Heart adventure is here

We have started our Heart Adventure units in all classes.  Students learn about the heart by experiencing what it is like to be the blood in the circulatory system. 

      

 Concepts learned in Dead Bug Dodge ball:

1. The red ball is oxygen in all of our games.  The blood is red when it contains oxygen.
2. The blue ball was carbon dioxide in all of our games.  The blood is blue when it contains carbon dioxide.

Concepts learned in Risk Factor Dodge ball(game with yellow, brown, and green):

1. Too much cholesterol is bad for the heart. It is in foods from the fats and oils
2. Smoking makes the heart and lungs have to work harder and are bad for the body.
3. Being a couch potato ( a person who does not exercise) makes the heart have to work harder and is bad for the body.

Concepts learned in Healthy Heart and Arteries & Veins(with the red and blue hoops and plastic balls)

1.      Arteries carry blood with oxygen

2.      Veins carry blood with carbon dioxide

3.      Too much cholesterol will clog up the arteries so the blood can not get through.

Concepts learned in the Healthy Heart and Unhealthy Heart Obstacle Course  ( the one where we put in the obstacles of smoking, couch potato and closed up the tunnel for cholesterol)

1.      The valve lets the blood go through and then closes so that it only goes one way.

2.      The obstacles represent the extra work that the heart has to do if you are a couch potato, smoke, or eat too much cholesterol.

3.      The atriums are the top two rooms(chambers) of the heart (*3rd -5th only)

4.      The ventricles are the bottom two rooms(chambers) of the heart.(*3rd-5th only)

5.      The lungs provide the oxygen for the blood.

Concepts learned in the Big Heart Adventure Obstacle Course ( the one with the scooters and the playground balls)

1.      The aorta sends the blood to the brain and the body parts.

2.      What times in the circulatory system that the blood contains oxygen and when it contains carbon dioxide.

3.      The blood leaves the heart and goes to the lungs to get oxygen.  Then it returns to give it to the brain and body parts.

4.      *5^th grade only- the names of the four valves: mitral, pulmonary, tricuspid, and aortic

This information will help them throughout their adult lives and on specific Science/Anatomy classes from 4th grade through college.  Few adults can truly explain how the blood circulates through the body with the specific information and detail that our students can provide!  They learn it all by experiencing it- not just by memorizing.  Kinesthetic learning is the most effective way to truly understand and apply this information.  In addition, this is usually the students favorite unit.  It is a blast to play the games and learn about the body!