Year 6 - Science
Function of blood vessels
The human circulatory system
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores the human circulatory system, identifying the heart, blood vessels, and blood functions. It examines how diet, exercise, drugs, and lifestyle affect body function and details nutrient and water transport in animals. Emphasis is on data recording and presenting findings.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe what blood vessels are and what they do.
Key Notes
- 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.
Vocabulary To Learn
- 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 Mistakes To Avoid
- 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.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key 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.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'blood vessels'
Blood vessels are tubes through which blood flows around the body. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: 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. Correction: 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.
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