The Scherer Impact Teaching Archive
A behind-the-scenes collection of teaching materials developed in the anatomy and physiology classroom.
Over more than three decades of teaching human anatomy and physiology, I have developed a large collection of drawings, diagrams, lecture explanations, and conceptual models designed to help students better understand how the human body functions.
Many of these materials were created directly in the classroom while working with students through difficult physiological concepts.
This archive preserves a selection of that work.
Rather than representing a formal course or structured curriculum, the materials gathered here reflect practical tools, illustrations, and teaching approaches that have helped guide thousands of students through the study of the human body.
Some broader reflections on science, education, and life can also be found in The Scherer Impact Library.
Areas of Instruction
Over the course of his teaching career, Dr. Scherer has guided students through a wide range of topics in human anatomy and physiology.
Many of the materials preserved in this archive relate to key physiological systems and foundational biological principles such as:
• Cellular physiology and metabolism
• Homeostasis and regulatory feedback systems
• Nervous system structure and function
• Musculoskeletal physiology
• Cardiovascular regulation
• Energy balance and metabolic processes
• Structural relationships within the human body
These areas form the foundation of the anatomy and physiology curriculum studied by many students preparing for careers in healthcare and the life sciences.
A Lifetime of Teaching
Teaching human physiology has been one of the great privileges of my life.
Working with students, guiding them through difficult material, and witnessing the moment when complex ideas finally make sense has been deeply rewarding.
Many of the materials gathered in this archive grew out of that process — the continual effort to make the remarkable systems of the human body understandable, practical, and meaningful for those studying them.
Dr. Dean J. Scherer
Professor of Human Anatomy & Physiology
Chiropractic Physician | Composer
Categories:
Educational Philosophy (1)
Teaching Reflections (2)
Physiology Insights (7)
Concept Models from the Classroom (1)
Teaching Diagrams & Illustrations (2)
Teaching Lectures & Demonstrations (3)
Educational Philosophy
A deeper reflection.
Educational Philosophy: Teaching Science, Life, and the Future Health Professional
Teaching Archive—Entry 009
Foundational principles for teaching science, life sciences, and preparing students for careers in healthcare.
Teaching Reflections
Short essays about education.
Teaching Anatomy as Discovery
Teaching Archive—Entry 001
A short reflection on how students begin to truly understand anatomy when they move beyond memorization and start recognizing patterns within the structure of the human body.
When Physiology Finally Clicks
Teaching Archive—Entry 010
The moment students begin to see how the systems of the body work together.
Physiology Insights
Short teaching articles.
Understanding Homeostasis
Teaching Archive—Entry 002
An explanation of feedback regulation and how the body maintains balance through coordinated physiological systems.
Structure Determines Function / Form Follows Function
Teaching Archive—Entry 003
Why the body is built the way it is.
Physiology as an Integrated System
Teaching Archive—Entry 004
How multiple physiological systems coordinate to sustain life.
The Logic of Feedback Systems
Teaching Archive—Entry 005
How the body maintains stability through regulatory loops.
The Body as a Network of Communication
Teaching Archive—Entry 006
How nervous, endocrine, and chemical signaling systems coordinate physiological activity.
Energy Flow and Metabolism: The Fuel of Physiology
Teaching Archive—Entry 007
How cells extract energy from nutrients through glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Oxygen: The Final Electron Acceptor
Teaching Archive—Entry 008
Why oxygen is essential for cellular respiration and sustained ATP production.
Concept Models from the Classroom
Over time, certain conceptual frameworks naturally emerged through years of teaching physiology.
These models help students recognize patterns within biological systems, such as:
• feedback regulation
• system integration
• metabolic balance
• structural and neurological coordination
Understanding these relationships allows students to see physiology not as isolated facts, but as interconnected systems working together to sustain life.
The Body as a System of Systems
Teaching Archive—Entry 011
Understanding physiology through the levels of biological organization—from molecules to the organism and the ecosystem.
Teaching Diagrams & Illustrations
Throughout my teaching career, I have often relied on simple drawings and visual explanations to help students understand complex physiological systems.
These illustrations focus on the relationships between structure and function — how organs, tissues, and cellular processes interact to maintain life.
Many of these diagrams were originally drawn during lectures as a way to make abstract physiological principles more visible and easier to grasp.
Lower Extremity Anatomy Lab Pictures. Unit One.
Teaching Archive—Entry 013
A systematic way to organize the muscles of the lower extremity. Also included are the drawings of the nerves, arteries, and veins of the lower extremity.
Food Tube Man.
Teaching Archive—Entry 015
A journey down the alimentary canal.
Autonomic Balance Diagram
Archive Entry
A classroom illustration used to explain sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation.
View the diagram →
Teaching Lectures & Demonstrations
Some of the materials preserved here include recorded lecture segments and demonstrations created to support students studying anatomy and physiology.
These videos explore key concepts such as:
• nervous system regulation
• muscle physiology
• metabolic processes
• structural relationships in the human body
They are included here as an extension of the classroom for those interested in exploring how physiological concepts can be explained and understood more clearly.
Explaining Homeostasis in Five Minutes
Teaching Archive—Entry 012
A short lecture illustrating how physiological systems maintain internal balance.
Video Series: I Can Do This, “I Got This!”
Teaching Archive—Entry 014
Anatomy Review Videos
Food Tube Man.
Teaching Archive—Entry 015
A journey down the alimentary canal.