Introduction to the human heart's structure and function for elementary students.
Heart is a large muscular organ that works tirelessly each minute of the day, 365 days a year. Students are familiar with the heart, but its function may be a mystery to most, including the teacher. Often science is a difficult for students to comprehend because they cannot relate to the information, as well, they are bombarded with new vocabulary.
Teachers are in a predicament teaching about the heart because of time restrictions and costs. Most classes are unable to purchase a model of a heart for students to explore. Often the heart is taught with black and white diagrams. Many students will not retain the information because they are using only two senses and the information is quite dry for the student. Teaching about the heart can be intriguing with a little creativity and your students.
Introductory Human Heart Lesson Plan
Begin with a KWL chart to assess what your students know about the heart and what they would like to know. After the KWL chart is finished, for the next lesson, write headings or questions on chart paper that students will answer throughout the unit. Physical characteristics of the heart, function of the heart, and heart ailments are just a few sample ideas for headings. Teach students the basics of the heart and then choose what the students are eager to learn about. Some students may want to learn about heart health because of a family member having a heart attack, while others may wish to learn about heart defects at birth.
Physical Characteristics of the Heart
The heart is about the size of your fist and is located between your lungs behind the sternum. Most people believe the heart is located on the left side of the chest. Ask students to make a fist with their hands, and to place it between their lungs. Model this to the students. Ask students if everyone has the same size heart? As well, ask them if the heart grows and if it ever stops growing.
Draw a love heart and a diagram of a heart on the board. Ask students to chose which heart shape is in their body? On chart paper, sketch the shape of human heart, with no valves or chambers. Have the children copy the heart into their science books.
Next, ask children the color of a healthy heart,-- most should respond with the color red. Sketch two more hearts on the chart paper beside each other. Take two shades of red, one bright red and one that is a darker red. Ask students which is the healthier heart color? Color one heart bright red and the other a darker red. Label the bright red healthy and the darker red unhealthy. Ask children why there is a difference in color for a healthy and unhealthy heart?
Function of the Heart
Function of the heart is to transport oxygen rich blood to the body and transport oxygen poor blood to the lungs from the body. Heart circulates the body's blood supply about 1000 times a day. The heart relies on gravity to pump the blood but it must also push the blood to the brain and other parts of the body.
Blood circulates the body to provide it with oxygen, nutrients and to remove waste. Draw the heart valves on the sketched heart.
Illustrate gravity to students by having them place one arm casually at their side and hold the other arm up in the air. Students remain this way for 60 seconds. After 1 minute, ask students which hand is a healthy color, it will be the hand that is casually resting at their side. The heart had to work hard to transport blood to the arm that was raised and its extremities.
Heart works like a pump with two jobs. One part of the pump receives the blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs, while the other part of the pump receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body. It takes less than 60 seconds to pump the blood throughout the body. The heart pumps blood to the lungs to revitalize it with oxygen.
Ask students to draw a heart and to make a story about the transportation of blood from and to the heart. Students may relate the transportation to a train ride with different stations. Students will research the different valves and chambers in the heart that allows the blood to pump freely throughout the body.
Heart Problems
Have each student or a group of students research different heart problems that are common. Students are to write a short research paper of approximately 1-2 pages outlining the heart problem and the medical interventions needed to heal the heart or to have it work properly.
Human heart is such an incredible organ that gives life each second. Students may know all the latest songs or Pokemons but it is important for them to understand the function of the heart to keep it healthy and strong because they only have one. Teaching about the heart is more enjoyable if students are able to relate to the information and to incorporate as many senses for understanding.
