THE GIANT HEART
K-12 EDUCATORS GUIDE
THE HUMAN HEART BEATS STRONGLY,
PUMPING BLOOD THROUGHOUT THE BODY.
How does the human heart work?
How does it control the circulatory system?
How do healthy lifestyle choices protect the heart?
The Giant Heart exhibit
invites you and your students
to consider these questions
as you explore one of the
Institutes all-time most
popular exhibits.
DURING YOUR VISIT, STUDENTS WILL: AFTER YOUR VISIT, STUDENTS WILL:
D
iscover foundational life science concepts T
hink about how their hearts work to
related to human physiology. circulate blood throughout their bodies.
Interact with devices and displays that are U
nderstand how important it is to make
designed to help them learn about the structure healthy choices in order to protect the heart.
of the heart and the circulatory system.
QUICK TIPS
The exhibit is located on the second floor of the museum. Enter the exhibit via Key Hallway which
is alongside the Pendulum Staircase.
On average, most groups will spend about 40 minutes in the exhibit, if carefully examining all of the
displays. Restrooms are located in the Bartol Atrium at the opposite end of Key Hallway.
No food or beverages are allowed in any of the exhibit galleries.
Running through the exhibit is not allowed. Designate a meeting location within the exhibit when
you arrive in case someone gets separated. Please do not congregate at the entrance/exit, however,
so as to enable other guests to enter and exit easily.
THE BIG IDEA
Take care of your heart and it will take care of you.
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
The Giant Heart exhibit invites learners to learn about the structure of the human heart and how it
functions as the pump for the circulatory system. In many ways, the human heart is a very simple
four-chambered organ. However, the role it plays in human life is extraordinary.
The exhibit showcases the hearts structure most vividly through the giant walkthrough heart.
Surrounding the experience are other devices and activities that engage learners with content
related to the human heart. The exhibit also highlights ways to prevent disease by making healthy
lifestyle choices. Finally, when disease does occur, the diagnostic strategies, treatments, and
therapies are presented.
EXHIBIT OVERVIEW
The centerpiece of the exhibit is the giant walkthrough model of the human heart, described below.
Surrounding it is a free-flowing arrangement of interactive devices which are loosely grouped
according to several themes, listed below. The experience is intended to be non-linear and there is
no particular pathway for exploring the exhibit.
BLOOD
As the pump for the circulatory system, the heart pushes blood throughout
the body. Students can learn about the fluid of life as they explore devices and
concepts related to blood. Stand on a scale and see a visualization of how many
pints of blood your body contains. Listen to a catchy tune, performed by They
Might be Giants, about the work that the blood does while it circulates. Learn
about various vesselshow each varies in size based on its function. Compare the
colors of blood from one life-form to another. Valves help visualize the complexity
of the circulatory system, especially how blood wins the uphill battle of returning
to the heart.
STRUCTURE
The giant model heart is, of course, the most effective way for students to learn
about the hearts structure. Other devices, however, allow further exploration of
the idea. Use your feet to follow the dance steps which simulate the movement of
blow between the chambers. Compare the sizes and shapes of a spiraling display
of animal hearts. Listen to the sounds they make and discover that, generally, the
smaller the heart, the faster the beat.
HEALTHY CHOICES
Make healthy choices in order to protect your heart. Participate in the Exercise
Opera and feel the benefits of strenuous activity. Spend some time selecting
snacks from the vending machine and learn some healthy eating habits. Age your
face and see how healthy lifestyle choices can help your appearance as you age.
See evidence of how smoking pollutes human lungs and leads to disease and death.
DISEASE & TREATMENT
When heart disease does strike, how do we diagnose it? Learn about ultrasound
and other visualization technologies. Travel through time as you explore ancient
treatments as well as more modern medicinal practices. See how external
defibrillators work. The surgical theater invites older students to step up and
observe video of an open-heart procedure.
THE GIANT HEART
The star of the exhibit is our giant model of a human heart. Since 1954, a walk through the giant heart has been a rite
of passage for generations of schoolchildren. No visit to The Franklin Institute would be complete with a circulation
or two through the atria and ventricles. Your students act as the blood, moving through the chambers and passing
through the lungs for oxygenation.
The model heart is the approximate size for a 220-foot tall person. The model was intended to be a temporary
exhibition but became so popular, it remains accessible to this day. Over the years, it has become a must-see
attraction for tourists as well as a beloved tradition for local families. The original designer had a background in fun
house design which helps explain its surprising twists and turns. As a beloved icon of The Franklin Institute, we
strive to take excellent care of our heart. Annual check-ups help to keep it fully functional and available for visits.
Minor patching and repairs, along with fresh paint and upgraded lighting, help keep it in great shape. The underlying
structure, however, is exactly the same as it was the day it first opened to our visitors.
