a1tD0000003mAOxIAM

Blood Flow

  • 3-6 grade

Lesson Description:

In this lesson, the students code robots to mimic how blood flows through the heart and the body with a focus on the process of oxygenating blood.


 

Standards Covered

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.3

Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.

NGSS 4-LS1-1

Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

NGSS Crosscutting 2

Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. Deciphering causal relationships, and the mechanisms by which they are mediated, is a major activity of science and engineering.

NGSS Crosscutting 5

Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.

NGSS Crosscutting 6

Structure and function. The way in which an object or living thing is shaped and its substructure determine many of its properties and functions.

NGSS Practice 2

Developing and using models

NGSS Practice 3

Planning and carrying out investigations

NGSS Practice 6

Constructing explanations and designing solutions

NGSS Practice 8

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

image description

Lesson Modules


Teaching Tips:

This lesson was created to work with three different options. The concepts taught are the same for all three options, it just depends on the amount of technology you have available. As you read the lesson make sure you are looking at the content based on the option you will be taking.

Option 1: Teacher has a computer and a class set of Ozobots.

Option 2: Teacher has a computer, students have computers (either individual or in small groups).

Option 3: Teacher has a computer, students have computers (either individual or in small groups), and a class set of Ozobots.

Additionally, as a teacher you know your students’ well, so feel free to adjust the lesson to better fit your classroom, environment, goals, students, etc.


Option 1: Teacher has a computer, a class set of Ozobots, and Ozobot 2.0 Bit Accessory Kit, Construction Series.

Technology:

  • teacher computer
  • class set of Ozobots
  • Ozobot 2.0 Bit Accessory Kit, Construction Series
  • Suggested: projector


Materials:

  • Markers
  • Code key
  • Drinking straw (1 per pair of student)
  • Modeling Clay (ex: play-doh)
  • tape
  • Multiple human body printouts per student/group (attached, or follow link: Body with lungs)
  • 1 printout of student handouts "Blood Flow Student Handout EngageK12 "per student/small group (attached, or follow link: student handout)


Preparation:

  • re-calibrate the Ozobots before class, or have students do it before working with them
  • Print multiple human body student worksheets per student/group so that students can get new ones if they make a mistake. The worksheet should print over 6 pages. You can either tape up the human bodies before class or have the students tape them up. Here is an example of a completed project.


Option 2: Teacher has a computer, students have computers (either individual or in small groups).

Technology:

  • teacher computer
  • class set of student computers (either individual computers or 1 computer per small group)
  • Suggested: projector

Materials:

  • Drinking straw (1 per pair of student)
  • Modeling Clay (ex: play-doh)
  • tape

Preparation: none


Option 3: Teacher has a computer, students have computers (either individual or in small groups), class set of Ozobots, and Ozobot 2.0 Bit Accessory Kit, Construction Series

Technology:

  • teacher computer
  • class set of Ozobots
  • class set of student computers (either individual computers or 1 computer per small group)
  • Ozobot 2.0 Bit Accessory Kit, Construction Series
  • Suggested: projector


Materials:

  • Markers
  • Code key
  • Drinking straw (1 per pair of student)
  • Modeling Clay (ex: play-doh)
  • tape
  • Multiple human body printouts per student/group (attached or follow this link: body with lungs)


Preparation:

  • re-calibrate the Ozobots before class, or have students do it before working with them
  • Print multiple human body student worksheets per student/group so that students can get new ones if they make a mistake. The worksheet should print over 6 pages. You can either tape up the human bodies before class or have the students tape them up. Here is an example of a completed project.



 


Teaching Tips:

Finding and Making Observations About Your Heartbeat

  1. Have students put their hand over their heart (top/middle of their chest). 
  2. Have students respond to the question: What words would you use to describe what you feel?
    1. Option #1: Have students do a think, pair, share
    2. Option #2 & #3: Show the class view to help them find where to answer the question on their computers. Have students respond to the question on their computers. Once all the students have finished show the students their responses on the class view. Facilitate a conversation about their responses.
  3. Have a discussion about which words they see more and less often.
  4. Have students pick 1 word they did not write but would use to describe their heartbeat.


