Students investigate how movement changes the body by exploring the question, How does exercise affect our heart, lungs and muscles? Through a hands-on launch, partner activities with the gym teacher, pulse and breathing measurements, diagrams, models, and daily reflection journals, they build evidence-based understanding of how these body systems work together during exercise. Over three weeks, they collaborate to create labeled drawings, charts, and visual explanations, revise their ideas each week, and prepare to share practical findings about healthy movement with families and peers at the Heartbeat Expo.

Students explain how exercise changes the heart, lungs, and muscles using labeled drawings, models, and simple science vocabulary. Students measure pulse and breathing before and after movement, record daily observations in reflection journals, and use charts to notice patterns, compare results, and answer the question of how exercise affects the body. Students work with classmates and the gym teacher to carry out investigations, listen and respond during discussions and reflection circles, and revise their posters and drawings to communicate clear evidence-based ideas for the Heartbeat Expo.

Students will create daily reflection journal entries with simple drawings, labels, and observations about pulse, breathing, and muscle feelings before and after movement. In partners and small groups, they will make kid-friendly data charts and labeled practice diagrams of the heart, lungs, and muscles using evidence collected with the gym teacher. By the end of the project, the class will produce a large collaborative poster with labeled body system drawings and student-made charts showing how exercise changes pulse and breathing, and each student will complete an individual visual poster or drawing explaining their observations. These products will be shared at the Heartbeat Expo alongside brief movement demonstrations and oral explanations for families, the gym teacher, and another second grade class.

Begin with a “Heart Beat Adventure” scavenger hunt where students search the room for picture clues and simple models of the heart, lungs, and muscles, then work with partners to match each body part to its job. After the hunt, the gym teacher leads a short movement burst such as marching, jumping, and stretching while students notice how their heartbeat and breathing change. Students then learn a simple way to check pulse and breaths, record first observations in their reflection journals, and share quick wonderings about the question, “How does exercise affect our heart, lungs, and muscles?” End with a class chart of predictions that students will revisit during the project.

Host a Heartbeat Expo where students welcome families, the gym teacher, and another second grade class to rotate through simple movement stations led by students. At each station, students demonstrate an exercise, explain how it changed their pulse and breathing, and use the large class poster, labeled body drawings, charts, and individual visual posters to share evidence from their journals. Include a short whole-group share-out where students answer the essential question using kid-friendly science language about the heart, lungs, and muscles. End with a gallery walk so visitors can leave compliments or questions about students’ observations and healthy choices.