Pumping Up the Stress
for 5th grade
Activity Guide
Teacher Tips
• It is important to set the heart rate monitor receivers in the brackets
provided.
– Each receiver should be placed at the extreme right side of each lab
table.
– The brackets to hold the receivers should be placed in the extreme right
channel on the wall at the back of each lab table. Slide the receiver in
place.
• The Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitors work better when hands are
sweaty or moist. Students can help this by rubbing their hands
together or using lotion (not an excessive amount of lotion, just
enough to keep hands moist). The arrows of the receiver and the
hand grip heart rate monitors MUST be aligned to get a reading.
• The students will each test their heart rates with the stethoscope
AND Vernier Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitors for comparison – low
tech/high tech. This also allow comparison with averages and bar
graphs.
– A pair of students at each station will conduct all the tests with the
stethoscope while the other pair uses the Vernier Hand Grip Heart Rate
Monitors.
– After each pair has finished conducting all their tests, they will
exchange heart rate monitoring devices.
Teacher prep
• Assemble materials from next page.
– Place each of the following in one of 6 bins. Each bin is for
one table/group of 3-4 students:
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 LabQuest
1 hand grip heart rate monitor
1 stop watch
1 stethoscope
4 Alcohol wipes
3-5 copies “Heart Stress Test Chart” (# depends on # of students in
the class)
• 3-5 pens/pencils
• If time permits, charge 6 LabQuests on the
STEMmobile OR your students can plug them into the
outlets on the STEMmobile and use them while
plugged into the outlet.
Materials
•
•
•
•
•
6 Vernier LabQuests
6 Vernier Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitors
6 stop watches
6 stethoscopes
6 brackets to hold the
heart rate monitor receiver
• 24 copies Heart Stress
Test Chart – stored in
lower left filing drawer
in the mechanical room
• 24 pens/pencils
• 24 alcohol wipes
Location of Materials
• Drawer 2b1 contents:
– 9 stop watches
– 6 brackets for heart rate
monitor receivers
– 28 mechanical pencils
– Alcohol wipes
2b1
• Drawer 2b3 contents:
– 8 Vernier Hand Grip Heart
Rate Monitors
2b3
• Drawer 2b4 contents:
– 8 Vernier LabQuests
– 8 Stethoscopes
2b4
Worksheet
Challenge
• Your school nurse has decided to conduct a
health fair. Since you are learning about heart
rate, she has asked you to help. She wants you
to conduct the heart rate tests.
• You are able to decide the following:
– What instrument will you use?
– Where will you record these measurements?
– What activity or activities will the participants do?
Guiding Question
• How does your heart rate change with
different physical activity?
– What does heart rate mean?
– What does your heart do?
– What is a stethoscope? What does it do?
• Skills covered:
– Calculate averages
– Graph results
– Learn to use a handheld computer
– Learn to use heart rate monitors
Activity 1 – Heart Rate (10 minutes)
• Your pulse is the rate at which your heart beats. Your pulse is
usually called your heart rate, which is the number of times your
heart beats each minute (bpm).
• As your heart pumps blood through your body, you can feel a
pulsing in some of the blood vessels close to the skin's surface, such
as in your wrist, neck, or upper arm. Counting your pulse rate is a
simple way to find out how fast your heart is beating.
– Resting pulse or heart rate means to check your pulse the first thing in
the morning, just after you wake up but before you get out of bed.
– Some people like to check their pulse before and after they exercise.
• You check your pulse rate by counting the beats in a set period of
time (at least 15 to 20 seconds) and multiplying that number to get
the number of beats per minute.
• Your pulse changes from minute to minute.
– It will be faster when you exercise, have a fever, or are under stress.
– It will be slower when you are resting.
Activity 2 – Testing Heart Rate
30-40 minutes
• Each student should have an opportunity to do
the following activities.
• Test your heart rate with the Vernier LabQuest
and Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitor
– Standing
– Pumping your arms as though you were running
– Marching in place
• Test your heart rate with a stethoscope
– Standing
– Pumping your arms as though you were running
– Marching in place
Caution
• These tests are not meant to be
diagnostic.