Seeing Your Pulse with Clay and a Straw:


  1. ask for a student volunteer.
  2. Have them lay down with you near their head.
  3. Have the students make a semi-circle around you and the student so that they can see.
  4. Find the pulse in the student volunteer's neck (right under their jawline).
  5. Get a small amount of clay (about the size of a small rubber ball)
  6. Press the clay firmly against the pulse area so it's attached securely to their skin.
  7. Gently push the straw into the clay.
  8. The straw should rotate/twitch as the blood pumps through the artery. 
  9. Ask the students: What do you think is making the straw move?
  10. Thank the student volunteer and have students return to their computers.
  11. Have the students respond to question #2 (Predict: What will happen to the heart beat after exercising?)
    1. Option #1: Have students do a think, pair, share
    2. Option #2 & #3: Show the class view to help them find where to answer the question on their computers. Have students respond to the question on their computers. Once all the students have finished show the students their responses on the class view. Facilitate a conversation about their responses.



Comparing resting heart rate to heart rate after exercise 

  1. Pick 2 student volunteers. Set up 1 student with the clay and straw so you can see their pulse.
  2. Have the other student be active for one minute (jumping jacks, running in place, push-ups, etc.)
  3. Place the students' necks near each other so that others can easily see the difference.
  4. Then set up the clay and straw on the student who exercised.
  5. Have the other students observe.
  6. Then have the students go to their computers and record their observations and prediction.
  7. Question #3: What differences did you observe between the heart rate of the person who exercised and the person who did not exercise? Question #4: Predict: Why do you think their heart rates were different?
  8. Option #1: Have students do a think, pair, share
  9. Option #2 & #3: Show the class view to help them find where to answer the question on their computers. Have students respond to the question on their computers. Once all the students have finished show the students their responses on the class view. Facilitate a conversation about their responses.
  • Show the students' responses to question #2 and #3. Discuss the answers as a class.

What words would you use to describe what you feel? Use only one word.

Predict: What will happen to the heart beat after exercising?
  • beat faster
  • beat slower
  • same speed

What differences did you observe between the heart rate of the person who exercised and the person who did not exercise?

Predict: Why do you think their heart rates were different?


Teaching Tips:

  1. Show video
  2. When the “Normal blood flow of heart and lungs” image is on the class view, starting at the right ventricle trace the path blood takes to show how blood moves through the heart and lungs. Make sure to narrate as you do this.
  3. Ask the students: Where does the blood get oxygen? (Answer: the lungs)
  4. Ask the students: After the blood gets oxygen, where does it go? (Answer: Back into the heart)

Watch the video that your teacher will share with the class.


 


Teaching Tips:

As students are brainstorming how to get Ozobot to go in the direction they want it to go in, they may get stuck when lines are crossing each other (moving from the heart into the lungs and back). For this, students need to tell Ozobot which directions to go before the lines cross (ex: when the blood re-enters the heart after going into the lungs it needs to go straight and not turn left or right even though there are black lines that go both left and right). See example to the right.

 

 


With Paper & Ozobots

Students will be completing their brainstorming activity on paper. There are prompts and a graphic organizer in the printed out student handouts.

Depending on the ratio of Ozobots to students, you may have students brainstorm collaboratively or individually. 

Recommendation: 3 students per group/Ozobot

Final project should look something like this:




As you are brainstorming how to get Ozobot to go in the direction you want it to go in, you may get stuck when lines are crossing each other (moving from the heart to the lungs and back). For this, you need to tell Ozobot which directions to go before the lines cross (ex: when the blood re-enters the heart after going into the lungs it needs to go straight and not turn left or right even though there are black lines that go both left and right). See example.



     


Teaching Tips:

At the end of the lesson, students will be reflecting on their learning. Here are some options for their reflections.

Depending on the circumstance, choose one or more options below to conduct this module.


Option 1: Video

  1. Since the students will not be taking their Ozobots home, if they have cell phones they can record their Ozobots in action. Encourage them to narrate what is happening and why (ex: Now the blood is flowing through the lungs to become oxygenated).
  2. There are questions on the student view. If the students are recording their projects, they can verbally record their responses to the questions as opposed to typing them.
    1. Did the Ozobot move the way you expected it to? Why or why not?
    2. What is the most interesting thing you learned today?
  3. Have a whole class reflection discussion.


Option 2: Computer

  1. Have the students respond to the reflection questions on their computers.
  2. Show the results. For the first question, you can see their responses in your dashboard.
  3. Have a discussion around their responses.


Option 3: Verbal

  1. Have students do a think in their heads, talk with a pair/small group, whole class discussion (think, pair, share)

Did the Ozobot move the way you expected it to? Why or why not?



What is the most interesting thing you learned today? Type your answer only with ONE word.