Worksheet 3

 The Story of the Menstrual Cycle

Read the following story. Each time there is a choice, check off the one that is true.

Once upon a time, there was a female reproductive system. Each month, the

o uterus

o vagina

invited a thick, soft lining to grow along its walls, which was made up of tissue and blood that contained the nutrients that would be needed to nourish a fertilized

o ovary.

o ovum.

Once the lining had grown, it waited for the ovaries to do their job. You see, the ovaries contained special reproductive cells, each called an

o ovum.

o cervix.

Each month, one of the reproductive cells would reach maturity and be released from the

o ovaries.

o fallopian tubes.

This month, it was the right one that got to release a reproductive cell. The left one would have to wait until the next month. After the reproductive cell is released it went toward the

o ovaries

o fallopian tubes

which waved their numerous arms, grabbed the reproductive cell that was just released and gently guided it into one of the tubes. The reproductive cell traveled slowly down the tube. After about a day of travel, it began to dissolve. When it had disappeared, the brain sent a message to the

o ovum

o lining

telling it that a fertilization didn’t occur, so it could leave the uterus. Slowly, it passed through the

o vagina,

o cervix,

into the

o vagina,

o cervix,

and out of the female’s body. As soon as the lining was gone, the uterus invited a new lining to start to grow. This time around, it would be the left

o ovary

o uterus

and the left

o vagina

o fallopian tube

that would do all the work. Then, the process would start all over again. This process is called menstruation. The End