Inquiry and Fitness Unit Plan

By Carl Woodhams

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again

L. Frank Baum

Unit Overview
This unit will explore the inner workings of respiratory and circulatory systems. We will investigate systems
utilised by various species - making comparisons between aquatic and terrestrial organisms and their
morphological adaptations that make them suitable for their particular environment.
The content has been provided in a way that allows teachers to pick and choose areas that their class is
particularly interested in pursuing.

Week 1 - Introduction of Inquiry Topic: Fitness and Heart Rates

Week 2 - Aquatic Species: Respiratory systems (Fish, Mollusks, Arthropods, Amphibians)
Week 3 - Terrestrial Species: Respiratory systems (Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Arthropods, Amphibians)
Week 4 - Our bodies: Revisiting fitness and cross country training
Week 5 - Circulatory systems: Exploring the path of Oxygen from inhalation to circulation round the body
Week 6 - Student led inquiry: Students identify and craft their own questions for investigation.

Stuck on the meaning of a fancy scientific word? Check out the Biological Dictionary:
http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Main_Page

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will:

Understand the importance of regular exercise and its effect on the body
Explore the anatomy of aquatic animals, circulatory and respiratory systems
Explore the anatomy of terrestrial animals, circulatory and respiratory systems
Develop an understanding of species anatomy variation, morphological adaptations
Identify the importance of oxygen in animal respiration
Carry out a statistical investigation into heart rates over a period of 4 weeks
Graph and analyse collated data
Learn and utilise a range of scientific/biological vocabulary
Be encouraged to live healthy lives
Successfully complete and present a student-led scientific inquiry
Adopt scientific etiquette, skills and investigative strategies

Science achievement objectives relevant to this inquiry topic include:

Nature of Science
Understanding about science
Investigating in science
Communicating in science
Participating and contributing
Living world

Life processes
Ecology
Evolution

Health and Physical Education achievement objectives relevant to this inquiry topic include:
Personal Health and Physical Development
Regular physical activity
Movement Concepts and Motor Skills
Movement skills
Positive attitudes
Science and technology
Relationships with Other People
Relationships
Identity, sensitivity, and respect
Interpersonal skills
Healthy Communities and Environments
Societal attitudes and values
Rights, responsibilities, and laws; People and the environment

Mathematics and Statistics achievement objectives relevant to this inquiry topic include:
Number and Algebra
Number strategies and knowledge
Statistics

Statistical Investigation
Statistical literacy

Week
1 - Introduction of Inquiry Topic: Fitness and Heart
Rates
Key Questions:

Does fitness and regular exercise impact our bodys efficiency (breathing, heart rate)?
How can we track and monitor our increasing fitness as were training for cross country?
[Field Trip] Marine Laboratory Education Centre - Ties in to week 2

Activity:
Week 1 is intentionally light on workload as itll inevitably be a busy week. This week will focus on
introducing the topic through the framework of fitness monitoring that we will later use for a statistical
analysis in week 4. Each student will be required to fill out
the Heart Rate Recording Sheet (on the following page of
this unit plan).
Students will regularly train for the intention of improving
cardiovascular fitness. Fitness sessions will comprise of
running for a suitable duration and distance.
To successfully compile a statistically valid set of data
each students will count the number of beats/pulses for
60 seconds (timed by the teacher). The first measurement
is to be done before exercising and noted down, then the
second test is straight after they have finished their fitness
training.
Results are recorded as bpm (Beats Per Minute). To take
your pulse replicate the image, if students are having trouble finding their pulse they can also try their
wrists or under their armpits.

Resources:
Links

Rubys Heart Rate Game (http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/keephealthy.html)

Target Heart Rate Calculator (http://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/heartrate)

Heart Rate Recording Sheet

Week 1
Heart Rate

Day 1

Resting
Exercised

Day 2

Day 3

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

Week 2
Heart Rate

Day 1

Resting
Exercised

Day 2

Day 3

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

Week 3
Heart Rate
Resting
Exercised

Week 4

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

Heart Rate
Resting
Exercised

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

bpm

Week 2 - Aquatic Species: Respiratory Systems

(Fish, Mollusks, Arthropods, Amphibians)
Key Questions:

Do aquatic animals actually breathe?

How do aquatic animals take oxygen from water?
What are gills and how do they work?

