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Muscle Power

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Lesson Plan

Muscles in Motion Plan

Students will be able to identify major muscle groups in the human body and describe how muscles work in pairs to create movement.

Understanding how our muscles work helps us appreciate the amazing capabilities of our bodies and encourages us to stay active and healthy. It also provides a foundation for understanding broader biological systems.

Audience

5th Grade Class

Time

50 minutes

Approach

Interactive slides, an engaging game, and a collaborative discussion.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Your Body's Engine Room Slides, Muscle Match-Up, and Everyday Muscle Use Talk

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Muscle Brainstorm

5 minutes

  • Ask students: "What do you think of when you hear the word 'muscle'?"
    - Have students share their ideas in pairs, then as a whole class.
    - Briefly introduce that today's lesson is all about our amazing muscles and how they help us move.

Step 2

Introduction to the Muscular System

15 minutes

  • Present the Your Body's Engine Room Slides (Slides 1-5).
    - Discuss major muscle groups (biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstrings, abs, pectorals, deltoids).
    - Explain the concept of muscles working in pairs (e.g., bicep contracts, tricep relaxes).
    - Ask questions to check for understanding throughout the presentation.

Step 3

Muscle Match-Up Game

15 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups.
    - Distribute the Muscle Match-Up game cards.
    - Explain the rules: Students match muscle names to their locations and functions.
    - Circulate to assist groups and clarify any misconceptions.
    - After the game, briefly review answers as a class, perhaps using a slide from Your Body's Engine Room Slides if appropriate.

Step 4

Everyday Muscle Use Talk

10 minutes

  • Transition to a whole-class discussion using the prompts from Everyday Muscle Use Talk.
    - Encourage students to share personal examples of how they use their muscles daily.
    - Facilitate a conversation about the importance of exercise and keeping muscles healthy.

Step 5

Cool-Down: Muscle Reflection

5 minutes

  • Ask students to reflect on one new thing they learned about muscles today.
    - Have them share their reflections with a partner or write it down quickly.
    - Reiterate the importance of muscles and staying active.
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Slide Deck

Muscle Power! 💪

Your Body's Engine Room

  • What are muscles?
  • Why are they important?
  • How do they help us move?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of muscles. Ask a warm-up question to activate prior knowledge.

Muscles: Our Body's Movers

What Do Muscles Do?

  • Muscles help us move, lift, push, and pull.
  • They work by contracting (getting shorter) and relaxing.
  • Think about lifting a book – which muscles are working?

Introduce the idea that muscles are like amazing movers. Explain that they work by contracting (getting shorter and fatter) and relaxing. Use your arm as an example.

Meet Your Major Muscle Groups

Where Are They?

  • Biceps: Front of your upper arm (flex!)
  • Triceps: Back of your upper arm (extend!)
  • Quadriceps: Front of your thigh (kick!)
  • Hamstrings: Back of your thigh (run!)
  • Abdominals (Abs): Your tummy muscles (sit-ups!)
  • Pectorals (Pecs): Your chest muscles (push-ups!)
  • Deltoids: Your shoulder muscles (raise arm!)

Introduce major muscle groups. Point to them on your own body or a diagram. Keep it simple and focus on location.

Muscles Work Together: Dynamic Duos!

How Do They Move Us?

  • Muscles often work in pairs.
  • When one muscle contracts (pulls), the other relaxes (lets go).
  • Example: When you bend your arm, your bicep contracts and your tricep relaxes.

Explain the concept of antagonistic pairs using the bicep and tricep as a primary example. Demonstrate the action.

More Dynamic Duos!

Working in Harmony

  • When you straighten your arm, your tricep contracts and your bicep relaxes.
  • Think about kicking a ball: What muscles are working in your leg? How do they work together?

Reinforce the idea with another example and invite students to think of other movements and the muscles involved.

Keeping Our Muscles Healthy!

Stronger Every Day

  • Exercise: Running, jumping, playing!
  • Healthy Food: Gives your muscles energy.
  • Rest: Muscles need time to recover.

Why is it important to have strong, healthy muscles?

Encourage students to think about how they use their muscles in everyday activities and the importance of keeping them healthy.

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Game

Muscle Match-Up: Dynamic Duos

Objective: To correctly match muscle names with their location and primary function.

Materials:

  • Set of Muscle Name Cards (e.g., Biceps, Triceps, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Abdominals, Pectorals, Deltoids)
  • Set of Muscle Location Cards (e.g., Front of upper arm, Back of upper arm, Front of thigh, Back of thigh, Tummy, Chest, Shoulder)
  • Set of Muscle Function Cards (e.g., Bend arm, Straighten arm, Kick leg, Bend knee, Do a sit-up, Push-ups, Raise arm)

Instructions:

  1. Preparation: Print and cut out the cards before class. Shuffle each set of cards separately.
  2. Groups: Divide students into small groups of 3-4.
  3. Gameplay:
    • Place all Muscle Name Cards face up on the table.
    • Place all Muscle Location Cards and Muscle Function Cards face down in two separate piles.
    • Students take turns drawing one Location Card and one Function Card.
    • The student must then try to match these two cards to one of the Muscle Name Cards.
    • For example, if they draw
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