Lungz
Overview
Campers will be introduced to the respiratory system and how the lungs work by
creating a working model. The long-term effects of pollution on the respiratory system
will be discussed and demonstrated on the mini lung models.
Topic (s)
Grade Level
Cost (per camper)
Time (preparation and activity)
Complexity
Functions and anatomy of the lungs
4-6
$0.18
30-45 minutes
Easy-Medium
Ontario Curriculum Links
Understanding Life Systems: Grade 5 – Human Organ Systems
Big Ideas:
 Organ systems are components of a larger system (the body) and, as such
work together and affect one another.
 Organ structures are linked to their functions
 Systems in the human body work together to meet our basic needs
 Choices we make affect our organ systems and, in turn, our overall health.
Specific Expectations:
 assess the effects of social and environmental factors on human health, and
propose ways in which individuals can reduce the harmful effects of these
factors and take advantage of those that are beneficial
 evaluate the effects, both beneficial and harmful, of various technologies on
human body systems, taking different perspectives into account (e.g., the
perspectives of the developers of the technologies, advertisers, children and
young people, parents)
 use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate changes in body
systems (e.g., heart rate, breathing, body temperature) as a result of physical
activity (e.g., exercise, resting, eating)
 design and build a model to demonstrate how organs or components of body
systems in the human body work and interact with other components
 describe the basic structure and function of major organs in the respiratory,
circulatory, and digestive systems
Theory & Background Information
Biology is the study of living things. All living things are comprised of many parts, such
as organs, bones and muscle, which all perform different functions. The human body is
made up of many systems that allow us to live and function in our day to day lives.
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Body Systems
These systems are the circulatory system (heart, blood, vessels), respiratory system
(nose, trachea, lungs), immune system (many types of proteins, cells, organs, tissues),
skeletal system (bones), excretory systems (lungs, large intestine, kidneys), urinary
system (kidneys, bladder), muscular system, endocrine system (glands), digestive
System (mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines), nervous System (brain, spinal cord,
nerves), and the reproductive system. This activity focuses on the respiratory system
made up of the nose, trachea and lungs.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Basic anatomy of the lungs:
The lungs are the organs of respiration. They allow us to bring oxygen (O2) into
our bodies and take carbon dioxide (CO2) out. They are located inside the trunk of your
body in a space known as the chest cavity.
Your lungs are protected by your rib cage, which is made up of 12 sets of ribs.
Your ribs are connected to your spine (in your back) and surround your lungs to protect
them. Below the lungs is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that
works with your lungs to allow you to inhale (breathe in) and exhale (breathe out). As
you breathe in, your diaphragm contracts and flattens out. Contraction allows it to move
down so that your lungs have room to fill with air. As you breathe out, everything
reverses; your diaphragm relaxes and moves up, causing air to be pushed out of the
lungs. Rib muscles become relaxed, and they move in again, creating a smaller space
in your chest because the air is squeezed out of the lungs.
The trachea, or windpipe, is a long tube connecting and transporting air
between your nose and mouth, and your lungs. To prevent food from entering the
trachea a small flap of elastic cartilage, called the epiglottis, closes over the windpipe
when you swallow to prevent the food from going down the trachea which would result
in choking.
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The airflow necessary for singing or speaking is generated by
pressure exerted on our lungs by the diaphragm and abdominal
muscles. This flow is measured in cubic meters of air passing a given point per second
(m3/s). The act of breathing out (when you are pushing up on the tape) results in
pressure (aka air) being pushed out of the lungs which is why the balloon in this activity
deflates. When you breathe in (pulling down on the tape), the balloon will fill with air
because it signifies the act of air filling up the lungs.
Quick facts:
- Lungs allow us to breathe, talk, sing, laugh, cry, etc.
- Your left lung is smaller than your right lung to leave room for your heart.
- The lungs are the only organs in the body that can float on water.
- If stretched out, the interior of the lungs would cover a tennis court.
- At rest you will inhale and exhale about 15 times per minute.
- During exercise your breaths can increase to 60 times per minute.
In this activity:
BALLOON = LUNG, STRAW = TRACHEA, PLASTIC WRAP = DIAPHRAGM, BOTTLE
= RIB CAGE
Materials
Per Camper:
 Top ½ 500ml Plastic Water bottle (with hole drilled through cap)
 1 medium-sized balloon (preferably pink)
 1/2 of a straw
 Small ball of modeling clay (size of a small marble)
 2 rubber bands
 15 cm long piece of plastic wrap
 Piece of masking tape
 Small piece of duct tape
Per Camp: (extension)
 Plastic 2L pop bottle
 50 Cotton balls
 1 Match
 Optional- Long skinny plastic bags to measure lung volume
Location
 Classroom
Procedure
Preparations
1. Cut water bottles in half, keeping only the top half of the bottles with cap
2. Drill holes into bottle caps large enough for a straw to fit through
3. Cut straws into halves
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Introduction
1. Ask the campers if they know what biology is
a. Biology is the study of living things (plants, animals, etc.); tell campers that we
will be focusing on the human body today
2. Ask the campers what some of the different systems in the body are and what
these systems include
a. Circulatory system (heart, blood, vessels)
b. Respiratory system (nose, trachea, lungs)
i. We will be focusing on this system today
c. Immune System (many types of proteins, cells, organs, tissues)
d. Skeletal System (bones)
e. Excretory Systems (lungs, large intestine, kidneys)
f. Urinary System (kidneys, bladder)
g. Muscular system
h. Endocrine System (glands)
i. Digestive System (mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines)
j. Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, nerves)
k. Reproductive System
3. Explain that today we are going to learn about the respiratory system, which is
made up of the nose, mouth, trachea and esophagus. Draw a picture of the
lungs on the board and ask campers if they can identify the parts as you label
the diagram.
