Community

Community Outreach Lessons

Developed for health and science fair booths, these lessons provide a great interactive experience where families and the general public can learn about the anatomy of the heart, risks for heart disease, such as atherosclerosis and overweight/obesity, as well as learn heart healthy habits. These lessons also can also supplement general health and science curricula.

An image of kids in the community

Download the entire OUTREACH MANUAL here or download individual lessons below.

Sheep Heart Dissection (p27)

  • Using a real sheep heart, students discuss form and function of the heart. Topics include: muscle tissue, chambers of the heart, and its connection to the lungs and the rest of the body.

You Are What You Eat (p35)

  • What does a gram of fat look like, anyway? Students compare fat and sugar packets to menus from fast food restaurants.

Give Me the Runaround (p51)

  • Caution: running involved! Students follow the path of a blood cell between the heart, lungs, and feet. Included are simulations for smoking and clogged arteries.

Ready, Set... Flow! (p63)

  • Students use two turkey basters to model the heart and blood pressure: one baster is clogged and one is clear. After students participate in a heart "race," they learn about the effects of blood pressure and clogged arteries on the body.

Don't Be A-Salted! (p73)

  • Not everything with sodium tastes salty. In this matching game, students learn how much sodium is hidden in foods.

Breathe Easy and Relax (p83)

  • Students learn how to do mindfulness meditation, a technique used to lower stress and maintain good health. Believe it or not, students love this activity.