Science·The Human Body·conceptual
Circulation & Breathing Together
Understand how the circulatory and respiratory systems work together: the lungs oxygenate the blood, the heart pumps it around the body, cells use the oxygen and produce carbon dioxide waste, and the blood carries the waste back to the lungs to be breathed out
Suggested ages 9–11
Learning journey
Your child is discovering how their body works — exploring the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems in detail, and understanding how lifestyle choices affect their health and development.
Evidence of understanding
- Describe the cycle: lungs add oxygen to blood → heart pumps oxygenated blood to body → cells use oxygen → blood returns CO₂ to lungs
- Explain why heart rate and breathing rate increase during exercise (muscles need more oxygen)
- Measure their own resting and post-exercise heart rate and explain the difference
Assessment prompt
Can Circulation & Breathing Together explain why their heart beats faster when they run — and how their heart and lungs are working together to deliver more oxygen to their muscles?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.