Standard of Learning

2.1   The student will identify the major body systems and explain their connection to personal health. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the cardiovascular system;
2. the digestive system;
3. the skeletal system;
4. the muscular system;
5. the nervous system.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will identify and understand the importance and function of the cardiovascular system.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• explain the location and function of the heart. (it is a pump in the center of your chest about the size of your fist and it pumps blood to the whole body)
• describe the function of the blood vessels. (blood travels through your body in blood vessels which are small tubes that take food and oxygen to your body parts)
• describe the function of red blood cells. (these tiny cells carry oxygen to your body parts)
• describe the function of white blood cells. (these tiny cells get rid of any germs that get into your body)
• explain how exercise affects the heart. (when you exercise your heart beats faster to get red blood cells carrying oxygen to your muscles - when your heart beats faster you are also making your heart muscle stronger)
• describe the function of the circulatory system. (your blood vessels carry blood to and from your heart and your body parts)

Sample Lessons

HeartPower!
Grades: K-2
Teaches student about the heart and how to keep it healthy. Science-based. Lessons, handouts.
--What is the Heart? – lesson idea
--What Does the Heart Do?
--How Does the Heart Work?
--How Does Physical Activity Help Your Body?
--Follow the Blood Activity Sheet
--Activities for the Heart Activity Sheet --Take a Look Inside of You - Visual Quick Activity
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Contact: http://www.americanheart.org (select HeartPower!)
Free

Internal Anatomy: A Fun Look at the Digestive System
Grade(s): K-3
Students learn to introduce, identify, and explain the functioning of some body parts  while constructing a "living doll" composed of the body parts discussed.
http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9307.html
Free

Labels for Education: First Grade Lesson Plans
Grade(s): 1
Each of the lessons is comprised of student-centered fitness activities that can be integrated into classroom subjects such as physical education, math, science, and health education. These activities can be used over a period of time as one unit of study or may be broken up and used as part of several individual lessons. The lessons are organized to guide children through activities that will develop their fitness related knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors.
http://www.labelsforeducation.com/pdf/fitness_plan_first_grade.pdf
Free

Lessons for human body materials
Grade(s): 1-5
This unit investigates some of the systems of the human body.  The lessons are designed to use the various human body models from ARC.  These lessons focus on four systems: skeletal, circulatory, respiratory and digestive. 
http://www.colby.edu/cpse/equipment2/human/human.html#Circulatory%20System
Free

Straight from the Heart
Grade(s): K-12
The main objectives of this mini-teach are to define and demonstrate the functions of the heart; observe the vibration of a match due to the pulsation of blood in the wrist; to construct a simple stethoscope and use it to listen to your heartbeat; to measure your heart rate (pulse); to compare your heart rate with your partner's heart rate; and to calculate the number of times your heart beats in one hour.
http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9514.html
Free

SuperHero Fitness
Grade(s): K-2
The purpose of this activity is to help students associate exercises with the different health-related fitness components: cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and muscular strength/endurance.
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=5895
Free

What Is Blood and How It Circulates In and Out of the Heart
Grade(s): K-5
At the end of this mini teach students should be able to explain what blood is and explain the circular movement of blood going in and out of the heart.
http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9009.html
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• "All About the Heart" - My Body - Heart - http://www.kidshealth.org
• The Body – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (health & fitness k-2)
• "Body Works" from The Learning Company - CD-ROM
• Cardiovascular System - http://yucky.kids.discovery.com
• "My Amazing Human Body" from DK Multimedia - CD-ROM
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• PE Central - http://www.pecentral.org
• Teaching Children About Health, A Multidisciplinary Approach, edited by Estelle Weinstein and Efrem Rosen, 1999, Morton Publishing Company - "The Human Body and Its Development"

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• help a partner trace his/her body on a large piece of paper and draw the location of the heart and the blood vessels.
• run 50 yards and place their hands over their hearts to feel their heart beat.
• learn how to count their pulse.

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