Resources:
Readings
How do gills work? (http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/09/how-fish-gillswork/)
How fish breathe (http://www.dkfindout.com/uk/animals-and-nature/fish/how-fish-breathe/)
Mollusk Respiration, Circulation and Reproduction (http://mollusks.weebly.com/respirationcirculation-and-reproduction.html)
Fish countercurrent exchange diagram
(https://teacheratsea.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/gills-an-o2.jpg)

Video (View before showing)

Amphibians (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI8GPsf6TAc)
Fish breathing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEIRlw5rCUk)

University Slides

 Biol 228: Respiration and Homeostasis (https://drive.google.com/open?

id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54YTJWMEt1eG1nOHc)
Biol 228: Bony Fish
(https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54V2g4UmQwSzNubkU)
Biol 228: Amphibians
(https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54VDVtVXd0X1NaMVk)
Biol 228: New Zealand Amphibians (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54Zmhoa1VpYi01eE0)

Week 3 - Terrestrial Species: Respiratory Systems

(Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Arthropods, Amphibians)
Key Questions:

Terrestrial breathing, how is it different from aquatic?

Lung anatomy, how do they work?
Aquatic mammals, are their respiratory systems different or the same?

Resources:
Readings
Bottlenose Dolphins, Adaptations to Marine Living (https://seaworld.org/en/animalinfo/animal-infobooks/bottlenose-dolphins/adaptations)
Dolphin Respiratory System (http://schoolnet.org.za/PILAfrica/en/webs/17963/respiratorysystem.html)
Human Lung Anatomy (http://www.innerbody.com/anatomy/respiratory/lungs)
Animal Respiration Comparisson (http://vetsci.co.uk/2010/02/28/comparative-animalrespiration/)

Video (View before showing)

What do the lungs do? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NUxvJS-_0k)

How the lungs work (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaOBcF6N7e4)
Why arent there giant insects? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l79FuGuk1qE)

University Slides

 Biol 228: Insect Internal Anatomy (https://drive.google.com/open?

id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54emlXb1Zrd3dsenM)
Biol 228: Locust Dissection (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54d1VETXoySDlrWnM)
Biol 228: New Zealand Reptiles (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54Z2k2V3BJS0dMbGc)
Biol 228: New Zealand Birds (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54UE5seUpFaW9rMVU)

Week 4 - Our Bodies: Revisiting Fitness and Cross

Country Training
Key Questions:

How has all of our training for cross country affected our breathing?
How has it affected our pre and post exercise heart rates?
Why do we think exercise [has/has not] changed our results?
How do we correctly display data? (Refer to Statistics plan)

Resources:
Links
Exercises effect on the lungs
(http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/encyclopedia/exercises-effects-on-the-lungs4001089/exercises-effects-on-the-heart/)
Exercising for kids (http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/exercise.html#)
What happens to your body when you exercise?
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/body-on-exercise-what-happensinfographic_n_3838293.html)

Video (View before showing)

What happens to your heart when you exercise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=O8ttt3M8qZM)
What happens to your lungs when you exercise (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Ovk5qEQ9vmw)
Effects of excercise on the body (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n0xE463KoU)
How excercise rewires your brain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj_5SGdx7Xk)

University Slides
Biol 114: Muscles and Skeletons (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54V2U1cXR5MnhlaFE)
Biol 114: Muscles and Skeletons (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54bFlfcnVRWjRzb3M)

Pre and Post Workout Heart Rate Graph

Conclusions
Resting Heart Rate:

Post-Exercise Heart Rate:

Week 5 - Circulatory Systems: Exploring the path of

Oxygen from inhalation to circulation round the body

Key Questions:

What relevance does the heart have with the lungs?

What does the heart do?
How does oxygen move around the body?
Do all animals have a heart?

Resources:
Readings
The Human Heart (http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?
p=335&np=152&id=1446)
Heart and Circulatory System (http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/heart.html)
How does the heart actually pump blood? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ruM4Xxhx32U)
6 Strange Hearts (http://www.livescience.com/49795-strange-animal-hearts.html)
The Heartless Animal: Jellyfish (http://animals.howstuffworks.com/marine-life/jellyfish.htm)

Video (View before showing)

Circulatory and Respiratory Systems - CrashCourse Biology
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fxm85Fy4sQ)
ATP and Respiration - CrashCourse Biology (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=00jbG_cfGuQ)
How your heart works (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eVG45_iF9U)
The Respiratory System (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc1YtXc_84A)

University Slides
Biol 114: Human Heart and Lungs (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54dmlGelh2TExSNkE)
Biol 114: Circulation Gas Exchange (https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54V2pqWC1mU2twOGc)
Biol 114: Cnidaria
(https://drive.google.com/open?
id=0B5dUDE9Jrw54ZVZmWVhWQlV4WlU)

Week 6 Onwards - Student Led Inquiry

Students identify and craft their own questions for investigation.