Subject(s): Science, P.E. & Health Grades(s): Grades 2-3

Title – Love Your Lungs

By – Bonnie Reed Hanna

Primary Subject – Health / Physical Education

Seconday Subject – Science
Grade Level – 3

# of Students – 25

Unit: Growth and Development
Lesson: The Respiratory System

National Standard: 1, 3

NJ Core Curriculum Standard: 2.1B, 2.1A, 2.2B, 2.1D

I. Performance Objectives

A. Affective — After the lesson on the respiratory system, the students should
value their lungs by embracing healthy behaviors and avoiding detrimental
situations, and this will be determined by answers on a questionnaire.

B. Social — During the lesson on the respiratory system, the students will act
in a socially acceptable manner by behaving appropriately while handling food
during the activity and following instructions during the lesson.

II. Materials and Equipment

A. Lesson Plan
B. Overhead projector
C. Transparency
D. Chalk
E. Paper — 25 sheets
F. Baggies containing food pieces (cheerios, twizzler, tortilla, pretzel, rolled
cookies, fruit rolls, mini marshmallows) — 25
G. Straws — 25

III. Procedure

A. Introduction 3 I
i. The last two classes we talked about food being the fuel that our bodies need
for energy and how our bodies break the food down in the digestive system. Well
there is something else that is even more vital to life. Can anyone tell me what
that is? A person can live about 3 days without water and even longer without
food, but they can only live about 4 minutes without this. (Air or specifically
oxygen.) Oxygen is vital because in order to burn the food/calories for energy,
oxygen must be present just like in a car (air intake, exhaust & gas) or a
candle. Who can tell me what body part is most responsible for our breathing in
air? (Lungs.) Right. Today we are going to learn about the respiratory system
and why it is so important to keep it healthy, and I'll be asking you some
questions at the end of class pertaining to this.

B. Content 9 I


i. Functions of the respiratory system
1. Allows for inhalation of air providing oxygen for cells.
2. Allows for exhalation of air removing carbon dioxide.
3. Contributes to the ability to talk.

ii. Structures and their main functions

1. Diaphragm
a. Muscle contracts to enlarge space sucking in air.
b. Muscle relaxes to shrink space pushing air out.

2. Nose and mouth

a. Air enters body here.
b. Mucus warms and moistens air and traps particles.

3. Trachea (windpipe)

a. Tube connecting throat to lungs.
b. Lined with cilia (hairlike) that remove dust and particles.

4. Bronchi

a. Tubes that split off trachea, one to each lung.
b. Allow for air movement into lungs.

5. Lungs

a. Two main organs of respiratory system (large).
b. Left lung is smaller because of space for heart.
c. Protected by ribs and pleural membrane (outer covering like the skin on an
apple).

6. Bronchioles

a. Smaller tubes that branch off like tree limbs (thickness of a hair).
b. About 30,000 in each lung.

7. Alveoli

a. Microscopic air sacs (extremely thin walls, 600 million).
b. Exchange of gases occurs here.
i. Oxygen is absorbed into bloodstream.
ii. Carbon dioxide & wastes are passed out of the body.

8. Larynx (voice box)

a. Air flows between vocal cords when exhaled.
b. Vibrations allow ability to make sounds.

iii. Tips for the health of your respiratory system

1. Exercise helps make lungs stronger (more efficient).
2. Avoid breathing in cigarette smoke. Do not smoke!
a. Damages alveoli irreversibly over time.
b. Affects quality of life.

3. Avoid breathing in air pollution, toxic fumes and chemicals, dust, etc. (Car
exhaust, spray paint, magic markers)

a. Wear a protective mask as needed.

4. Keep resistance up to avoid bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses
(pneumonia, flu).

C. Teaching Strategy 16 I A


i. Show students the power of their lungs.
1. Have students place their hand on their chest and take a deep breath.
2. Have students place their hand on their stomach and take a deep breath.
3. Demonstrate taking a deep breath and counting as high as you can before
taking another breath. Have students try it themselves.
4. Have students do exercise for thirty seconds (run in place and box like
Rocky), and afterwards check their breathing.
5. Hand out straws. Have the students repeat the thirty seconds of exercise
while breathing through the straw and then have them check their breathing
again. Compare the two situations. Ask students how lessened lung capacity would
affect their activity level.

ii. Review the parts of the respiratory system with edible activity.

1. As we go over the respiratory system initially, have students draw it roughly
on a piece of paper.
2. Ask if any students have food allergies.

3. Hand out the baggies of foodstuff; instruct students not to eat it.
4. Following the path of air, have students follow along by placing the food in
the appropriate place. For example the air enters the nose and mouth; make a
nose and a mouth with your cheerios (trachea-twizzler, bronchi-pretzel,
lungs-tortilla, bronchioles-fruit rolls, alveoli-mini marshmallows).
5. Allow students to eat the edible parts when reviewing the pathway of air for
a second time.

IV. References

A. Dowshen, Steven, ed. Looking at Your Lungs. 7/2003.

http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn. 11/21/05
B. Henzl, Kelly. Edible Health. 6/14/2000.

www.pecentral.com/lessonideas. 11/14/05.
C. Meeks, Linda, Heit, Philip, and Page, Randy. Comprehensive School Health
Education. McGraw-Hill: New York. 2005.

E-Mail Bonnie Reed Hanna!