation from a public health organization, a hospital, or a medical or science education source. A source is where information comes from. A website, book, or interview can be a source, but not every source is equally dependable.

Check who created the information and why. Look for a named organization or author with relevant health or science knowledge. Check whether the page explains its claims and whether it is current enough for your topic. A page that sells a product or makes dramatic promises may have a reason to persuade you rather than inform you. Do not accept a claim just because it appears in a search result or is repeated on social media.

Compare important claims across at least two dependable sources. If the sources disagree, do not hide the disagreement. Check whether they are discussing the same kind of disease, the same group of people, or information from different dates. If you cannot explain the difference, leave the disputed detail out or ask your teacher for help.

Take notes in short phrases and record where each idea came from. Then write the explanation in your own words. Changing a few words from a source is not enough. A direct quotation must be clearly marked and credited, but a research report should mostly use your own sentences. Add a short source list so a reader can find the information you used.

A simple evidence model is: claim, supporting information, and link. The claim states what you think the evidence shows. The supporting information gives a fact from a checked source. The link explains how that fact supports your claim. For example, a claim about an affected body system should be linked to source information that names the relevant body part and describes its role.

Check the creator, purpose, and currency of a source.
Compare important claims across dependable sources.
Record sources as you take notes, and explain ideas in your own words.

3. Organize an explanation and communicate safely

A short report can follow a clear order. First, name the disease and give a brief description. Next, identify the tissue, organ, or system it affects. Then explain what may change in that body structure or its function, using evidence. End with a brief summary and the sources you used.

A labelled diagram can help readers follow your explanation. Use only labels that your sources support. A diagram is a model: it represents selected information, but it does not show every detail of a real body. Make clear whether an illustration is a general model or an image of a particular case.

Research about health needs care and respect. Do not publish someone’s name, medical information, or personal story without permission. Do not use another person’s symptoms to guess a diagnosis. Do not present research as personal medical advice. If you are worried about your health, speak with a trusted adult or a qualified health professional.

Be careful with words such as “always,” “cures,” or “causes.” A claim may apply only to some people or situations. Use the wording your evidence supports. If a source says a feature “can” occur, do not rewrite it as if it happens to everyone. If your evidence is limited, say so rather than making the conclusion sound certain.

Organize the report around the disease and its effect on a body structure or system.
Label models clearly and do not claim they show every detail.
Protect privacy and do not use research to diagnose or treat a person.

A quick source check

Question	A stronger sign	A reason to pause
Who made it?	A named health or science organization or author	No author or organization is identified
Why was it made?	It explains information and supports its claims	It mainly sells something or makes dramatic promises
Can it be checked?	Its claims can be compared with another dependable source	It offers no clear support for important claims

Worked example

Example 1: Narrow a broad topic

A student chooses asthma for a report but has only written the question, “What is asthma?” Improve the question so the research stays focused on the expectation.

Identify the missing focus
The original question could lead to many details. It does not yet ask which body structure or system is affected.
Connect the question to body function
A focused question names a body part and asks about its effect. The student can now look for evidence about the airways and breathing.

Answer: A stronger question is: “What part of the body does asthma affect, and how can it change breathing?” It identifies a body structure and asks about its effect on a body function.

Check: The question is focused enough to guide source searches, while leaving room to explain the relevant body system.

Worked example

Example 2: Compare two source claims

Hypothetical research notes say that Source A, a public health page, explains that asthma affects the airways. Source B, an anonymous post, says that asthma affects every person in exactly the same way. Which claim is safer to use, and what should the student do next?

Check the source
Source A names a public health organization, while the anonymous post gives no clear author or evidence. That makes Source A the stronger starting point, though the student should still check its information.
Avoid an unsupported generalization
The phrase “every person in exactly the same way” is an absolute claim. The notes do not show evidence for it. The student should compare the relevant body-effect claim with another dependable source before using it.

Answer: Use the supported statement that asthma affects the airways as a starting point, and verify it with another dependable source. Do not repeat the anonymous post’s claim that everyone is affected in exactly the same way.

Check: The conclusion follows the source quality and evidence given in the hypothetical notes; it does not add an unverified claim.

Worked example

Example 3: Build an evidence-based paragraph

A student has checked two dependable sources for a disease affecting an organ. Both describe an effect on that organ’s function. The student needs to write a short explanation without copying the sources. What should the paragraph include?

State the main claim
The first sentence should name the disease and identify the affected organ or system. This directly addresses the research focus.
Add and connect evidence
The student should summarize the shared information in original wording, identify the sources, and explain how the reported effect relates to the organ’s function.

Answer: A suitable paragraph structure is: name the disease and affected organ; describe the supported change in function in the student’s own words; explain how the evidence supports the statement; and credit both sources. The student should not add details that the sources did not provide.

Check: The paragraph makes a claim, supports it with checked information, and explains the connection without presenting unsupported details.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Choosing a question so broad that the report becomes a list of unrelated facts.

Correction: Focus on one disease and ask how it affects a named tissue, organ, or system.

Treating a search result, social media post, or personal story as enough evidence.

Correction: Check who created the information and compare important claims with dependable sources.

Copying sentences and changing only a few words.

Correction: Take brief notes, write a fresh explanation in your own words, and credit the source.

Using research to decide what disease another person has.

Correction: Research explains general information; diagnosis belongs with a qualified health professional.

Lesson summary

Choose one disease and ask a focused question about its effect on a tissue, organ, or system.
Use dependable sources, compare key claims, and record where information came from.
Explain evidence in your own words and make the link to body function clear.
Respect privacy and do not use a school report to diagnose or treat anyone.

Check your understanding

Question 1

Which question best focuses research on the expectation?

What are all the diseases people can have?
What body structure does one selected disease affect, and what effect can it have?
Which website has the most dramatic story about illness?
correctIndex: 1,

Show answer and explanation

What body structure does one selected disease affect, and what effect can it have?

It focuses on one disease and asks about its effect on a body structure or system.

Question 2

A source makes a strong health claim but gives no author or supporting information. What is the best next step?

Repeat the claim because it appears online.
Use it as the report’s main conclusion.
Check dependable sources and leave the claim out if it cannot be supported.
correctIndex: 2,

Show answer and explanation

Check dependable sources and leave the claim out if it cannot be supported.

A claim needs support. Comparing sources helps the student decide whether it is reliable enough to use.

Question 3

What should a student do when writing from research notes?

Write the explanation in their own words and credit the sources.
Change a few words in a copied paragraph and leave out the source.
Use a classmate’s private health information as an example without asking.
correctIndex: 0,

Show answer and explanation

Write the explanation in their own words and credit the sources.

Original wording and source credit communicate research responsibly. Private information should not be shared without permission.

Key terms

Evidence: Information that supports a statement.
Organ: A body structure made of different tissues.
Source: Where information comes from, such as a book or website.
Tissue: A group of similar cells that performs a job.
Body system: A group of organs that work together.

Continue through SNC2D

View the complete SNC2D Ontario Grade 10 Science curriculum and lessons

About this lesson and its review

Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 10 Science (SNC2D), expectation B2.7. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

Before publication, content is checked for structure, mathematical or chemical notation, calculations, course boundaries, and readability. Errors can still occur, so corrections are welcomed.

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