Title: Finding Out About Your Pulse
Description of Idea: Students will learn about the pulse and how it is affected by physical activity, as well as how to measure their pulse rate.
Expectations: Students will gain an understanding of how the pulse rate is affected by physical activity and how to accurately measure their pulse rate and what it actually means.
The lesson plan is taught to the entire class, and each student gets the opportunity to measure their pulse rate and compare their results to the results obtained by other students in the class.
*The teacher starts with an introduction to what the pulse rate is and how it increases with physical activity, such as running, walking, and swimming.
*The teacher instructs the students on how to check their pulse rate:
1)Use your index finger and middle finger and place them on the side of your throat. Students should feel a pulse.
2) Once students feel a pulse, they must count the number of beats for 60 seconds.
*This will give students pulse rate for 1 minute.
*Students will repeat this process more than onec, to grasp an understanding.
Students will have to answer the following questions:
Why do you think your pulse was not exactly the same each time you counted it?
Why do you think different people’s pulse rate is different?
What do you think would happen to your pulse rate if you counted it right after exercising/ right after sleeping
Adaptations: The students can check their pulse rate before and after a physical activity, such as running, doing jumping jacks,etc.
Thompson, Merita Lee. Choosing good health teacher’s edition. Toronto, Canada. Gage Educational Publishing Company:1985: 60-61
Submitted by: Natalia Charles