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ScienceOrganisms & Life ProcessesAges 12–13

Gas Exchange & Breathing

Describe the structure of the human gas exchange system (trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) and explain how the mechanism of breathing — using pressure changes from rib and diaphragm movement — moves air in and out of the lungs

Lesson

Set out your lesson

Trace air to alveoli and explain breathing using pressure change.

Before teaching

Activity

Ask the learner to explain one prerequisite idea before starting. If uncertain, revisit it; graph order is not learner readiness.

Policy

Check readiness rather than assuming source graph order establishes attainment.

Printer, credit, and teaching notes
Instructions

Use lung-S.svg and blank lung-T.svg. No breath-holding, forced breathing or medical self-test.

No Printer

Use the supplied stage cards on screen or scrap paper; adult key stays separate.

Materials are ready in each step. Use them on screen or print just the current step. Put teaching examples aside before the learner tries.

Next: Show

Adult extras
What this lesson covers and its limits

These are bounded opportunities, not learner attainment. Partial and blocked source requirements remain so.

  • partial: Describe the structure of the human gas exchange system (trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) and explain how the mechanism of breathing — using pressure changes from rib and diaphragm movement — moves air in and out of the lungs

    Bounded objective: Trace air to alveoli and explain breathing using pressure change. Simplified anatomical/pressure model only; no clinical lung-function or physical breathing assessment.

  • partial: Labels a diagram of the lungs showing trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli

    Actual branch diagram labelled; visual/nonvisual evidence distinct.

  • partial: Explains that breathing in lowers air pressure in the chest and air rushes in

    Volume/pressure mechanism taught and recalled; no breathing test.

  • partial: Describes how the structure of alveoli (large surface area, thin walls, good blood supply) aids gas exchange

    Area/thin barrier/blood supply linked to gas exchange, selected feature explanation.

  • partial: If {{name}} took a deep breath after running, could they explain what's happening in their lungs — how the air gets in, where the oxygen crosses into the blood, and how carbon dioxide leaves?

    Try offers taught-diagram-recall for the bounded objective; it does not establish every part of the source assessment. Simplified anatomical/pressure model only; no clinical lung-function or physical breathing assessment.

  • Simplified anatomical/pressure model only; no clinical lung-function or physical breathing assessment.

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Save photos, notes, and attendance. Export a proof packet for compliance or portfolio reviews.

Learning resources

Extra practice links — they do not replace Gakuva’s teaching approach.

NASA Climate Kids · Practice link — not the full lesson

Plants and Animals

Open practice (new tab)
Before you open · source notes

Plants and Animals supports Gas Exchange & Breathing. An adult previews and guides; this is a learning page, not a scored quiz.

Free educational page, no sign-in required for the tested path.

Before you open

Ask the learner one fact they learned and one question they still have.

Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.

Source, access and review notes

Public NASA Climate Kids page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult should preview and guide the learner.

NASA Climate Kids. “Plants and Animals.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.

Unknown — link only

Check understanding

  • Labels a diagram of the lungs showing trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli
  • Explains that breathing in lowers air pressure in the chest and air rushes in
  • Describes how the structure of alveoli (large surface area, thin walls, good blood supply) aids gas exchange
“If your child took a deep breath after running, could they explain what's happening in their lungs — how the air gets in, where the oxygen crosses into the blood, and how carbon dioxide leaves?”

Curriculum record

Type
Conceptual
Subject
Science
Domain
Organisms & Life Processes
Age range
Ages 12–13

Standards

uk-nc-2013:KS3.Sci.Bio.GasExchange.1uk-nc-2013:KS3.Sci.Bio.GasExchange.2