Science/How the Heart Works

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I. Brainstorm: What do you know about how the heart works? List words you know that relate to the heart.

II. Prediction: Read these statements about the heart. Decide if you think each one is True or False.
1. The heart starts beating a few weeks after conception (when the human egg is fertilized). T/F
2. The body has 96 thousand kilometers of blood vessels. T/F
3. The heart pumps 8000 liters of blood per day. T/F
4. The heart beats 100,000 times per day. T/F

III. Vocabulary: Draw a picture to represent each word.
1. Expand: to grow larger
2. Muscle: tissue in the body used for power
3. Pump: moves liquids or gases
4. Contract: to become smaller
5. Blood vessel: something that carries blood to and from the heart
6. Chambers: compartments or “rooms” of the heart
7. Fist: the position of the hand when it is closed
8. Tube: long object to hold liquids and gases
9. Sweat: Salty liquid produced by the body to cool down


IV.Listening for the Main Ideas:
Read the following question and then listen to the audio.
The audio is about all of the following EXCEPT:
A. How to prevent heart disease
B. Causes of heart disease
C. Cures for heart disease
D. The way the heart functions

IV. Listening for Specific Details:
Part A. Go back to the Prediction statements. Listen to the first part of the audio.
Were they right or wrong?

Part B. Read the questions below. Listen to the second part of the audio. Answer the questions.
All of the following are reasons for the increase in heart disease in the 2nd half of the 20th century except:
A. People ate too many processed foods.
B. People did less physical work.
C. People stopped eating red meat.

What are the 3 leading causes of heart disease?
A.
B.
C.

3. How many people died of heart disease in 2005?

V.Discussion: Read through these questions with a partner. Consult a dictionary if you do not know the meaning of a word. Discuss the questions with a partner.

Do think that you need to lose weight?

Do you always eat healthy food?

Do you exercise? What kind of exercise do you do? How often do you exercise?

In your opinion, what's the most delicious fruit?

Do you go for regular medical check-ups?

Do you often eat fast food?

Do you take medicine when you are sick?

How have you been feeling lately?

How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

What are some things that cause stress?

What are some ways to deal with stress?

What are some ways you know that you can personally keep yourself healthy?

What disease frightens you the most? Why?

What do you think of the health service in this country?

How can the health service be improved?

How often do you eat junk food? What kinds of junk food do you eat?