4. Explain how the respiratory system works
a. The respiratory system begins with the nose, the nose acts as a filter
and humidification system. Nose hairs may be unattractive but they do
have a function to filter out particles and dirt that we breathe in from the
air that do not belong in the body. As we breathe in, the nose also
moistens the air so that our lungs don’t dry out.
b. Next are the mouth and the trachea. The trachea is also known as the
‘windpipe’. If you’ve ever choked on food and heard “Something must
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have gone down the wrong pipe”, it’s true! Food is supposed to go down
the esophagus to the stomach but if it starts going down the trachea
instead, we will react by coughing to get the food out so that it doesn’t
go down toward our lungs.
c. The lungs are the workers of the respiratory system, and are where air
exchange takes place, allowing us to breathe. This is the critical place
where oxygen is absorbed into the body so that all of our cells, tissues
and organs can function. We need oxygen to live. The lungs also take
the carbon dioxide that the body has produced and expel it.
d. The lungs are constantly expanding and contracting to get the good air
(oxygen) into the body and bad air (carbon dioxide) out. The diaphragm
sits below the lung as allows the inhalation and exhalation of the lungs
by contracting and relaxing.
5. Explain that our environment affects the way our organs function, especially our
respiratory system. Ask campers for example of the effects of our environment
on our body.
a. The sun’s UV rays can burn our skin causing damage to the cells
b. What we eat affects our digestive system. We need nutritious food for
our body to function, but sometimes too much food or the wrong foods
can cause problems for our bodies.
c. Chemicals in the air can affect the way we breathe and even damage
our lungs if we breathe them in too much. If they have ever been
somewhere in the summer where there has been a smog alert-this is
due to excess air pollution that can make breathing harder especially to
those with respiratory problems or with asthma.
6. Ask campers how we can make our air better for healthy breathing
a. Reduce carbon emissions into the air by reducing the amount of time
spent driving
i. Walk, bike, or take public transportation
ii. Remind parents not to idle
b. Plant trees to replace ones that are being cut down! Plants are capable
of cleaning the carbon dioxide out of our air.
Activity
1. Explain that every camper will be making their own lung to demonstrate the way
the organ expands and contracts in the chest cavity and how it functions with the
diaphragm.
2. Hand out materials. Explain that the BALLOON = LUNG, STRAW = TRACHEA,
PLASTIC WRAP = DIAPHRAGM, BOTTLE = RIB CAGE
3. Instruct campers to push the straw through the pre-drilled hole in the bottle cap,
leave about 2 inches of the straw sticking through the top of the cap
4. Make the straw air tight by placing a ring of modeling clay on the top of the cap
around the straw
5. Insert the bottom of the part of the straw that is out of the bottle into the balloon.
Secure it in place with one of the elastic bands. Be sure that the balloon is on
tight.
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6. Put the cap back on the bottle. The balloon should now be inside
of the bottle.
7. Place plastic wrap tightly over the bottom of the bottle. Use a rubber band to hold
the plastic wrap in place. Make it as TIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
8. Attach a piece of tape to the plastic wrap. Make a little handle out of it by folding
the tape together in the middle but leaving the two ends open (like a wishbone)
9. As you pull down, the balloon will inflate. When you push the tape up into the
bottle, the balloon will deflate. This shows the basic action of the lungs. The
plastic wrap is the diaphragm, as it goes down (relaxes) air is able to fill up the
balloon (the lungs), and as it is pushed up, air is pushed out of the balloons (like
a lung exhaling).
10. Once everyone has created their lung, you can talk about damage to lungs
caused by the inhalation of pollutants. Demonstrate this by putting a piece of duct
tape on each person’s balloon and seeing how the balloon will no longer expand
and contract as easily. The duct tape represents damage to lung cells.
Activity Accommodations and Extensions
Accommodations
- To shorten activity don’t have to put duct tape on each camper’s balloon, but can
use a demonstration by trying to blow up a balloon with duct tape on a part of it,
and trying to blow up a balloon without. The balloon with duct tape should be
harder to blow up, and won’t be able to go as big.
- If poor fine motor skills, can use tape instead of elastic bands and instructor can
put the straw into the cap before the activity starts.
Extensions
- Instructors can further demonstrate the effect of pollution on lungs by filling a pop
bottle halfway with cotton balls and putting a match into the top. The cotton balls
should change colour, showing damage to the lungs alveoli.
- Can demonstrate the effects of activity on lungs by measuring lung volume
through breathing into a plastic bag before and after running on the spot for 2
minutes and measuring the difference between the amount of air expelled
Safety Considerations
- Water bottle edges may be sharp, if jagged edges tape over them.
Resources
http://www.helium.com/items/811513-how-does-the-respiratory-system-work
http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/31-health/337-human-body.html
exchange.actua.ca -Lungz
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