CLASSROOMLISTEN
AND AT HOMEHEART
TO YOUR ACTIVITIES
Over 170 years ago, a man named Laennec invented the first stethoscope.
TRY It was a wooden tube about 1 inch in diameter and about 10 inches long.
Have your students simulate the experience of using a stethoscope using
THIS! cardboard tubes.
Youll need 1 cardboard tube from a paper towel roll for every 2 students.
Have students pair up and listen for their partners heartbeat by placing the
tube over the partners heart.
Count the number of beats per 15 seconds. Multiply by 4 to find how many
times each minute the persons heart beats.
Have one partner run in place for one minute, then listen again.
Have the students write down what they hear and calculate the new beats
per minute.
The heart beats faster after exercise in order to pump more blood (oxygen)
to the working muscles.
THE HEART BEATS!
TRY
THIS! Your students can visualize their heartbeats in this simple activity.
Each student will need one mini-marshmallow and one toothpick.
Insert the toothpick in the marshmallow.
Lay one hand, palm up and still, on a desktop or table.
Find your wrist pulse by touching the index and middle fingers of the
opposite hand to locate a blood vessel. Stand the marshmallow on top of
the pulse point and carefully watch the tip of the toothpick.
Hold still to see it twitch with each pulse.
Count the number of twitches in fifteen seconds and then multiply by four
to find your pulse. 72 beats per minute is the normal average for adults.
Depending on the age of your students, the rate may be higher as younger
children can have pulse rates as high as 100 beats per minute.
Have students work in pairs or trios to compare and discuss results.
This simple activity is visible proof of the hearts pumping of blood
through the circulatory system.
TRY
THE GIANT HEART WORD SEARCH
THIS!
L H Q O G M C L R U U M O D D
X E A I S Z I M U D V X B I P
Q I S M H J R A Z N Y J P F Z
S U I S Y G C E A G G L C Q C
U F B F E X U U E T Z S Y A R
L B N B Y V L N K N R N P Y E
A R T E R Y A N B N Y I R J B
E E L C I R T N E V L E U M M
T S V C T P I L E L G H D M A
N U I N U U O I A R Q E O I H
K Y A C I L N R U X Y A O W C
M I Z L R S Y S F Y N L L L U
G Z F D H E A R T S E T B B T
M E T S Y S X S D N H H P E O
D H K D T V Z E G H D L Y H D
ARTERY EXERCISE PULSE
ATRIUM GIANT SURGERY
BLOOD HEALTH SYSTEM
CAPILLARY HEART VEIN
CHAMBER LUNGS VENTRICLE
CIRCULATION OXYGEN VESSEL
SUGGESTED RESOURCES FOR K-12
CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES
Elementary School High School
A Drop of Blood Medical Ethics: Life and Death Issues
by Paul Showers by Karen Judson
ISBN 006009110X ISBN 0766015858
Dr. Frankensteins Human Body Book Smoking 101
by Richard Walker by Margaret O. Hyde
ISBN 0756640911 ISBN 0761328351
My Bodyworks The Anatomy Students Self-Test Visual
by Jane Schoenberg Dictionary
ISBN 1566565839 by Ken Ashwell
ISBN 0764147242
The Circulatory Story
by Mary K. Corcoran
ISBN 1580892094
The Heart: Our Circulatory System Recommended Websites
by Seymour Simon
American Heart Association
ISBN 0688114075
Select Educator on the navigation menu
www.heart.org
NIH Curriculum Supplements
Middle School for K-12 Teachers
science.education.nih.gov
Circulating Life: Blood Transfusion from
Ancient Superstition to Modern Medicine
by Cherie Winner
ISBN 0822566060
The Circulatory System
by Christine Taylor-Butler
ISBN 0531207307
The Complete Human Body
by Alice Roberts
ISBN 075666733X
CURRICULAR STANDARDS
An exploration of The Giant Heart exhibit can help students
achieve learning objectives as called for by national standards.
Next Generation Science Standards Benchmarks for Science Literacy
1: Structure, Function, & Information Processing 6. The Human Organism
3: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: 6a. Human Identity
Life Cycles and Traits 6b. Human Development
4: Structure, Function, & Information Processing 6c. Basic Functions
5: Matter & Energy in Organisms & Ecosystems 6d. Learning
MS: Structure, Function, & Information Processing
MS: Growth, Development, & Reproduction
of Organisms Common Core English Language Arts
HS: Structure & Function
K-5: Reading Informational Text
6-12: Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects
National Science Education Standards
K-4 C: Life Science Common Core Mathematics
5-8 C: Life Science
9-12 C: Life Science K-12: Measurement & Data
An Educational Product of
THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE
The Franklin Institute
222 North 20th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
www.fi.edu
