In this lesson, students explore the circulatory system, blood pressure, and heart rate under various conditions.

Students will:

• develop an understanding of human blood pressure
• gather and analyze heart rate data under various conditions
• enter, graph, and analyze data using a TI-Nspire handheld
• evaluate heart rate dissimilarities between endothermic and ectothermic animals. 

The circulatory system is responsible for carrying oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, hormones and many other substances throughout the body. The body's cells rely on the circulatory system for a continuous supply of essential materials and waste removal. The heart is the driving force behind the workings of the circulatory system. The ventricles are the pumping chambers of the heart that push blood out of the heart with tremendous force then refill with blood. This process continues nonstop for many decades – billions of times during your lifetime. 

This activity explores what  happens with the circulatory system in space.