Unit 2 B3: Blood flow through the heart (Pearson BTEC Sport & Exercise Science)

This lesson describes and explains how the contraction of the heart chambers during atrial and ventricular systole and the relaxation during diastole causes blood to flow through the heart. The engaging PowerPoint and accompanying resource have been designed to cover the first part of point B3 of UNIT 2 of the Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science specification.

The students will have already encountered aspects of the cardiac cycle in unit 1 and this lesson aims to build on that knowledge. Students will be reminded that the sequence of events known as the cardiac cycle can be split into three parts, which are atrial systole, ventricular systole and diastole. There is a particular focus on the role of the AV and semi-lunar valves in the control of blood flow and students are challenged to explain how pressure changes cause these valves to open or close. The final task of the lesson involves a quiz round called “RECYCLE THIS?” where the teams have to use their knowledge of the cardiac cycle and the function and anatomy of the heart and blood vessels from a previous lesson to spot any errors in the description of blood flow through the heart

This lesson has been specifically designed to tie in with the next lesson outlined in the specification on the neural control of the cardiac cycle