Danah Stoots - 5E STEM Lesson Plan

Title
Purpose/Rationale

Objectives

Be Still My Beating Heart

The goal and purpose of this lesson is for students to become
aware of the importance of maintaining homeostasis during
and after a workout, and how we can aid our body and heart
during the recovery time. Using heart rate probeware,
students will be challenged to find the most effective recovery
position through various data collection trials, creating
graphs, and calculating slopes of the changes in heart rate
over time.

Virginia SOLs in Math

and Science

Students will determine slope for the graphs created

by the heart rate tools
Students will describe their slopes as a rate of change
and determine if the slope is negative, positive, zero,
or undefined
Students will explain how the slope/ rate of change
describes the biological response to returning to a
resting heart rate
Students will observe the various immediate effects
exercise has on the body and explain how this relates
to homeostasis and maintenance of the body
Students will explain the importance of allowing the
heart to return to a resting rate after a workout, in
relation to homeostasis
Students will design a new resting position and
formulate a hypothesis around this position

A.6 The student will graph linear equations and linear

inequalities in two variables, including
a) determining the slope of a line when given an
equation of the line, the graph of the line, or two
points on the line. Slope will be described as rate of
change and will be positive, negative, zero, or
undefined.
Essential Knowledge and Skills:
The student will use problem solving, mathematical
communication, mathematical reasoning, connections, and
representations to
find the slope of a line, given the graph of a line and
recognize and describe a line with a slope that is
positive, negative, zero, or undefined.
BIO.4: The student will investigate and understand life

functions of Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Key concepts

include:
b) maintenance of homeostasis; and
d) human health issues, human anatomy, and body
systems.
Essential Knowledge and Skills:
identify the proper response an organism would
exhibit in response to changes in the environment to
maintain homeostasis and
describe the major functions of the human body
systems and the role of each in maintaining
homeostasis.
Science and
Engineering Practices

NGSS Cross-cutting
Concepts
Materials and
Community Resources

Stability and change

Cause and effect
Heart rate monitor probeware
LoggerPro device and LoggerLite software
Computer
Graph paper
Activity sheets
Calculator
Pencils or writing utensils

Safety and Class

Management Issues

Planning and carrying out investigations

Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematics and computational thinking
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating
information

Students should have enough space to complete the

assignment, and that the space is clear of anything the
volunteer workout student could trip/fall on.
Volunteer workout students should have access to
water in between trials.
Volunteer student should discuss any health risks that
would impair their ability to complete the trials with
the teacher before the activity.

Procedures for Teaching (numbered with time frame)

Engage: Day 1 (5
1. Students will watch a short video on the heart,
minutes)
activating prior knowledge on the circulatory system,
which will have been covered in class recently, and
focusing them in on the importance of getting oxygen
to the body through the blood. This will help students
begin to key in on homeostasis.

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruM4Xxhx
32U

Explore: Day 1 (25

minutes)

1. Students will complete an activity in which they will

be exploring various resting positions one can assume
after a short exercise, and how this affects the rate at
which the heart returns to resting heart rate. Through
this activity, the students will be exploring the
importance of homeostasis to the body, and will be
exploring the use of slope in determining rates and
changes
a. The teacher will first ask for 4 - 5 volunteers to
be the students who will be completing the
exercises; groups will then be formed around
these students
b. The class will then decide on a single exercise
that each volunteer student will perform in the
activity (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc.)
c. Students will then complete the activity
following the directions on the activity sheet
i.
Volunteer students will first have their
resting heart rate measured using the
heart rate monitor a series of time to
establish an average
ii.
Volunteer students will then perform
the exercise until their heart rate
reaches between 130-140 bpm
iii.
Volunteer students will assume the
position being tested (standing or
sitting) and students manipulating the
LoggerLite software will begin
collecting data once the students heart
rate slows down to 120 bpm.
iv.
Students will then record data and
construct graphs, line of best fit, and
slope

Explain (include key

vocabulary/concepts as
related to exploration)
Day 1 (20 minutes)

1. Students will answer a series of questions related to

the activity they have completed in which they will
discuss homeostasis and slope meanings in relation to
the data collected and observations made.
a. How does your body alter its functions and
processes when you exercise? List at least three
examples of changes you notice in your body as

you go through a workout.

b. Think about how these changes/alterations
compare with how your body normally functions
when you are not exercising. What do you think is
the purpose of these changes in your body in
relation to homeostasis? Discuss each example you
listed above.
c. Why do you think it is important for your body to
recover and for your heart-rate to return to a resting
rate after exercising, in relation to homeostasis?
d. Lets focus on one of the biggest changes in your
body during exercise: you heart rate. Using the
graphs and slopes of the two sets of data, explain
which resting position was most effective in aiding
your heart-rate in the recovery process and why.
2. The teacher will then lead the class in a group discussion of
these questions to help formatively assess the class.

Elaborate: Day 2 (40

minutes)

Evaluate
Formative

Summative: Day 2 (10

minutes)

1. Students will design a new resting position that will be

more efficient in lowering the volunteer students
heart rate back to resting heart rate than in a standing
or sitting position
a. Students will brainstorm and make a
hypothesis
b. Students will conduct a third trial following
the procedure used in the beginning activity
c. Students will collect data and analyze
mathematically using graphs, line of best fit,
and slope
d. Students will answer concluding questions to
reflect on the designed trial
2. After the students finish their trial with their designed
position, students will break up into their jigsaw
groups and communicate results of the process to each
other. Students will also be asked to discuss any
differences that were seen between the various groups.

Activity Sheet completion and overall understanding of

resting heart rate, homeostasis, and the slope of the data in
relation to heart rate
Exit Slip with Rubric

Activity Sheet (includes

safety, data recording,
open-ended questions)

(Attach to lesson plan)