Activity of the Week: How Many Times  A Minute Does Your Heart Pump?

Dateline: 1/02/00

Your heart keeps blood flowing to all parts of your body. Find out how fast your heart pumps your blood with this fun activity.

What you will need:

• A watch with a second hand

What to do:

1. Place two fingers on your arm near your wrist.



2. Press your fingers down until you can feel a beat. Every time your heart pumps it makes this beat. It is called a pulse.
3. Have a friend tell you when to start counting on the watch.
4. Count how many beats happen in half a minute.
5. Multiply this number by two. This is the number your heart beats per minute.
6. Repeat steps 3,4 and 5 three more times. Calculate the average
7. For an extra project repeat this after running for 5 minutes. How is it different?

Next weeks activity: How Much Can You Exhale

Photo by Kelly Rivera