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Lesson 1 of 7

Function of the heart

I can describe what the human heart is and what it does.

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Lesson 1 of 7
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Function of the heart

I can describe what the human heart is and what it does.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The heart is a hollow, muscular organ located behind the breastbone and slightly to the left of your chest.
  2. The average heart is approximately the size of a human fist and some say its shape is similar to an upside down pear.
  3. The function of the heart is to pump blood to all parts of your body.
  4. Your heart will beat around 115,000 times each day.
  5. Models can be used to help us to learn about the human heart.

Keywords

  • Organ - An organ is a part of the body that does a particular job, such as the brain, heart and lungs.

  • Function - The function of an organ is its job within the body.

  • Heart - The heart is an organ that pumps blood around the body.

  • Blood - Blood is pumped around the body by the heart.

  • Model - A model is used to describe something that cannot be experienced directly.

Common misconception

Children often think that the function of the heart is to make or clean blood. Also that the heart is 'love heart' shaped.

The model making in this lesson helps children to think about which objects and materials they can use to represent the heart and demonstrate how it pumps blood around the body.

Making a model of a human heart should be simple at this stage of education. Encourage children to model dough to the correct size and shape of a human heart rather than worrying about identifying and naming individual chambers of the heart.
Teacher tip

Equipment

See additional materials for further guidance.

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment
  • Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is an organ?

a part of the body that plays music
Correct answer: a part of the body that performs a specific function
a big muscle inside your body
a body part that helps you to breathe

Q2.
Match the organ with the sense it is responsible for.

Correct Answer:eyes,sight

sight

Correct Answer:nose,smell

smell

Correct Answer:skin,touch

touch

Correct Answer:tongue,taste

taste

Correct Answer:ears,hearing

hearing

Q3.
What does the word function mean?

if something goes up or down
the reason for something
Correct answer: the purpose of something
something that is enjoyable

Q4.
Match the organs to their descriptions.

Correct Answer:heart,pumps blood around the body

pumps blood around the body

Correct Answer:lungs,help you to breathe

help you to breathe

Correct Answer:stomach,breaks down food

breaks down food

Correct Answer:brain,control centre for the body

control centre for the body

Q5.
Which body system is the heart part of?

breathing
skeleton
Correct answer: circulatory

Q6.
Which system breaks down food to provides the body with nutrients?

Correct answer: digestive system
respiratory system
circulatory system
skeletal system

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Approximately how many times does the average heart beat in one day?

150 times
150,000 times
50,000 times
Correct answer: 115,000 times

Q2.
The heart is a type of ...

Correct answer: organ
blood
cleaner
breathing
bone

Q3.
The heart's function is to pump to all parts of the body.

Correct Answer: blood

Q4.
The average heart is the size of a human __________ and roughly the same shape as an upside down pear.

Correct answer: fist
foot
head
eye

Q5.
Which of these can be used to help us to learn about the human heart?

a list of scientific equipment
predictions
Correct answer: models

Q6.
Match each statement with an answer to describe the structure and function of the heart.

Correct Answer:walls of the heart are made from this,muscle

muscle

Correct Answer:hollow spaces inside the heart,chambers

chambers

Correct Answer:the heart is in the centre of this,chest

chest

Correct Answer:the heart pumps blood around this,body

body

Correct Answer:parts that open and close inside a heart,valves

valves

Lesson appears in

UnitScience / The human circulatory system

Science

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