New
New
Year 6

Function of blood vessels

I can describe what blood vessels are and what they do.

New
New
Year 6

Function of blood vessels

I can describe what blood vessels are and what they do.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Blood vessels transport blood all around the body, to and from your heart.
  2. Arteries are blood vessels. Most arteries deliver blood rich in oxygen to all the parts of the body.
  3. Veins are blood vessels. Most veins return blood low in oxygen to the heart.
  4. Blood is always red. Blood travelling through veins may appear blue because of how light travels through our skin.
  5. Scientists use scientific diagrams to describe different systems in the human body.

Common misconception

Pupils often think that blood sloshes around inside the body rather than travelling through different types of blood vessels. Pupils may also think that blood can be red or blue.

The learning cycle focusing on representing blood vessels in the human body helps pupils to understand that blood vessels are often drawn in different colours merely to help us distinguish between them and understand their different functions.

Keywords

  • Blood vessels - Blood vessels are tubes through which blood flows around the body.

  • Arteries - Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

  • Veins - Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.

  • Oxygenated - Oxygenated blood is blood rich in oxygen.

  • Deoxygenated - Deoxygenated blood is blood low in oxygen.

If blowing paint, to represent blood vessels 'branching off' into smaller and smaller tubes, it is advised to use paint that has been watered down to make it a little more runny.
Teacher tip

Equipment

See additional materials for further guidance.

Content guidance

  • Exploration of objects

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Your heart is protected by a frame of bones attached to the breastbone, called the .
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: rib cage, ribs, ribcage
Q2.
The heart is made up of several __________ which relax and squeeze to pump blood.
tubes
holes
Correct answer: chambers
bags
Q3.
Which statement about blood is true?
blood is made in the heart
Correct answer: blood is pumped around your body by the heart
Correct answer: blood is needed to keep humans alive
blood has only one function
Q4.
What are the functions of blood?
Correct answer: to transport oxygen and nutrients around the body
Correct answer: to helps us feel better when we are unwell
to transport carbon dioxide to the stomach
Correct answer: to help us stop bleeding when we get a cut
to help us feel emotions
Q5.
Which of these are parts of the blood?
the heart
Correct answer: plasma
Correct answer: white blood cells
valves
Q6.
The image below shows a model of one of the parts of blood. Which part does it represent?
An image in a quiz
white blood cell
red blood cell
Correct answer: platelet
plasma
Q6 Aldona Griskeviciene/Shutterstock

6 Questions

Q1.
Which statements about blood are true?
Correct answer: blood is always red
blood is always blue
blood can be red or blue
Q2.
Match these keywords to their descriptions.
Correct Answer:arteries,carry blood rich in oxygen

carry blood rich in oxygen

Correct Answer:veins,return blood low in oxygen to the heart

return blood low in oxygen to the heart

Q3.
Blood carry blood all around the body, to and from your heart.
Correct Answer: vessels
Q4.
In this model of the circulatory system, which colour represents blood vessels carrying oxygen rich blood?
An image in a quiz
blue
Correct answer: red
Q5.
Why are models used in science?
Correct answer: models help us understand things we cannot see or experience ourselves
models make science more fun
models perfectly represent things we cannot see
Q6.
Match these keywords to their descriptions.
Correct Answer:oxygenated,blood which is rich in oxygen

blood which is rich in oxygen

Correct Answer:deoxygenated,blood which is low in oxygen

blood which is low in oxygen

Additional material

Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.