You Gotta Have a Heart

Lesson Plan

Topic Area

Human Body: The Heart

Introductory Statement

Students will discover what causes differerences in the rate of heartbeat.

Key Question

"How many times does your heart beat during exercise; how many times does your heart beat at rest?

 

Sciences Processes

Measuring
Controlling variables
Gathering and recording data
Interpreting data
Applying and generalizing

Materials

Procedure

Brainstorm with the students facts they already know from their investigations concerning the heart and circulatory system.

1. Ask the children to show you where their hearts are located.
 
2. Let them listen to their hearts with a stethoscope. A paper cup with the bottom cut out also amplifies the sound.
 
3. Show the children other places on their bodies where they can find their pulse. Their necks, wrists, etc.
 
4. Ask the children if they think their heart beats faster during rest time or recess time.
 
5. Have children listen to and count their heartbeats for 15 seconds.
 
6. Complete the lab sheet that follows this lesson.
 
7. Record the data for both resting and exercise heartbeats.
 
8. Use the graph to record heartbeats at recess. Graph intervals should be (0-50), (51-100), (101-150), and (151-200).

Discussion

1. When does the heart beat faster...during recess or resting time?
2. Why does the heart beat slower during resing time?
3. What is the heart's job?

Challenge

As a team, share your scores for heart rates. Discuss how your scores may compare with other students around the world. What other factors might influence our heart rates? Record your teams data during media/technology class. Compare your heart rates to others from the Vital Signs Spreadsheet. What generalizations can you make? Are there any scores which surprise you? Be ready to share your insights at our next lab session.

Have a Heart Lab Sheet