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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 60 minutes

Follow blood through the heart and lungs

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-3England: KS3 Biology: Gas exchange systemsEngland: GCSE Combined Science: Organisation

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Follow blood through the heart and lungs.

  • 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: Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output

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 (Heart, blood and circulation). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Kofi counts 22 pulse beats in 10 seconds. What is the pulse rate in beats per minute? → 132Prompt: How many lots of 10 seconds are there in one minute?
  2. Why does your heart beat faster when you run? (Your heart gets scared. / Your blood gets heavier. / Your muscles need more oxygen and glucose. / Your lungs stop working.) → Your muscles need more oxygen and glucose.Prompt: Working muscles respire faster.
  3. Blood and circulation: which statement is NOT true? (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 is always red; it is bright red with oxygen and darker red without.) → Blood in veins is blue.Prompt: One of these is a famous myth.

Hook · 6 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Follow blood through the heart and lungs. 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: Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the lungs?
  • Step 1: lungs → pulmonary vein → left atrium → left ventricle → aorta
  • Step 2: So the answer is: pulmonary vein
  • Answer: pulmonary vein
  • 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. Following blood from the body to the lungs: where does blood go straight after the right ventricle? (right atrium / vena cava / pulmonary artery / lungs) → pulmonary arteryPrompt: This side of the heart carries blood low in oxygen.
  2. Why is the wall of the left ventricle thicker than the right? (It pumps blood to the lungs only / It holds more blood / It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more force / It is older) → It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more forcePrompt: Compare how far blood goes from each ventricle.

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. Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the left ventricle? (pulmonary vein / aorta / left atrium / lungs) → aortaPrompt: This side of the heart carries oxygenated blood.
  2. Why is the wall of the left ventricle thicker than the right? (It holds more blood / It pumps blood to the lungs only / It is older / It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more force) → It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more forcePrompt: Compare how far blood goes from each ventricle.

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: Heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output.
  • 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

eurekami

Follow blood through the heart and lungs

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Following blood from the body to the lungs: where does blood go straight after the vena cava?

    • A. lungs
    • B. right ventricle
    • C. pulmonary artery
    • D. right atrium

  2. Question 2

    Why is the wall of the left ventricle thicker than the right?

    • A. It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more force
    • B. It is older
    • C. It holds more blood
    • D. It pumps blood to the lungs only

  3. Question 3

    Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the left ventricle?

    • A. aorta
    • B. pulmonary vein
    • C. left atrium
    • D. lungs

  4. Question 4

    Humans have a double circulatory system. What does that mean?

    • A. only half the blood reaches the lungs
    • B. blood passes through the heart twice on each full trip round the body
    • C. blood flows both ways in each vessel
    • D. we have two hearts

  5. Question 5

    What is the job of the valves in the heart?

    • A. to add oxygen to blood
    • B. to slow the heartbeat
    • C. to make blood cells
    • D. to stop blood flowing backwards

  6. Question 6

    Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the left atrium?

    • A. pulmonary vein
    • B. aorta
    • C. lungs
    • D. left ventricle

  7. Question 7

    Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the lungs?

    • A. left atrium
    • B. aorta
    • C. left ventricle
    • D. pulmonary vein

  8. Question 8

    Following blood from the lungs to the body: where does blood go straight after the pulmonary vein?

    • A. aorta
    • B. lungs
    • C. left ventricle
    • D. left atrium

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Answer key: Follow blood through the heart and lungs

  1. 1. D. right atrium

  2. 2. A. It pumps blood all round the body, so it needs more force

  3. 3. A. aorta

  4. 4. B. blood passes through the heart twice on each full trip round the body

  5. 5. D. to stop blood flowing backwards

  6. 6. D. left ventricle

  7. 7. D. pulmonary vein

  8. 8. D. left atrium