Function of blood vessels
I can describe what blood vessels are and what they do.
Function of blood vessels
I can describe what blood vessels are and what they do.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Blood vessels transport blood all around the body, to and from your heart.
- Arteries are blood vessels. Most arteries deliver blood rich in oxygen to all the parts of the body.
- Veins are blood vessels. Most veins return blood low in oxygen to the heart.
- Blood is always red. Blood travelling through veins may appear blue because of how light travels through our skin.
- Scientists use scientific diagrams to describe different systems in the human body.
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.
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.
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: Function of blood vessels, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 science lesson on: Function of blood vessels, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the The human circulatory system unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
See additional materials for further guidance.
Content guidance
- Exploration of objects
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
carry blood rich in oxygen
return blood low in oxygen to the heart
blood which is rich in oxygen
blood which is low in oxygen