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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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 make urine? (heart / kidneys / lungs / stomach) → kidneysPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?
  2. Organs: which statement is true? (The lungs pump blood. / We have two lungs and two kidneys. / Food goes into the lungs to be digested. / The heart is in the stomach.) → We have two lungs and two kidneys.Prompt: Picture where each organ sits in the body.
  3. Which organ get rid of carbon dioxide? (stomach / brain / heart / lungs) → lungsPrompt: Is the job about blood, air, thinking, waste or food?

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 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. Zoe counts 16 pulse beats in 30 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 32Prompt: How many lots of 30 seconds are there in one minute?
  2. How many chambers does the human heart have? (1 / 2 / 6 / 4) → 4Prompt: Two atria and two ventricles.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Zoe counts 14 pulse beats in 10 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 84Prompt: 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 / air bubbles / undigested food / bones) → oxygen and nutrientsPrompt: Cells need these to release energy.

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/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Felix counts 14 pulse beats in 15 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. The heart is on the far left side of the chest.
    • B. White blood cells help fight infection.
    • C. Red blood cells carry oxygen.
    • D. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels where substances pass to and from cells.

  3. Question 3

    Why does your heart beat faster when you run?

    • A. Your muscles need more oxygen and glucose.
    • B. Your heart gets scared.
    • C. Your lungs stop working.
    • D. Your blood gets heavier.

  4. Question 4

    Mei counts 12 pulse beats in 15 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    How many chambers does the human heart have?

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

  6. Question 6

    Sam counts 16 pulse beats in 20 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute?

    Answer

  7. Question 7

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

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    Omar counts 19 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. 56

  2. 2. A. The heart is on the far left side of the chest.

  3. 3. A. Your muscles need more oxygen and glucose.

  4. 4. 48

  5. 5. A. 4

  6. 6. 48

  7. 7. 80

  8. 8. 57