1. A teaching sequence from the Live and Kicking unit
Academy 2
Lungs
A teaching sequence from the Live and Kicking unit
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Activity from the Live and Kicking unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science
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2. To explain how our lungs are designed to speed up gas exchange.

3. Wayne’s legs need lots of energy during a race
Wayne’s legs need lots of energy during a race. So his lungs take air in fast!
Engage 3 3

4. ...20 times as fast as usual! And get the oxygen into his blood 4
Engage 4 4

5. What makes lungs so good at taking in oxygen?
Science Photo Library
P580/128 RM computer enhanced image of a cast OR
P590/281 RM This is a CT scan of the lungs showing the branching tubes.
Alternative fine but this is an important image as students need to use to work out how the lungs absorb oxygen.
discuss
Explore
Elicit 5

6. We can model that with something you can see.
Oxygen diffuses through lung tissue to get to your blood.
We can model that with something you can see.
Explore
SS1 - 4 6

7. Use the model to compare a hollow lung with one full of air spaces.
Explore
SS1 - 4

8. What did the model show you?
And what does that tell us about diffusion in lung tissue?
discuss
Explore 8

9. So alveoli give lungs a huge surface area for gas exchange…
...and their walls are really thin and surrounded by blood vessels.
Explain 9 9

10. So alveoli give lungs a huge surface area for gas exchange…
...which lets gases diffuse much faster between the air spaces and your blood.
Explain

11. These delicate tissues have to be protected from dirt and germs.
Extend 11 11

12. Mucus protects them.
Extend 12 12

13. The more we understand about mucus the more we can help athletes like Wayne.
Extend

14. Picture credits: Picture Slide Credit
Lungs 5 & 11 PASIEKA/ Science Photo Library