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Year 6

The use of animal hearts in humans (non-statutory)

I can consider arguments for and against the use of animal hearts to repair or replace human hearts.

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New
New
Year 6

The use of animal hearts in humans (non-statutory)

I can consider arguments for and against the use of animal hearts to repair or replace human hearts.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It is important to live a healthy lifestyle to help your heart to perform its many functions.
  2. Some people are born with heart problems. Others may develop disease of the heart or blood vessels later in life.
  3. A heart transplant is a treatment when a heart condition hasn't improved enough with medications or other surgeries.
  4. Using animal organs for human transplantation has led to disagreements and debate.
  5. Both sides of any argument must be researched and considered fully.

Common misconception

Children may not think it possible to replace a vital organ such as the heart with one from another person, let alone an animal bred specifically for this purpose!

It is important to portray a balanced argument for children to consider and debate, and for them to appreciate that no-one specifically is right or wrong.

Keywords

  • Heart - The heart is a pump that pushes blood around the body.

  • Transplant - A transplant is when an unhealthy organ is removed from the body and replaced with a healthy organ.

  • Pros and cons - Pros and cons are arguments for and against something.

  • Research - To research something is to find out about it or investigate it carefully.

  • Debate - A debate is a formal discussion about a subject where people have different views.

Rather than referring to individual personal opinions, it suggested that children refer to Izzy and Alex's sides of the argument in the debate.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The heart of a human is the about the same size as their..
Correct answer: clenched fist
head
leg
lung
Q2.
The name of the system which pumps blood around the body is called...
An image in a quiz
the skeletal system
Correct answer: the circulatory system
the nervous system
the digestive system
Q3.
Blood delivers and oxygen to different parts of the body.
Correct Answer: nutrients, Nutrients
Q4.
Which four of the following are parts of blood.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: red blood cells
bones
Correct answer: plasma
Correct answer: white blood cells
Correct answer: platelets
Q5.
Put these steps in order to show how our bodies get nutrients from food; starting with 'Food enters the mouth and travels down the oesophagus.'
An image in a quiz
1 - Food enters the mouth and travels down the oesophagus.
2 - Food is broken down further in the stomach and passed to the small intestine.
3 - The small intestine transfers nutrients and water from food to the bloodstream.
4 - The blood travels through blood vessels to deliver nutrients from food.
Q6.
The food we eat as part of a healthy is essential to maintaining nutrients our body needs to function properly.
Correct Answer: diet, Diet
Q4 Aldona Griskeviciene/Shutterstock Q5 La Gorda/Shutterstock

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
It is important to live a healthy __________ to help your heart to perform its many functions.
Correct answer: lifestyle
diet
exercise
heart
Q2.
Some people may develop problems with the heart, such as heart __________, later in life.
surgery
transplant
Correct answer: disease
functions
Q3.
A treatment for when a heart condition hasn't improved enough with medication or other surgeries is called a heart...
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: transplant, Transplant, Transplant., transplant.
Q4.
Match these key words with their definitions.
Correct Answer:debate,a formal discussion about a subject where people have different views

a formal discussion about a subject where people have different views

Correct Answer:research,investigation and study to find out more about a particular subject

investigation and study to find out more about a particular subject

Correct Answer:pros and cons,the advantages and disadvantages of an argument

the advantages and disadvantages of an argument

Q5.
Using animal organs for human transplantation has led to __________ and debate.
Correct answer: disagreement
agreement
Q6.
Which of the following is an argument for transplanting animal hearts into humans?
animal transplants are not always successful
animals have no choice in organs being used
Correct answer: animal hearts are more readily available for transplants than human hearts
animal hearts are exactly the same as human hearts

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