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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes

Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-3CCSS NGSS.SEP 5England: GCSE Combined Science: OrganisationEngland: GCSE PE: cardiac output

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output.

  • 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: Follow blood through the heart and lungs

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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 (Follow blood through the heart and lungs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the pulmonary vein? (left ventricle / left atrium / aorta / lungs) → left atriumPrompt: This side of the heart carries oxygenated blood.
  2. What is the job of the valves in the heart? (to make blood cells / to stop blood flowing backwards / to add oxygen to blood / to slow the heartbeat) → to stop blood flowing backwardsPrompt: They work like one-way doors.
  3. Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the left ventricle? (aorta / lungs / left atrium / pulmonary vein) → aortaPrompt: This side of the heart carries oxygenated blood.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output. 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: A person's stroke volume is 90 cm³ and their heart rate is 72 beats per minute. What is their cardiac output, in cm³ per minute?
  • Step 1: 90 × 72 = 6480
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 6480 cm³/min
  • Answer: 6480 cm³/min
  • 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. A person's stroke volume is 80 cm³ and their heart rate is 80 beats per minute. What is their cardiac output, in cm³ per minute? → 6400 cm³/minPrompt: cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate
  2. During exercise an athlete's cardiac output is 9.6 dm³ per minute and their stroke volume is 80 cm³. What is their heart rate, in beats per minute? (1 dm³ = 1000 cm³) → 120 bpmPrompt: Convert the cardiac output to cm³ first.

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. During exercise an athlete's cardiac output is 8.4 dm³ per minute and their stroke volume is 70 cm³. What is their heart rate, in beats per minute? (1 dm³ = 1000 cm³) → 120 bpmPrompt: Convert the cardiac output to cm³ first.
  2. A person's stroke volume is 70 cm³ and their heart rate is 60 beats per minute. What is their cardiac output, in cm³ per minute? → 4200 cm³/minPrompt: cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate

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: Follow blood through the heart and lungs.
  • 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

  • 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-9.

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

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Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    After exercise, a student counts 17 pulse beats in 15 seconds. What is the heart rate in beats per minute?

    Answerbpm

  2. Question 2

    A person's stroke volume is 100 cm³ and their heart rate is 65 beats per minute. What is their cardiac output, in cm³ per minute?

    Answercm³/min

  3. Question 3

    During exercise an athlete's cardiac output is 8 dm³ per minute and their stroke volume is 100 cm³. What is their heart rate, in beats per minute? (1 dm³ = 1000 cm³)

    Answerbpm

  4. Question 4

    After exercise, a student counts 22 pulse beats in 15 seconds. What is the heart rate in beats per minute?

    Answerbpm

  5. Question 5

    A person's stroke volume is 100 cm³ and their heart rate is 72 beats per minute. What is their cardiac output, in cm³ per minute?

    Answercm³/min

  6. Question 6

    During exercise an athlete's cardiac output is 4.2 dm³ per minute and their stroke volume is 60 cm³. What is their heart rate, in beats per minute? (1 dm³ = 1000 cm³)

    Answerbpm

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Answer key: Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output

  1. 1. 68 bpm

  2. 2. 6500 cm³/min

  3. 3. 80 bpm

  4. 4. 88 bpm

  5. 5. 7200 cm³/min

  6. 6. 70 bpm