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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Breathing, gas exchange and respiration

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-7CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-7England: KS3 Biology: Gas exchange systemsEngland: KS3 Biology: Cellular respirationEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Cell biology

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Heart, blood and circulation

Leads to: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Heart, blood and circulation). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Ben counts 25 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 75Prompt: How many lots of 20 seconds are there in one minute?
  2. What does blood carry to every part of the body? (bones / air bubbles / undigested food / oxygen and nutrients) → oxygen and nutrientsPrompt: Cells need these to release energy.
  3. Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true? (Blood in veins is blue. / White blood cells help fight infection. / Blood is always red; it is bright red with oxygen and darker red without. / Veins carry blood back to the heart.) → Blood in veins is blue.Prompt: One of these is a famous myth.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Where does gas exchange happen in the lungs?
  • Step 1: Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood, and carbon dioxide diffuses out.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: in the alveoli (air sacs)
  • Answer: in the alveoli (air sacs)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Where does gas exchange happen in the lungs? (in the alveoli (air sacs) / in the diaphragm / in the ribs / in the trachea) → in the alveoli (air sacs)Prompt: They are tiny and surrounded by capillaries.
  2. Respiration: which statement is NOT true? (Mitochondria are where aerobic respiration happens. / Respiration means breathing. / Aerobic respiration releases more energy than anaerobic respiration. / Plants respire as well as photosynthesise.) → Respiration means breathing.Prompt: Respiration and breathing are different things.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Respiration: which statement is NOT true? (Plants respire as well as photosynthesise. / We breathe out only carbon dioxide. / Respiration happens in every living cell. / Aerobic respiration releases more energy than anaerobic respiration.) → We breathe out only carbon dioxide.Prompt: Respiration and breathing are different things.
  2. During hard exercise, muscles may respire without enough oxygen. What do they make? (oxygen / alcohol and carbon dioxide / starch / lactic acid) → lactic acidPrompt: This is anaerobic respiration in animals.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Heart, blood and circulation.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-7.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Breathing, gas exchange and respiration

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Respiration: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Aerobic respiration releases more energy than anaerobic respiration.
    • B. Respiration happens in every living cell.
    • C. Respiration means breathing.
    • D. Mitochondria are where aerobic respiration happens.

  2. Question 2

    Where does gas exchange happen in the lungs?

    • A. in the alveoli (air sacs)
    • B. in the ribs
    • C. in the trachea
    • D. in the diaphragm

  3. Question 3

    Yeast respiring without oxygen produces…

    • A. lactic acid only
    • B. ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide
    • C. oxygen and glucose
    • D. water only

  4. Question 4

    What is the difference between breathing and respiration?

    • A. Breathing happens in every cell.
    • B. Breathing moves air in and out; respiration is a reaction in cells that releases energy.
    • C. Respiration only happens in the lungs.
    • D. They are exactly the same.

  5. Question 5

    Complete the word equation for aerobic respiration: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + ___

    • A. oxygen
    • B. water
    • C. nitrogen
    • D. lactic acid

  6. Question 6

    During hard exercise, muscles may respire without enough oxygen. What do they make?

    • A. alcohol and carbon dioxide
    • B. oxygen
    • C. lactic acid
    • D. starch

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Answer key: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration

  1. 1. C. Respiration means breathing.

  2. 2. A. in the alveoli (air sacs)

  3. 3. B. ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide

  4. 4. B. Breathing moves air in and out; respiration is a reaction in cells that releases energy.

  5. 5. B. water

  6. 6. C. lactic acid