Wow

This piece of writing was written independently by a pupil in Base Five. The writing that has come from our blood smoothies, science investigations and heart dissection has been phenomenal. Can you please take a moment to read this and appreciate the hard work, understanding and effort that has gone in to it- written by an ten year old!

How does it get around the body?

This is where everything comes together in a spectacular system which is known as 'The Circulatory System'. The heart is at the centre of this system; as its main role is pumping blood around the body. But how does it do that? Well, the heart has two sides and four chambers which are; the right atrium, the left atrium, right ventricle and left ventricle. The right side of the heart collects deoxygenated blood from the veins and sends it to the lungs to collect oxygen. At the same time, the left side receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it into the arteries and around the body.

How does it 'pick up' oxygen?

As the blood runs through capillaries in the lungs, oxygen is absorbed into the blood through a thin layer of moisture in the air sacks- alveoli. At the same time, carbon dioxide is transferred back into the alveoli and then that is breathed out by the breathing system, this time backwards.