• If you have been cautioned to
avoid vigorous exercise, do NOT
do the arm pumping or the
marching in place.
• The ear pieces are cleaned with
alcohol wipes to sterilize them.
PLEASE clean the ear pieces of
the stethoscope after each use.
Divide each table of 4 students
into 2 groups of 2.
• Half of the group at each table is testing heart
rate with the Vernier LabQuest.
• Half of the group at each table is testing heart
rate with the Vernier LabQuest.
• Once each group has completed their tests,
they will exchange equipment and materials –
LabQuest and Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitor is
exchanged for a stethoscope.
Tasks for each of the partners
• One partner uses the stethoscope or the Vernier
heart rate monitors. They will be standing,
pumping their arms, or marching.
• The other partner uses a stopwatch to time the
standing, pumping the arms or marching. Each
session is 1 minute.
Note: The person with the stethoscope will need to
record their heart rate after listening for 20 seconds.
How will they calculate the heart rate per minute?
Learn how to test heart rate
• The following slides show you how to measure
your heart rate with a stethoscope and
Vernier hand grip heart rate monitors.
Using the stethoscope
• Put the ear pieces in each ear.
• Hold the flat, round piece over your partner’s
heart (near the left center of the chest).
• You should heart your heart beat. If not
readjust the location of the flat metal piece.
• While you are standing
still, listen to your
heart rate.
• Once you find a good
place to listen to your
heart, you should be
able to count the
number of times the
heart beats during a
20 second time period.
Using the Vernier LabQuest and Hand
Grip Heart Rate Monitor
• It takes patience to get a heart rate to show up on
the Vernier LabQuest.
– Be sure to wait at least 20 seconds for a reading to
show up.
– It helps if your hands are slightly moist and/or warm.
– If you need to warm or moisten your hands, rub them
together to create friction.
• You will also need to press “record” on the
LabQuest. This will take you to a graph of your
heart rate and will also show you heart rate at
the upper right side of the screen. It is the
number before bpm (beats per minute).
Using the Vernier LabQuest
• Remove hand-held LabQuest from box.
• Remove Hand Grip Heart Rate monitor and
cord with arrow from box.
Plug cord from the heart rate receiver
into channel 1. The cord has an arrow
on the receiver end.
Plug in power cord.
• Insert cord into LabQuest.
• Plug the cord into receptacle on left edge of
Lab Quest.
Turn on LabQuest.
Press the button on
the top left until the
screen lights up.
Place the receiver into the bracket on the
wall at the right side in back of the table.
Make sure the cord goes down through the hole at the bottom
of the bracket.
Hold the hand grip monitors correctly.
•Hold each of the hand grip monitors so that fingers
match up with finger template on monitors.
•The arrow should be on top in left hand.
Standing in front of the table, hold hand grips so
that the arrow lines up with arrow on receiver
and points in the same direction.
Let LabQuest register heart rate
• Click or press
“START/RECORD.”
• Stand still for about 20
seconds until the LabQuest
registers your heart rate.
– Your heart rate will be
shown up in the upper right
of the screen before bpm.
– You will see a graph on the
lower left and center of your
screen.
• Put the hand grips down
and the heart rate goes
back to 0.
Standing heart rate with Stethoscope or Vernier Hand Grip Monitor
Activity Level
Stethoscope
Standing
• While you are standing still,
• Click or press “START/RECORD.”
listen to your heart rate.
• Stand still for about 20 seconds
• Once you find a good place to
until the LabQuest registers your
listen to your heart, begin
heart rate.
counting the number of times
• Your heart rate will be shown
the heart beats during a 20
up in the upper right of the
second time period.
screen before bpm.
• Record this in the Heart Rate
• You will see a graph on the
Chart.
lower left and center of your
• Set the stethoscope down for
screen.
30 seconds.
• Record heart rate in Heart Stress
Test Chart.
• Set the hand grips down monitors
down for 30 seconds.
Repeat the test above 2 more
times for a total of 3 heart rates
recorded.
Vernier Heart Rate Monitor
Repeat the test above 2 more times
for a total of 3 heart rates recorded.
