Lesson Plan

Resources → Subject Notes → Biology → Notes
Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Biology
Lesson Topic: Investigate and state the effect of physical activity on pulse rate.
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the relationship between physical activity intensity and pulse rate.
  • Measure and record resting, immediate, and recovery pulse rates accurately.
  • Calculate the percentage change in pulse rate and interpret the results.
  • Analyse how pulse recovery reflects cardiovascular fitness.
  • Communicate findings in a brief written report.
Materials Needed:
  • Stopwatch or timer
  • Pulse counter or ruler for counting beats
  • Skipping rope (or other moderate‑intensity exercise equipment)
  • Data recording sheet / worksheet
  • Pen or pencil and notebook
  • Projector or whiteboard for instructions (optional)
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick discussion: why does our heart beat faster when we run? Recall that pulse rate is a simple indicator of cardiovascular activity. Today students will investigate how different intensities of exercise affect pulse rate and will be able to present their findings using a percentage‑change calculation.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Students estimate their resting pulse and record it on the worksheet (checks prior knowledge).
  2. Mini‑lecture (7'): Review pulse, cardiac output, and how exercise influences heart rate (use projector).
  3. Practical investigation (20'): Perform two activity levels (2 min skipping, 4 min skipping), measuring immediate and 1‑min recovery pulses, recording data.
  4. Data analysis (10'): Calculate percentage change for each level, compare trends, discuss possible errors.
  5. Group discussion (5'): Each group shares results and relates findings to fitness.
  6. Exit ticket (3'): Write one sentence stating whether the hypothesis was supported.
Conclusion:
Summarise that pulse rate rises with increasing exercise intensity and recovers faster in fitter pupils. Highlight how the percentage change quantifies this effect. For homework, students will design a brief experiment to test another variable such as type of exercise or recovery time.