Charles Buzek - John Spry School



Gathering data about respiration

Charles Buzek                  John Spry School
                               2400 S. Marshall    
                               CHICAGO IL 60613
                               (773) 535-1400

Objective(s):

To provide a means for the student to collect data which will further allow 
the student to analyze that data for the purpose of drawing conclusions.
To initiate in the student the need to design instruments for scientific 
inquiry and develop an appreciation for the accuracy of such measurements.    

Materials Needed:

Balloons, rulers, and a conversion chart for cubic inches

Strategy:

This activity should be prefaced by a brainstorming session in which the 
students and instructor break down the various divisions of respiration. The 
students should arrive at three discrete events which can be used to collect 
data about the breathing process.  These events will answer the following 
questions: 1) How much air do we breathe out normally? 2)Is there any air left 
in our lungs after we breathe normally? 3) How much is actually in our lungs 
when we breathe normally?  These questions will lead to the following 
activities:

1) the subject will breathe normally then expel that air in a normal fashion 
into the balloon.  The balloon will then be measured across its broadest part 
with a ruler.

2) the subject will breathe in and out normally then expel all remaining air 
into the balloon, exerting as much pressure on the lungs as possible to push 
out any remaining air.  Again the balloon will be measured as above.

3) the subject will breathe in normally, then try to expel all the air that 
is in their lungs.  Again measure as above.

These tests will provide the student with data concerning three aspects of the 
respiration process.  At this point another brainstorming session is in order. 
What does the data tell us in isolation?  Do we need to obtain data from a 
larger sample?  How should that sample be constructed?  Do we need to frame 
special questions relative to the sample group e.g. how do men and women 
compare in terms of respiration?  Is there a size factor?  These questions or 
others will determine how a sample group should be constituted.

Performance Assessment:

The instructor examines the data with the understanding that the measuring 
device is crude and will deliver data of varying quality.  The students will 
construct a chart which delineates the information for their sample.  Then the 
student will formulate a theory based on the data they have obtained.  The 
student's successful accomplishment of the activity will be determined by how 
well the data fits the theory.

Conclusions:

This activity ought to be seen by the instructor as only incidentally being 
concerned with respiration.  The emphasis in actuality is on experiment design 
and interpretation of data.  These activities form the backbone of scientific 
inquiry and should collaterally be the foundation of science instruction.