Respiration in Organisms – A Breathing Model

Content Standards

In this lesson, learners will demonstrate an understanding of how breathing and respiration function in the human body, ensuring they can recognize and represent these processes in visual, contextual, and conceptual formats.

Performance Standards

Students will be able to:

Identify and represent the breathing process and respiratory system using diagrams and flow models.
Understand key terms and components like alveoli, oxygen exchange, respiration, and circulatory system.
Differentiate between breathing and respiration in terms of physical and chemical processes.
Apply understanding of gas exchange and energy production to real-world human and animal biology.

Alignment Standards

Reference: NCERT Book Alignment

The lesson is aligned with the NCERT Grade 7 Science Textbook, Chapter 9: Life Processes in Animals

Section 9.2.1 – Respiration in humans

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Identify and represent the pathway of air and gas exchange using labelled diagrams.
Understand and explain the difference between breathing (physical) and respiration (chemical).
Describe and interpret the word equation of respiration: Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy.
Apply the concepts of respiration to everyday actions like running, breathing rate changes, or animal adaptations.

Prerequisites (Prior Knowledge)

Basic understanding of body systems and functions (digestive, circulatory, etc.).
Familiarity with terms like oxygen, carbon dioxide, lungs, and energy.
Experience with visual models such as body diagrams, flowcharts, or animations showing biological processes.

Introduction

In this session, students will explore how breathing brings oxygen into the body and how respiration uses it to release energy, gaining both conceptual understanding and real-life connections. The session will combine human biology, real-life examples, and interactive learning (e.g., discussions, visuals, and quiz-based evaluations) to engage learners and reinforce their understanding of respiration and gas exchange.

Timeline (40 Minutes)

Title	Approximate Duration	Procedure	Reference Material
Engage	5	Curiosity Activity: Ask, “Why can we survive days without food but only minutes without breathing?” Show a real-life scenario (e.g., a runner gasping for air after a sprint) to spark interest.	Slides
Explore	10	Discuss how breathing changes with exercise and sleep. Use examples such as increased breathing during exercise and slower breathing during sleep. Engage students in thinking about these changes in real life.	Slides
Explain	10	Explain the difference between breathing (physical process) and respiration (chemical process). Use a 3D model to showcase how oxygen is used in the body, the role of alveoli, and gas exchange. Visual flowcharts and real-world examples will be used.	Slides and Virtual Lab
Evaluate	10	Ask students to complete a self-evaluation task on the LMS	Virtual Lab
Extend	5	Reflect: “Modeling the Lungs: A Breathing Simulation”	Slides

Respiration in Organisms – A Breathing Model

Introduction

In this lesson, students will learn about breathing and respiration and how these processes help the body obtain oxygen and release energy. Through interactive diagrams, real-life scenarios, and guided discussions, students will explore how the respiratory and circulatory systems work together to support life and energy production.

Theory

Introduction: Why Breathing and Respiration?

Have you ever noticed how hard you breathe after running? Why can we survive without food for days, but not even a few minutes without breathing?

This is because every cell in our body needs oxygen to release energy from food. Just like a car needs fuel and oxygen to run, our body needs food and oxygen to stay alive.

Example: When running, your muscles need more energy, so you breathe faster to get more oxygen. This shows how vital breathing and respiration are!

What is Breathing and Respiration?

Breathing:

Breathing is the physical process of inhaling oxygen-rich air and exhaling air rich in carbon dioxide.

Component 1: Inhalation – Taking air through the nose or mouth into the lungs.
Component 2: Exhalation – Releasing carbon dioxide from the lungs into the air.

Example: Breathing in air through your nose and breathing it slowly through your mouth.

Steps / Process / Rules for Grouping Plants

Breathing Process:

Step 1: Air enters the body through the nostrils.
Step 2: It passes through the nasal passages and windpipe into the lungs.
Step 3: Inside the lungs, alveoli allow gas exchange – oxygen goes into the blood, and carbon dioxide comes out.
Step 4: Carbon dioxide is then exhaled.

Respiration Process:

Step 1: The circulatory system carries oxygen from the lungs to body cells.
Step 2: Oxygen breaks down glucose in cells.
Step 3: Energy, carbon dioxide, and water are produced.

Solved Example:
If you eat a slice of bread (carbohydrates = glucose) and breathe in oxygen, your body uses these to create energy so you can walk, run, or play.

Visual Representation

How does the exchange of gases happen?

Example visual: A labeled diagram of alveoli surrounded by blood vessels showing gas exchange.

Applications / Why is it Useful?

- Breathing keeps us alive by providing oxygen to our body.
- Respiration gives us energy to do activities like walking, thinking, and playing.
- Helps in exercise and sports performance – more oxygen = more energy.
- Understanding this helps identify breathing problems like asthma.
- Explains how the body removes waste gases like carbon dioxide.

Vocabulary

This is the list of vocabulary terms used throughout the lesson.

Breathing: The physical process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.
Respiration: A chemical process that uses oxygen to break down glucose and release energy.
Alveoli: Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.
Circulatory System: The system comprises the heart, blood, and blood vessels that transports oxygen and nutrients.
Glucose: A simple sugar that comes from food and is used in cells to produce energy.

Respiration in Organisms – A Breathing Model

Introduction

Welcome to the Virtual Lab on the Process of Respiration! Explore how your body breathes through an interactive, step-by-step journey using 3D animations and real-time visuals. From inhalation to gas exchange, watch each stage of respiration come alive inside the lungs, bronchi, alveoli, and capillaries. Navigate easily using the “Next” button and understand complex concepts through clear visuals. Finish your learning with a quick quiz to test and reinforce your knowledge!

Key Features

Clear and intuitive user interface with “Next” button for step-by-step navigation
Visual representation of respiration stages with 3D animations (lungs, bronchi, alveoli, capillaries)
Real-time visual updates reflecting breathing mechanics and gas exchange
Quiz at the end for assessment and reinforcement of key concepts

Step-by-Step Procedure for VR Experience

Step-by-step Procedure for VR Experience

Access the Virtual Lab using the provided link or open the Respiration Flow 3D model in PictoBlox.
Follow on-screen instructions to start the lesson.

Read the text and observe the visuals at each step, explaining the respiration process.
Click the “Next” button to move sequentially through each step:
Step 1: Introduction to respiration and the learning flow.
Step 2: Inhalation process with lung expansion and diaphragm movement animation.
Step 3: Overview of bronchi, bronchioles, and surrounding capillaries with 3D visuals.
Step 4: Alveoli cross-section showing gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Observe the animations replicating the breathing mechanics and gas exchange to understand the real-world process.
Complete the quiz at the end by answering questions related to the respiration process demonstrated in the activity.