Collection The APS Archives provide resources for science educators at all levels and focus on inquiry-based learning, hands-on exploration of science topics, authentic assessment, and integration of Internet resources into the curriculum. The website contains programs and curricular resources for K-12 teachers, outreach programs for educators, and resources for students. Each item in the Archive has been field tested by science educators for general content and pedagogy. The curricular material focuses on student-centered learning and includes labs, lessons, graphics, and web sites that enhance the content of a course. The archives are designed to challenge educators in examining how they teach and explore effective pedagogy.

Search Functions The website is free to all faculty for their use. Upon opening the website, the K-12 Education link appears. A "Search the Archive" function appears on the navigation bar. Unfortunately, the search function gives either no hits or numerous articles and no indicators of which resources work best to teach cardiovascular function. The best way to find instructional material is by connecting to the APS Program for Teachers, where the Local Outreach Team Units directly link to the Physiology Learning Units, and finally to Physiology of Fitness. The Physiology of Fitness modules were designed by teachers and used extensively in their classrooms before being placed in the Archives. Physiology of Fitness

Core Concepts The Physiology of Fitness unit covers cardiovascular and respiratory physiology and is designed to provide high school students with a basic scientific understanding of fitness. It is intended for use by high school teachers and physiologists in AP Biology or Anatomy/Physiology. The unit provides resources for high school and college educators to engage students in thinking about the cardiovascular system through inquiry-based activities.

Driving Questions What does the student know about the effects of exercise? How does exercise affect the student? How does exercise affect the cardiovascular system? What does the student know about exercise and the cardiovascular system? The questions ask learners to notice major themes such as the application of physical laws to biological systems in helping them understand the principles of the flow of fluids in these systems. Students are given a problem in which they design and conduct an experiment to determine factors that influence the resistance to blood flow. Students describe their method, record results, and draw conclusions to support claims about their investigation.

Claims and Evidence The lessons assume that students already understand the basic structure of the cardiovascular system including the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. The first module engages students in thinking about the effects of exercise on their bodies. Students observe and understand the physiological responses of exercise on heart rate, cardiac output, blood pressure and respiration. Students explore the response of the cardiovascular system by measuring heart rate and blood pressure before, during, and after exercise. Students examine the relationship of the cardiovascular system and respiratory system in regard to oxygen transport to the body cells. Lastly, students explore factors that affect blood flow and blood pressure in relation to the inside radius of a blood vessel, viscosity and resistance.

Examples of Student Work There are no examples of student work. However, the unit begins with a KWL chart that teachers use to assess prior knowledge.

Strengths This unit was designed by teachers and used extensively in their classrooms before being placed in the Archives. The content was written and extensively reviewed by physiologists. Any educators that download the modules in the Physiology of Fitness, will have confidence of quality for these inquiry-based activities.

Concerns Since this is a well-designed learning unit, it is best for the teacher to take some time exploring the contents of the modules. It would be advisable to pay close attention to the materials needed for the inquiry-based activities and perform the investigations before students attempt doing them. Teachers would need to spend time helping the students calculate and understand mean arterial pressure, blood flow and resistance. But, unfortunately, most do not have at their disposal the time needed to implement this unit in their classrooms.

Summary This material merits recognition because the unit helps students by direct observation understand how exercise affects the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in a series of inquiry-based investigations. One module introduces how exercise affects heart rate and how blood pressure responds to exercise. Students learn about diastolic and systolic pressure and measure cardiac output, stroke volume and resistance. They do a simulation that models the relationship of exercise to the need of oxygen in the body tissues. In another module students explore factors that affect blood flow and blood pressure by designing their own experiments. In the last module, students are evaluated to identify their misconceptions, their understanding, and ability to apply their knowledge to real life situations by using a health lifestyle inventory.