The Inner Workings of the Heart

Our heart study led to the creation of a gigantic two-dimensional version on our classroom floor.  The children below are demonstrating the flow of blood through the heart.  The children on the right side of the heart (blue side) represent the oxygen-depleted blood.  After they travel through the two right-hand chambers of the heart, they head to the lungs to pick up oxygen (the red pompoms on the floor.)  Notice how both sets of children carefully open and close the valves (pieces of yarn) in the left and right ventricles.

The child on the left side of the heart is the oxygen-rich blood (already carrying a red pompom) returning from the lungs and heading through the left-side heart chambers.  She then continues on through the aorta and onto the rest of the body.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud1pxnKJSG0&w=560&h=315]