Reading Comprehension · Science
Your Body Reading Comprehension Lesson
A reading comprehension lesson about your body — from the trillions of cells that make up every tissue to the organ systems that keep you alive.
Subject
Reading
Grade Level
Grades 4–7
Resource Type
Worksheet
Skill Focus
Human Biology — Cells, Organs, and Body Systems
Your Body’s Building Blocks
Your body is made up of trillions of units called cells. Cells are too small to see without a microscope. Even so, each cell has many parts. The nucleus is the control center of the cell — it holds all of the information your body needs. Each cell is surrounded by a cell membrane, which controls what enters and leaves the cell.
Similar cells grouped together form tissues. Muscle tissue, for example, is made up of cells that can contract and relax to produce movement. Nerve tissue carries electrical signals throughout the body. Epithelial tissue lines and protects surfaces like your skin and the inside of your digestive tract.
Groups of tissues that work together to perform a specific job form organs. Your heart is an organ made of muscle tissue, nerve tissue, and connective tissue all working together to pump blood. Your lungs, stomach, kidneys, and brain are also organs.
Organ Systems Working Together
Organs that work together to perform a major function form an organ system. Your body has many organ systems. The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients your body can use. The circulatory system pumps blood carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell. The respiratory system brings oxygen into the body and removes carbon dioxide.
The skeletal system provides a framework that supports the body and protects internal organs. The muscular system works with the skeleton to produce movement. The nervous system — including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves — controls and coordinates all other systems.
All of these systems work together to keep your body functioning. When one system is not working properly, it can affect the others. Understanding how the body is organized — from cells to tissues to organs to organ systems — is a foundation of human biology.
Download the Worksheet
Full Members can download the printable PDF worksheet and answer key.
Looking for more reading comprehension worksheets? Browse all lessons or become a Full Member to access every printable PDF.