{"id":784,"date":"2015-01-23T23:22:00","date_gmt":"2015-01-23T23:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rempub.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/23\/5-lessons-of-the-heart\/"},"modified":"2022-03-01T07:57:25","modified_gmt":"2022-03-01T07:57:25","slug":"5-lessons-of-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rempub.com\/blog\/5-lessons-of-the-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Lessons of the Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Put a twist on your Valentine\u2019s lessons with these heart-themed, science lessons, activities, and free downloads. They go beyond the mushy-gushy romance of V-day…although, we’re not against that (see Secret Valentine Exchange)! Plus February is American Heart Month, so you can use these activities all month long to promote heart health awareness. <\/span><\/p>\n

Getting to Know the Heart<\/b>
\nFamiliarize students with the parts of the heart with this\u00a0free labeling<\/a> activity from our Labeling for Comprehension Series<\/i><\/a>. Students will read a short description of the heart, and then demonstrate their understanding by labeling the diagram. Now, they are ready to get their blood flowing with the next two activities.<\/p>\n

A Blood-Pumping Graphing Activity<\/b>
\nIntegrate math, health, and heart-healthy science with this blood-pumping activity. Students will graph<\/b><\/i> their heart rates while doing different activities.<\/p>\n

1. Ask students, \u201cDid you know that your heart is a muscle? In fact, it is the only hollow muscle in your body. Like all the muscles in your body, your heart stays strong when it exercises. Let\u2019s see how exercise makes your heart work and keep strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Have students find their pulse while sitting at their desks (resting heart rate<\/b><\/i>). Have each student gently press their forefingers to their wrist, near the base of the thumb. Have them count the pulses while you keep time for 15-seconds. Then each student should multiply their count by four to get the beats-per-minute. \u00a0Have students write this number in this chart (free download<\/a>).<\/p>\n

3. Complete the chart together as a class. After each activity, have students take their pulse. You\u2019ll be in charge of the clock, tracking the intervals, and making sure students stay on-task. When you are done, have students create a bar graph or line graph to show how their heart rate differed for each activity.<\/p>\n

4. Explain to students that blood is a special \u201cbelt\u201d that brings oxygen to the muscles and carries the bad away, and you want your heart to be in its best shape to do this well.<\/p>\n

A Field Trip Through the Heart<\/b>
\nGood News! This field trip does not require a permission slip. Students will take a trip through the heart right in your classroom.<\/p>\n