The heart is about the size of your fist and is located between your lungs behind the sternum. Most people believe the heart is located on the left side of the chest. Ask students to make a fist with their hands, and to place it between their lungs.
Function of the Heart
Function of the heart is to transport oxygen rich blood to the body and transport oxygen poor blood to the lungs from the body. Heart circulates the body’s blood supply about 1000 times a day. The heart relies on gravity to pump the blood but it must also push the blood to the brain and other parts of the body.
Blood circulates the body to provide it with oxygen, nutrients and to remove waste. Draw the heart valves on the sketched heart.
Illustrate gravity to students by having them place one arm casually at their side and hold the other arm up in the air. Students remain this way for 60 seconds. After 1 minute, ask students which hand is a healthy color, it will be the hand that is casually resting at their side. The heart had to work hard to transport blood to the arm that was raised and its extremities.
Heart works like a pump with two jobs. One part of the pump receives the blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs, while the other part of the pump receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body. It takes less than 60 seconds to pump the blood throughout the body. The heart pumps blood to the lungs to revitalize it with oxygen.
Heart Problems
Have each student or a group of students research different heart problems that are common. Students are to write a short research paper of approximately 1-2 pages outlining the heart problem and the medical interventions needed to heal the heart or to have it work properly.
Human heart is such an incredible organ that gives life each second. Students may know all the latest songs or Pokemons but it
