SMART board Lesson Introduction to the Circulatory System

• For an introductory lesson on the circulatory system, I will be using and adapting the lesson plan found at the following link:

http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=68c4538e-f508-4e2f-bbd3-8d9d186eff11&from=reg• Although I think this particular lesson plan

forms a good basis, I will add some detail to make it go into a little more depth.

• Nevertheless, I will be able to use the SMART board technology to draw the heart and the flow of blood through it. I will also be able to have students come to the board to take turns drawing out the entire cycle of blood.

• For example, the very first picture (shown left) it gives looks a little outdated. Instead, I would like to use more modern looking pictures that students could interact with better, perhaps 3D images like the following (shown right):

• Similary, I would use more modern looking pictures of the heart that are a little more accurate in showing the veins and capillaries.

Instead of this Use this

• Not only will using this picture give the students a better image to picture in their heads (we covered how important visuals are in learning!), but it will also help me to stay consistent with the first picture of explaining the red/blue distinction. I can explain how blue represents veins (contain deoxygenated blood), and red represents arteries (contain oxygenated blood). The original lesson plan could not do this because its picture of the heart did not show the veins and arteries.

• I like the group discussion component of the lesson plan. However, I will change the question from “What structures make up the heart?” to “Discuss the role of the heart as the center of the cycle of blood throughout the body. Notice how it acts as the intermediate between both types of blood…what are the two types of blood circulated by the heart?”

• Also, I will show the following video that outlines the basics of the circulatory system, giving an emphasis on the heart, which is being introduced in this particular lesson. Further lessons will elaborate on the details and talk about the other structures involved in the circulatory system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF68qhyfcoM

• I would also add a short dissection component to this unit. I would probably have to do it on a different day (for lack of time in this lesson), but it would be on this same topic of introducing the circulatory system.

• Allowing students to see and dissect the pig’s heart allows them to visualize what a human heart looks like, since they are very anatomically similar.

• Target learners involved in this lesson plan are upperclassman high school students who are taking an anatomy and/or physiology class.

• The way that I have adjusted this lesson plan allows for universal design by including elements that appeal to all major styles of learning:• Auditory and visual learners can learn via the video• Visual learners can learn via the pictures• Linguistic learners can learn via group discussion• Kinesthetic learners can learn via dissection