Major body systems

Preparation and Planning

There is limited preparation required for this lesson, though an overhead projector and AV equipment are required for the slides and video assets. You may wish to draw an inter-dependencies flow-chart on the board before the lesson to save time (this is not provided).
Students need limited equipment for the lesson but there is a significant amount of group work. More time might be spent discussing findings and recommendations for optimum performance if material is split across two lessons. In this case, it would be suitable to end lesson 1 at the end of Episode 4, distributing the first half of Student Worksheet as homework.

About the MOD Topic

Potential Royal Marines (RM) and potential Royal Officer Marines must undergo a 32 week training and assessment course at The Commando Training Centre Royal Marines Lympstone, to ensure that they are physically, mentally and operationally equipped to serve as a Royal Marines Commando. The Royal Marines is the only Service in which Officers and recruits are trained at the same place, and undergo the same physical tests.
The 32 week training course is divided into six modules, beginning with the Foundation Module and ending with the King's Squad Pass Out Week. Throughout the course Marine recruits will be gradually trained and tested until they become operationally ready.
The Commando Course, which runs for the final six weeks of the course, is designed to confirm the recruit is professionally prepared for life in an operational RM unit, is at a Commando level of fitness and has the requisite qualities of "determination, courage, unselfishness, professional skill and cheerfulness under adversity".
By the end of this six week unit, a potential Royal Marine Commando will complete the nine mile Commando Course, the Tarzan assault course and a 30 mile forced march within specific timeframes.
A high level of physical fitness and competence is required for those commencing the PRMC (Potential Royal Marines Course) and the Royal Navy issues fitness guidelines and training advice to those seeking a place. Subsequent to commencing the PRMC, potential recruits are given a high level of physical support and training as well as access to physiotherapy and other medical support where this is necessary.

Facilities at Lympstone are wide ranging. They include, a first class gymnasium complex and swimming pool for combat swimming tests, an indoor range simulator incorporating the latest laser technology, a nearby 300 metre rifle range to assist recruits in their shooting skills and on site training areas within the 95 acre base. In addition Commando Training Centre Royal Marine (CTCRM) has access to 2,500 acres of nearby Woodbury Common, as well as the training areas of Dartmoor and others in Wales and Scotland.
All Royal Marines return to Lympstone many times as they progress through their career. From the Potential Royal Marine Course (PRMC) to Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), from Potential Officers Courses (POC) to Commandant they will return to Lympstone. Equally they will attend specialist qualification courses at CTCRM to improve their military skills.
Further detailed information about the physical training and attainment targets that must be met within the PRMC can be found at: www.royalnavy.mod.uk/royalmarines/training-fitness.

Further Opportunities for Learning

Invite students to undertake the Royal Marines fitness tests outlined in the Defence Dynamics lesson 'Fitness' and to consider the extent to which their respective body systems are called upon and match the requirements of Potential Royal Marines.
Invite one group of students to take it upon themselves to improve the performance of one specific body system (e.g. muscle tone, lung capacity, endurance) over a period of 4 weeks and see the extent to which it improves their performance in the PRMC tests outlined in 'Fitness'. Invite another group to do the same, but focusing on two body systems and a third group to focus on three body systems. Students should use ICT to record and compare their relative improved performances.
Study the work of the world renowned MOD rehabilitation unit at Headley Court, Surrey, considering the range of complex physical and mental injuries from which Service Personnel must recover and the need for an integrated approach to their overall health.
Students interested in further studies on this subject may also be interested in the content within the RAF Target site http://target.raf.mod.uk/students/Science/Medical/Biology where activities invite them to make fitness recommendations to four Service Personnel.
Invite students to conduct their own research to establish the impact of health and fitness of our various body systems on sporting performance. Useful sites include: British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (www.bases.org.uk), SIRC (www.sirc.ca), Sportscience (www.sportsci.org) and the Physical Education Association (www.pea.uk.com).

Student worksheet answers

Download the teachers notes PDF to access the answers for this lesson.