This week in the Biology department, Form 3 pupils were tasked with modelling the human cardiovascular system.
Groups of ‘red blood cells’ (pupils) collected ‘oxygen’ (inflated balloons) in the ‘lungs’ (one end of lab B2), circulated through the ‘pulmonary vein’ (followed a rope course on the floor of the classroom) and the chambers of the ‘walk through heart’ to end up at the ‘respiring muscles.’ Here, they gave up their oxygen (deflated the balloons), broke down glucose (cut up digestive biscuits) and ‘took on carbon dioxide’ (exchanged their ‘oxygenated’ red lab coats for the ‘deoxygenated’ blue lab coats). They then had to find their way back to the heart in the centre of the room via the ‘vena cava’ (rope course on floor) and hence to the lungs via the ‘pulmonary artery.’
Teacher of Biology, Dr Nicoll, said, “The session was great fun and the pupils enjoyed this approach to learning. I am not sure if the exercise was less IB Middle Years Programme but more Generations Game with me in the role of Bruce Forsyth! We hope the pupils will now remember which side of the heart contains oxygenated blood together with the mnemonic ‘LORD’ – ‘Left side Oxygenated, Right side Deoxygenated.”