Elementary School Science

Input:
What is the most important content in this lesson?
To reach this lesson’s objective, students need to understand:

• The parts of the heart.

• How blood travels around the body.

• The normal sound of a heartbeat and what causes heartbeats.

• What a pulse is and where they can locate their pulse on their body.

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How will the learning of this content be facilitated?

• The class will begin with the teacher showing the YouTube clip Circulatory System” (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53DTmjKT6Is) The video is very short, only about 30 seconds, and introduces the students to the parts of the circulatory system (i.e., heart, blood, veins) as well as circulation/ blood flow. After the video is shown, a discussion should begin about the circulatory system. The teacher should explain to the students that the heart is a very important organ. Without the heart, blood would not flow throughout the body and none of the body systems would function correctly. Blood is a very important component of our body and the heart needs to function correctly in order for our blood to flow.

• After the discussion, the teacher should hand out the “Parts of the Heart” worksheet. If it is possible, project the “Parts of the Heart” worksheet onto the board using a projector or put into a PowerPoint document and project so that the teacher can point to the parts of the heart while they explain. The function of each part of the heart will be provided on the back of the worksheet (**If possible, print out the worksheet as two-sided**). Students should the name of each part on the line as it is explained. From this activity, the students will learn about the parts of the heart, the location of each part, and the function of each part.

• Parts of the Heart and Their Functions:

  • Superior Vena Cava: large vein that returns blood to the heart from the head, neck, and upper limbs

  • Aorta: largest artery in the body that carries blood away from the left ventricle.

  • Pulmonary Artery: main artery that supplies the lungs with deoxygenated blood.

  • Pulmonary Vein: carries oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the heart.

  • Mitral Valve: one of four valves that regulate blood flow from the upper left chamber to the lower left atrium. Has two flaps (leaflets).

  • Aortic Valve: closes the lower left chamber and opens to allow blood to leave the heart.

  • Left Ventricle: pumps oxygenated blood to the organs.

  • Left Atrium: delivers blood to other parts of the heart and acts as a vessel for blood that comes from the lungs.

  • Right Atrium: receives deoxygenated blood and pumps it into the right ventricle.

  • Right Ventricle: pumps oxygen-depleted blood into the lungs.

  • Inferior Vena Cava: large vein that carries blood to the right atrium from the lower and middle body.

  • Tricuspid Valve: prevents a backward flow of blood into the right atrium.

  • Pulmonary Valve: moves blood toward the lungs

  • Information Sources:

    • ​www.healthline.com

    • www.reference.com

    • www.webmd.com

    • www.medicinenet.com

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• Once the parts of the heart are explained, transition into a discussion about blood flow. Write the words “Deoxygenated Blood” and “Oxygenated Blood” on the board. The teacher should say to the students, “We heard these two words often when learning about the parts of the heart, but do you know what they mean?”  [Allow time for student response/ discussion] Explain that “deoxygenated blood” means “blood without oxygen”. “Oxygenated blood” means “blood with oxygen”. Deoxygenated blood has not entered the lungs to receive carbon dioxide yet. Oxygenated blood is blood that has entered the lungs and is returning to the heart.

• Hand out the “Blood Flow in the Human Circulatory System” worksheet. . If it is possible, project the “Blood Flow in the Human Circulatory System” worksheet onto the board using a projector or put into a PowerPoint document and project so that the teacher can point to each part while they explain blood flow. The students should take out a red and blue crayon, marker, or colored pencil. As the teacher explains blood flow, the students should color in their worksheet according to the picture projected. The teacher should explain that the “blue” on the diagram is deoxygenated blood and that the “red’ is oxygenated blood.

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Blood Flow:

• Superior Vena Cava - Right Atrium - Tricuspid Valve - Right Ventricle - Pulmonary Valve - Pulmonary Artery - Lungs - Left Atrium - Left Ventricle - Aortic Valve - Aorta - Body

  • **The “Blood Flow in Human Circulatory System” is the same as the “Diagram of the Heart.” The colors that the students need to use will be represented by the color box around the name of each part. However, it is good to say the color it should be colored while explaining so that the students make the connection between the part and the type of blood that flows through it**

• Show the students the picture of the stethoscope or the realia. The teacher should say the word “stethoscope” and have the students repeat the word.  The teacher should ask the students if they have ever seen a stethoscope (most students will say they have seen one at the doctor’s office; the doctor has used one at their checkup). Explain that a stethoscope is used by healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, physician assistants) to listen to the heart. Ask the students about heartbeats. Explain that a normal heartbeat sounds like a “lub-dub”. The mitral and tricuspid valves closing cause the “lub” sound. The  “dub” sound is caused by the closure of the aortic and pulmonary valves after the blood has squeezed out of the heart.

**If you have a real stethoscope, let the students listen to their heartbeat.**

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[Information Source: http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/heart.html#]

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• The teacher should explain that, even though they do not have a stethoscope, they could still feel their heartbeat. Explain that the pulse is found on either side of the neck, on the wrists, and below the thumb. When measuring the pulse, you count how many beats you feel in one minute. The teacher should instruct the students to find their pulse by feeling one of those spots.  

• Once the discussion on the pulse is finished, the students will break into groups of three or four. Each student will be given a “What’s My Heart Rate?” worksheet. On desks throughout the room will be “Performance Cards”—cards with activities the students need to complete. Some cards will have activities that require a lot of movement (i.e, jumping jacks), while other cards will have sedentary activities. Two students will perform the activity, while the other student (s) keep track of time; the students will perform the activity for the amount of time listed on their worksheet. Once the activity is completed, the students will then switch roles. Allow the students about 15 minutes to go around the room and perform the activities. Reconvene when 15 minutes is over and review the worksheet/ activity

• The final assessment will be for the students to complete an assessment sheet where they order the parts of the heart for blood flow. 

**The answer sheet is part of the assessment document.