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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes

Heart, blood and circulation

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-3England: KS2 Y6 Animals, including humansEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Transport systems

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Heart, blood and circulation.

  • 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: Major organs and their jobs

Leads to: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration; Pathogens, immunity and vaccines; How diet, exercise and harmful substances affect the body

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 (Major organs and their jobs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which organ beats about 70 times a minute at rest? (stomach / kidneys / heart / lungs) → heartPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?
  2. Organs: which statement is true? (The lungs pump blood. / Food goes into the lungs to be digested. / The heart is in the stomach. / We have two lungs and two kidneys.) → We have two lungs and two kidneys.Prompt: Picture where each organ sits in the body.
  3. Which organ take in oxygen from the air? (lungs / heart / stomach / kidneys) → lungsPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Heart, blood and circulation. 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: Felix counts 19 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?
  • Step 1: 60 ÷ 20 = 3
  • Step 2: 19 × 3 = 57
  • Step 3: So the answer is: 57 beats per minute
  • Answer: 57
  • 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. Liam counts 24 pulse beats in 10 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 144Prompt: How many lots of 10 seconds are there in one minute?
  2. What does blood carry to every part of the body? (oxygen and nutrients / bones / air bubbles / undigested food) → oxygen and nutrientsPrompt: Cells need these to release energy.

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. How many chambers does the human heart have? (6 / 2 / 1 / 4) → 4Prompt: Two atria and two ventricles.
  2. Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true? (White blood cells help fight infection. / Veins carry blood back to the heart. / Capillaries are tiny blood vessels where substances pass to and from cells. / Blood in veins is blue.) → Blood in veins is blue.Prompt: One of these is a famous myth.

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: Major organs and their jobs.
  • 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: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration; Pathogens, immunity and vaccines; How diet, exercise and harmful substances affect the body.
  • 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-5.

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

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Heart, blood and circulation

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Veins carry blood back to the heart.
    • B. White blood cells help fight infection.
    • C. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels where substances pass to and from cells.
    • D. Blood in veins is blue.

  2. Question 2

    What does blood carry to every part of the body?

    • A. air bubbles
    • B. undigested food
    • C. oxygen and nutrients
    • D. bones

  3. Question 3

    Tariq counts 20 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    How many chambers does the human heart have?

    • A. 6
    • B. 2
    • C. 1
    • D. 4

  5. Question 5

    Ravi counts 14 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Mei counts 15 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

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Answer key: Heart, blood and circulation

  1. 1. D. Blood in veins is blue.

  2. 2. C. oxygen and nutrients

  3. 3. 60

  4. 4. D. 4

  5. 5. 42

  6. 6. 45