3rd Grade  Lesson 45 minutes

Pedal Power: Body Science Adventure!

Olivia J
Updated
SCI.3.CC.2
SCI.3.CC.4
SCI.3.CC.6
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Collaboration
+ 1 more
1-pager

Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is to engage 3rd-grade students in understanding how physical activity, like biking, impacts the human body through hands-on investigation and data analysis. By acting as young scientists, students explore the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This project emphasizes collaboration, effective communication, and real-world application, encouraging students to make connections between exercise and overall health.

Learning goals

Students will understand the cause and effect relationship between physical activity and body systems, specifically focusing on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. They will develop skills in data collection and analysis by measuring heart rate changes before and after exercise. Students will create and present interactive models to demonstrate their understanding of how exercise impacts the heart, lungs, and muscles. They will practice effective communication by sharing their findings with peers and community members during the 'Health and Science Fair'.

Standards
  • [Wisconsin] SCI.3.CC.2 - Students use science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cause and effect relationships to make sense of phenomena and solve problems.
  • [Wisconsin] SCI.3.CC.4 - Students use science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and an understanding of systems and models to make sense of phenomena and solve problems.
  • [Wisconsin] SCI.3.CC.6 - Students use science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and an understanding of structure and function to make sense of phenomena and solve problems.
Competencies
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.

Products

Students will create interactive models of the heart, lungs, and muscles to demonstrate their function during exercise. They will also develop presentations or posters showcasing their data collection and analysis of heart rate changes. These products will be featured at the 'Heart and Wheels Festival' and 'Health and Science Fair,' allowing students to share their findings with peers and the community.

Launch

Kick off the project with a 'Science Spin-Off' event where students take turns biking on stationary bikes while classmates use stethoscopes and timers to monitor and record heart rates. This active entry event will spark curiosity and excitement as students begin to explore how their bodies respond to exercise. Engage students in a brief discussion afterward to share initial observations and questions about the changes they noticed in their heart rates.

Exhibition

Organize a 'Heart and Wheels Festival' where students present their interactive models of the heart, lungs, and muscles, demonstrating their function during exercise. Set up stations with data displays showing heart rate changes and other findings from their biking experiments. Invite families, community members, and the P.E. teacher to participate in a community biking event, allowing students to explain their projects and findings.