Circulatory System: Where Would a Vampire Bite You?

Prep Work

• Print out a worksheet for each student.
• Use the measuring cup to add 400 mL (1 ⅔ cups) of water to a 16 oz. cup. Using this cup as an example, mark the 400 mL water level on two cups for each student group with a permanent marker or masking tape. The mark will tell students the water level for the experiments.
• Cut or poke a hole in the sides of every marked cup, about one inch from the bottom. The holes should be approximately the same distance from the bottom of each cup as shown in the picture below. Widen the holes enough to comfortably fit the wide straw without squeezing the straw.

Image Credit: Svenja Lohner, Science Buddies / Science Buddies
Figure 1. Each student group will need two marked cups with holes in their sides, about one inch from the bottom.

• Cut the wide and narrow straws to approximately 2-inch lengths; one piece of each diameter is needed for each group.
• Fill one unmarked cup for each group with red water. You will have to refill that cup once during the experiment.
• Place all the activity materials for each group in an aluminum tray or plastic bin large enough to hold 500 mL of water.

Engage (15 minutes)

In this video, students are introduced to the circulatory system and are asked to think about how blood flows through our bodies. The central question, "Where would a vampire bite you?" is posed.

Explore (50-60 minutes)

In this video, students are lead through a series of experiments, using straws and water as a model for arteries, capillaries, and blood, to investigate blood flow in different types of blood vessels.

Reflect (5 minutes)

This video summarizes for students that the function of our circulatory system, including our heart and different types of blood vessels, is to circulate blood through our bodies to provide our cells with the oxygen they need to survive. Students are asked to apply what they learned to the central question, "Where would a vampire bite you?".

NGSS Alignment

• 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Assess

The student worksheet can be used to evaluate students' understanding of the activity and basic concepts. A quiz is available as a summative assessment.

• Worksheet
• Worksheet Answer Key
• Quiz
• Quiz Answer Key

Extensions

• Heart and Circulatory System, TeensHealth.
• The Circulatory Story, by Mary K. Corcoran (Author), Jef Czekaj (Illustrator).