Pumping arms heart rate with Stethoscope or
Vernier Hand Grip Monitor
Activity Level
Stethoscope
Vernier Heart Rate Monitor
Pumping Arms
• Pump your arms as though
you are running in place for 1
minute.
• Place the stethoscope on your
chest.
• Once you find a good place to
listen to your heart, begin
counting the number of times
the heart beats during a 20
second time period.
• Record this in the Heart Rate
Chart.
• Set the stethoscope down for
30 seconds.
• Pump your arms as though you are
running in place for 1 minute.
• Click or press “START/RECORD.”
• Stand still for about 20 seconds
until the LabQuest registers your
heart rate.
• Your heart rate will be shown
up in the upper right of the
screen before bpm.
• You will see a graph on the
lower left and center of your
screen.
• Record heart rate in Heart Stress
Test Chart.
• Set the hand grips down monitors
down for 30 seconds.
Repeat the test above 2 more
times for a total of 3 heart rates
recorded.
Repeat the test above 2 more times
for a total of 3 heart rates recorded.
Marching heart rate with Stethoscope or
Vernier Hand Grip Monitor
Activity Level
Stethoscope
Vernier Heart Rate Monitor
Marching
• Pump your arms and march in
place for 1 minute.
• Place the stethoscope on your
chest.
• Once you find a good place to
listen to your heart, begin
counting the number of times
the heart beats during a 20
second time period.
• Record this in the Heart Rate
Chart.
• Set the stethoscope down for
30 seconds.
• Pump your arms and march in
place for 1 minute.
• Click or press “START/RECORD.”
• Stand still for about 20 seconds
until the LabQuest registers your
heart rate.
• Your heart rate will be shown
up in the upper right of the
screen before bpm.
• You will see a graph on the
lower left and center of your
screen.
• Record heart rate in Heart Stress
Test Chart.
• Set the hand grips down monitors
down for 30 seconds.
Repeat the test above 2 more
times for a total of 3 heart rates
recorded.
Repeat the test above 2 more times
for a total of 3 heart rates recorded.
Name one additional way to test
your heart rate?
• Hint: You do not need any instruments.
• Try to feel your pulse this way.
Activity 3 – Calculations and Discussion
10-15 minutes
• Complete Pumping Up the Stress worksheet
• Discuss the questions on worksheet
• Make predictions.
Calculate the average heart rate for
each physical activity.
• Add the three trials across each row in the chart.
Record in “total” column of your worksheet.
• You should have totals for standing, pumping
arms, and marching in place.
• Divide each of these totals by 3 and record in
average heart rate column.
• Make a bar graph that shows the average heart
rate for each activity.
– The y-axis should be labeled “heart rate”
– The x-axis should be labeled “physical activity”
How did your heart rate change?
• Which activity made your heart rate the
highest?
• Which activity allowed your heart rate to
decrease?
List activities that would result in a
slow heart rate.
List activities that would increase your
heart rate?
Go Public – Revisit Challenge
5-10 minutes
• Your school nurse has decided to conduct a
health fair. Since you are learning about heart
rate, she has asked you to help. She wants you
to conduct the heart rate tests.
• You are able to decide the following:
– What instrument will you use?
– Where will you record these measurements?
– What activity or activities will the participants do?
Vocabulary
• Heart rate – how many times your heart beats every minute.
• Stethoscope – a device that amplifies sounds produced within the body
and allows you to listen to them. It has 2 ear pieces connected to a central
rubber tube that ends in a piece. The piece rests on the place you wish to
listen to.
• Heart rate monitor – an electronic device that allows you to determine
heart rate. The person whose heart rate is monitored must be connected
(with wires or wirelessly) to the monitor
• Receiver – equipment captures a signal created by a testing device and
relays it to a recording device
• Vernier LabQuest – a handheld computer that connects to several probes
for measuring a variety of scientific phenomena
• Average – the sum of a list of numbers divided by the number of numbers
in the list
• Resting heart rate – typically the lowest heart rate. Measured when
someone is at complete rest.
• Rate of recovery – the amount of time that it takes for heart rate to return
to resting heart rate after physical exercise.