Building Pulmo Park: A Constructivist Activity is a lab experience that allows students to discover critical principles of the respiratory system. Students will make observations and inferences about the structure and function of the respiratory system from watching a flash animation of The Anatomy of Breathing and record them in a graphic organizer called Pulmo Park Blue Print. This activity is meant to be exploratory and then progress into a more insightful discussion with the teacher. Students will then apply what they learn by taking a “deeper” look into the functions of the respiratory system through a lab investigation called Under Construction. During the lab, the groups of students will complete a Pulmo Park Builder’s Log and use it to help match each lab experience to specific lung functions. Student lab investigations will support students as they create and manipulate a working model of the lungs called Project: Build It! Students will be encouraged to observe the flash animation as often as needed to achieve greater understanding of how the lungs work.
Inhalation, exhalation, anatomy, breath, respiratory system, function, structure