Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123
Curriculum Mini-Lessons
Created as part of the 2004-2005 Classroom Mini-Grant Program

Title:  Have a Heart Scavenger Hunt
Subject:  Health
Grade Level: 4

Overview:  Students will research information on the heart and how to keep it healthy.

Purpose:   To Help the students to explore the parts of the heart and to realize how they can help themselves to stay heart-healthy.

Resources and Materials: Science text, Discovering Science, pages 332-341

Internet Address:  http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/heart.html

Activities: 
1.  Read and discuss pages 332-341 for bakground information on the heart, blood vessels, and ways to stay healthy.
2.  Access the website, “The Heart:  An Online Exploration.
3.  Tell the students that they will work in pairs to conduct a scavenger hunt looking for answers to questions about the heart.  they need to read through the passage and click on the blue bold face terms found in the third paragraph.
4.  Pass out papers with the following questions:
    a)  How big is a human heart?
    b)  What fruit does the heart resemble?
    c)  How much blood flows through an average adult’s body?
    d)  What are the three varieties of blood vessels?
    e)  List three things you can do to keep your heart healthy.
5.  Give the students three minutes to discuss the questions and share prior knowledge with their partner.  At the end of the three minbutes have the students begin their search and write down the answers as they are found.
6.  Share answers orally.  Also ask students if they were surprised by any of the answers and why.

Evaluation:  Teacher observation of student participation with partner and whole class discussion.