Homeschool Unit Study: Blood

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Blood has a wide variety of functions that are vital for our bodies, such as carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and blood also removes cellular waste. Blood carries waste materials and carbon dioxide to the digestive system, kidneys and lungs, to be carried out of the body.

So, what is blood made from? It’s comprised of plasma and blood cells. Plasma makes up 55 percent of the blood content and is a yellowish fluid that contains water, salt, and proteins. The solid part contains platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells.

Platelets
Also known as thrombocytes, platelets are tiny cells that help in the process of clotting to stop bleeding. When blood vessels break, platelets seal off the leak by gathering around the area and essentially forming a plug.

White Blood Cells
Also called leukocytes or WBCs, white blood cells are an important part of the immune system. They fight off infections and disease by ingesting foreign materials, destroying infectious agents, or by producing antibodies.

Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells are also called erythrocytes or RBCs. These important cells contain a protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. The blood cells carry carbon dioxide as waste product away from body tissue back to the lungs to be removed from the body.