Topic: Heart Rate And Body Movement printable pdf download

Topic: Heart Rate and Body Movement

Teacher Information

Time Allowance

50 min.

Background

The heart is the pump that moves blood through the body. The tightening and relaxing

of the heart muscle is called a heartbeat. The heart pumps red blood cells out one

valve. They circulate throughout the body and return to the heart through another

valve. Red blood cells may make that round-trip journey through the body more than a

thousand times a day every day.

The flow of blood in the body is directly influenced by gravity. When standing, gravity

helps to pull the blood downward to the lower part of the body. As a person moves,

muscles in the legs help send the blood back up to the heart and lungs. Without

gravity, blood tends to collect around the heart and in the upper part of the body.

Materials

Stopwatch or Watch/Clock with second hand

Paper

Pen or Pencil

Carpet square, small pillow or access to carpeted area where students can do a

headstand

Preparation

1. Talk about the heart’s function and why it cannot stop and rest like other

muscles.

2. Go over the background information on the student sheets. Relate the heart beat

to how much blood is being moved through the body.

3. Divide the class into groups of 3 and explain the procedure. Allow the students

time to learn how to take someone else's pulse.

4. Pass out materials.

5. If necessary explain what a hypothesis is and why scientists use them.

6. After completing the lab clean up and discuss the results.

7. Discuss whether the results supported or disproved the students' hypotheses.

Tell them scientist often make educated predictions that turn out to be wrong.

Extensions:

•

Collect individual data and make a class chart that averages the data for each of the

four body positions/movement.

•

Lesson 3 from this article is a related activity that discusses the heart's reaction to

microgravity by inverting the student's body (they lay down so their head is below

their feet).

Topic: Heart Rate And Body Movement