See Your Pulse
Human Body | 10-15 minutes
In this activity, students will be able to see their heart! Or at least see how fast it’s beating.
Materials Needed
Per student:
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1 glob of playdough or clay
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1 toothpick
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1 pen and piece of paper to record results
A few per group:
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Stopwatches
Steps:
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Make a small ball with a little bit of clay or playdough.
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Insert a toothpick into the ball, making sure it is held securely.
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Find your pulse on the inside of your wrist, just below your thumb.
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Stick the ball to that spot on your wrist, with the toothpick sticking straight up away from your wrist. The ball should stay on your wrist without being held there.
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Watch the toothpick move as blood pumps through your wrist. It is now a visual indicator of your pulse.
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Using the stopwatch, count how many times the toothpick wiggles in 60 seconds. That is your pulse. Write that down as your “resting pulse.”
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Remove the ball and toothpick from your wrist.
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Jog in place, do jumping jacks, or engage in some sort of high intensity exercise for two minutes.
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Quickly put your ball and toothpick pulse indicator back onto your wrist and measure your pulse again for 60 seconds. Write that down as your “exercising pulse.”