Teacher Guide Dissection on Demand: Heart 1-­‐Hour DL/HOW/In-­‐House Lesson Grades: 6 -­‐ 12 Description The heart keeps the entire body nourished with oxygen and nutrients, but how much do you really know about this vital organ? Heart disease is the number one cause of mortality in the United States! This program will stress the importance of the cardiovascular system, while highlighting ways to keep it healthy. This live dissection of a preserved sheep heart is an engaging way to review cardiac anatomy, function, and coronary diseases. Real human specimens will be displayed for comparison with animal samples. • Option 1: Class participation. Teachers are welcome to obtain sheep hearts & dissection equipment, and have our educator guide the students in both technique and anatomy identification. • Option 2: Class observation. If your students are observing our dissection, we will engage them with physical exam skills such as finding their pulse, testing heart rates, and identifying veins & arteries. Before Your Visit •
•
•
•
HOW/ In-­‐House program: The Museum will provide all materials for dissection. Distance learning program: if your class will be participating in the dissection, please make sure your sheep heart specimens are ordered and will arrive prior to program. Have students already separated into pairs and prepared with all dissection tools ready. Each student pair (for both observers or dissection participants) should have a printout of the heart diagram at the end of this guide. Objectives Students will: • Identify heart anatomy and function while observing a live dissection • Compare animal heart anatomy to that of preserved human specimens • Discuss ways to keep their cardiovascular system safe and healthy • Test their own cardiovascular functions with classroom activities Revised Ohio Academic Content Standards Grade 6 Science: Life Science – Cellular to Multicellular • Cells are the fundamental unit of life • Cells carry on specific functions that sustain life • Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function HS: Biology – Cells Cellular processes (characteristics of life regulated by cellular processes) National Health Education Standards: Grades 6-­‐8: 1.8.1, 1.8.3, 1.8.5, 1.8.6, 1.8.8, 1.8.9 Grades 9-­‐12: 1.12.1, 1.12.3, 1.12.5, 1.12.8, 1.12.9 Vocabulary aorta– the largest artery of the body, sending blood from the heart to the rest of the body atrium (atria)– the superior chambers of the heart, receiving blood from veins and sending the blood down to the ventricles artery– a muscular blood vessel that takes blood away from the heart blood– a fluid tissue that transports vital components throughout an organism blood pressure– the amount of force that is exerted on a blood vessel wall by blood capillary– the smallest blood vessels in the body, where microscopic components are transferred between the blood and the body’s cells cardiac muscle– a special type of striated muscle found in the heart that is able to coordinate regular rhythmic contractions through electrochemical signals cardiovascular (circulatory) system– the system of the body composed of the heart and blood vessels, meant to deliver vital components to and from all the cells of the body cell– the smallest unit of life in all living organisms chamber– a large compartment within the heart -­‐ mammal hearts are composed of four chambers – two atria and two ventricles cholesterol– a biochemical component that is vital to many structures in animal cells, but can also create plaques in major arteries leading to restriction of blood flow to end organs coronary artery– arteries branching from the aorta that feed the cells of the heart heart– a muscular organ that pumps blood through the lungs and to the rest of the body heart attack– damage to the heart due to low oxygenation, usually from poor blood flow from a diseased coronary artery heart rate– how frequently a heart beats per minute hypertension– having blood pressure that is too high, which is a risk factor for heart disease, strokes and other vascular pathologies hypotension– having blood pressure that is too low, which can result in end organs being deprived of oxygen and other vital components lungs– organs that provide air exchange for the blood muscle– a contractile tissue that provides the capability of movement oxygen– a gas that is required in animals for cellular respiration to make energy plaque– a blockage on the inner lining of arterial walls that can prevent blood flow to end organs pulse– a regular beat that can be felt on the heart or its arteries valve– a flap that allows one-­‐way movement of a fluid such as blood through the heart or veins vein– a blood vessel that returns blood to the heart vena cava– the largest veins of the body, returning blood from the body and head to the heart. There is a superior and an inferior vena cava in mammals. ventricle– the inferior muscular chambers of a heart that are used to pump blood through arteries Suggested Activities 1) Heart Rate Studies Students can measure their resting heart rates (count the number of beats in one minute) and take a class average. Try experiments to see how different situations affect heart rate – exercise (try more than one kind!), lying down, meditation, reading, eating etc. Does time of day affect heart rate? Do the students’ heart rates differ from their parents or teachers? 2) Family History & Risk Factors a. Discuss with the class various risk factors that are associated with heart disease. b. Ask for student volunteers who are comfortable with the topic to research if anyone in their family has had a heart attack or a stroke, and if those individuals engaged in any risk factors discussed with the class. c. Use the volunteers’ research to decide what percentage of the group has close relatives with these cardiovascular diseases, and how many might be linked to specific behaviors and/or choices. d. Have students research ways to reduce the risks of coronary disease, and the differences between genetic and environmentally linked health issues. References Here are some sites that we have used in the past as resources for program content. Please note that the Museum is not affiliated with and does not endorse these websites. http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/heart.html-­‐ check out information on your heart and circulatory system http://www.biologycorner.com/anatomy/circulatory/heart/heart_dissection.html -­‐ Biology Corner heart dissection walk through Books: Simon, Seymour. The Heart: Our Circulatory System. HarperCollins. 2009 Aaronson, P., Connolly, M., Ward, J. The Cardiovascular System at a Glance. Wiley-­‐Blackwell. 2013 Science Resource Center (SRC) The Science Resource Center has books, kits, animal dioramas and more for loan to area teachers. Contact the Science Resource Center at 216-­‐231-­‐4600 ext. 3211 between 3 and 5 PM Monday through Friday and 9 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. Visit our website to view resources. ___________________________________________________________________ Produced and published by the Education Division, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106 September 2013 Human Heart Diagram
Use this diagram to compare anatomy with that of your sheep heart