California Science
Fifth Grade Lesson Plan
Circulatory System
Fifth Grade Life Sciences Standard
2. Plants and animals have structures for respiration, digestion, waste disposal, and transport of
materials. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know many multicellular organisms have specialized structures to support the transport of
materials.
b. Students know how blood circulates through the heart chambers, lungs, and body and how carbon dioxide
(CO2) and oxygen (O2) are exchanged in the lungs and tissues.
Time Needed: One hour. The students are divided into three rotating groups and each group takes twenty
minutes. This lesson is usually done along with the 5th grade respiratory system lesson and the 5th grade
digestive system lessons which also each take one hour and are done on different days. Check with the 5th grade
teacher in advance to make sure the time is available and modify the lessons as necessary if there is not enough
time.
Lesson Topic: Exploring the process of circulation in the body.
Objectives:
 To experience how the heart beats faster with exercise.
 To discover the parts of the circulatory system.
 To discuss the parts of blood.
 To take blood pressure.
Resources:
1. When we did these activities, we used the following resources. Modifications could be made.
a. Handouts.
b. Each 5th grade classroom has science textbooks with a chapter or section on the circulatory
system. It is good to show the students where this is in their textbook if they want to read more
about it.
c. Group 1:
i. Stopwatch or clock in classroom with second hand.
ii. Graph provided on handout.
d. Group 2
i. Crayon, marker, pencil or highlighter.
ii. If you have access to heart models or any other materials that will help the students
understand the circulatory system, you are welcome to add them.
iii. Stethoscope.
e. Group 3
i. Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope.
ii. If you don’t have a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, an alternative activity is to make
blood with water, red hots, mini-marshmallows and rice. This is described in the science
club section of this web page.
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Plan on about 20 minutes per group rotating groups for an hour. You need enough volunteers and the
teacher to cover all groups.
Follow the instructions on the worksheet.
Answer the questions on the worksheet.
At the end of the session, suggest the students take their worksheets home to explain to their parents.
Fifth Grade Science: The Circulatory System
Name __________________________________________
Date
_______________________________________
California Science Standard 5 LS 2.b Students know how blood circulates through the heart
chambers, lungs and body and how carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are exchanged
in the lungs and tissues.
Based on California Science. New York: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, 2008, 143-150. If your
school uses a different book, find the chapter on the circulatory system. These lessons work
best if the students have already read the chapter.
Group 1: When Does Your Heart Work the Hardest?
Objective:
Materials:
Procedure:
To make a bar graph of heart rates while resting, walking and running
illustrating the change in heart rate when the body needs more oxygen.
Stopwatch or clock in classroom with second hand, graph below.
http://www.carolguze.com/text/102-19-tissuesorgansystems.shtml
1. Learn how to take your pulse. You can find your pulse by putting two fingers across your wrist under your thumb or
by laying two fingers along the side of your neck. Have someone help you if necessary.
2. Take your pulse while you are resting. Write the number of beats in 15 seconds on the appropriate line below and
graph it on the chart.
3. Walk in place for one minute. When you are done, take your pulse. Record your data below.
4. Run in place for one minute. When you are done, take your pulse. Record your data below.
Resting
# of beats in 15 seconds
After Walking
# of beats in 15 seconds
After Running
# of beats in 15 seconds
____________________
____________________
___________________
40
36
32
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
Resting
After Walking After Running
Data/Observations:
5. Discuss: Does your heart beat faster or slower after exercise?
6. Discuss: Why do you think that happens?
Conclusions:
7. Discuss: If blood cells carry oxygen to your cells, and the heart pushes those blood cells around your body, when
your body requires more oxygen because it is working harder, then will the heart beat faster or slower to supply
that oxygen?
Group 2: The Parts of the Heart
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Diagram_of_the_human_heart_(cropped).svg
Objective:
Trace the path of blood through the heart.
Materials:
Crayon, marker, pencil or highlighter.
Procedure:
Discuss each part as you draw it. If you have a heart model to show, show the parts as you draw them.
1. Find the superior vena cava and circle it. Notice that the superior vena cava brings blood to your heart from your
body that is carrying carbon dioxide.
2. Draw a line from the superior vena cava through the right atrium, tricuspid valve and right ventricle.
3. From the right ventricle, go through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery will split to
go to both lungs. Choose which way you want to draw your line going out of the pulmonary artery to the lungs.
4. When the blood is in the lungs, it drops off carbon dioxide and picks up oxygen. Turn the line around and bring it
back to the heart through the pulmonary vein on the same side you went out.
5. The line from the pulmonary vein should go into the left atrium.
6. From the left atrium, draw the line through the mitral valve and into the left ventricle.
7. From the left ventricle, draw the line through the aortic valve, through the aorta and out to the body. This blood will
take oxygen to the body. It will drop off the oxygen in the tissues and pick up carbon dioxide.
Hearing It For Yourself:
If you have a stethoscope, allow the students to each listen to their heart beat.
Group 3: Blood and Blood Vessels
Discuss with the students
What is plasma and what does it do?
What are red blood cells and what do they do?
What are white blood cells and what do they do?
What are platelets and what do they do?
What are the three types of blood vessels?
Which of these three are the tiny vessels where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged?
Putting it into practice: Blood Pressure
Objective:
To measure blood pressure.
Materials:
Students, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes.
Procedure:
The volunteer will explain
how to take blood pressure
and why we do it. Have the
students work together to take
each other’s blood pressure.
.
http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/demo/article-307.html
http://raphaellaibbiology.blogspot.com/2011/09/week-2-transport-system.html
http://www.jonbarron.org/heart-health/anatomy-blood-water-immune-system