elementary school teacher's guide - america's blood centers

E L E M E N T A R Y S C H O O L T E A C H E R ’ S G U I D E

Red blood cells, lymphocyte T cell (stained green) and blue-stained platelets © Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D.

A Message t TeachersThe center of our universe!

This My Blood, Your Blood Teacher’s Guide is designed toextend and complement the information presented in the My Blood,Your Blood Video. In writing the Guide, we collected activities andinformation to help you plan a curriculum centered around theimportance of blood in our lives. For us, the only problem waswhere to stop. Clearly, blood can be considered our physiological“center of the universe” since it carries out the essential functions oftransporting nutrients and molecules, regulating our internal envi-ronment, and protecting us from disease. Because we couldn’tinclude all the possibilities for studying the role of blood in ourlives, we hope you will consider the activities and information thatfollow as take-off points for you and your students to continuelearning about this fascinating subject.

In organizing the content of the My Blood, Your BloodTeacher’s Guide, we chose not to categorize the lessons by agegroup. Instead, the activities are grouped by blood functions:Transportation, Regulation, and Protection, as well as a section wetitled Consideration which addresses decision-making and theimportance of blood donation. Because you know your studentsand their abilities, this information can be adapted to suit your sit-uation, whether it is a traditional classroom or a home-school.

We hope you and your students enjoy learning about theimportance of blood, and learning, as Granville, the animated whiteblood cell character from the video, says, “how important it is tobecome a volunteer blood donor.”

Kathleen Buckley, E.D.D.Connie Kelly, M.A.T., BiologySusan Songstad, B.A., Biology

The National Science Educa-tion Standards, developed by theNational Research Council and theNational Academy of Sciences, arecriteria for the development of cur-ricula to increase science literacy ofall students.

The My Blood, Your BloodVideo and Teacher’s Guide canassist educators in designing sciencelessons that will aid student under-standing in the following contentareas established by the NationalScience Education Standards:

Life Sciences:• Characteristics of Organisms

(Level K-4)• Structure and Function in

Living Organisms (Level 5-8)• The Cell and Matter, Energy,

and Organization in Living Systems (Level 9-12)

Science in Personal and SocialPerspectives:• Personal Health (Level K-8)• Personal and Community

Health (Level 9-12)• Science and Technology in

Local Challenges and Society (Level K-12)

The Foundation for America’s Blood Centers is committed toincreasing public awareness about the need for blood donation to helpensure that all Americans have access to a safe and adequate bloodsupply. The creation of My Blood, Your Blood underscores this com-mitment. While fostering altruism and community spirit, this Teacher’sGuide and the entire My Blood, Your Blood curriculum provide up-to-date information and creative strategies to help teach the science ofblood. Developed by a team of physicians and educators, My Blood,Your Blood is designed to be a turnkey education program easilyadapted to a variety of learning levels. America’s Blood Centers hopesyou and your students enjoy the learning activities. We encourageyou to visit the My Blood,Your Blood Web site at www.MyBloodYourBlood.org.

I troduction

Contents2 Introduction

• A Message to teachers

3 TRANSPORTATION

4 Make a body-sized poster of the circulatory system

5 More Interactivities:

• Make a blended image

• Listen to your heartbeat

6 Explore the vessels in a goldfish

7 Make an action picture of the heartbeat cycle

9 Change your heart rate

10 The heart and blood pressure

11 REGULATION

12 How does your blood get rid of carbon dioxide?

13 Capillary gas exchange

14 PROTECTION• Create a model of a blood cell

15 Are you my type?

16 Mistaken identity: compatibility testing

17 Clotting and diseases

18 The case of sickle cell anemia

19 Fighting blood pathogens

19 Life cycle of a parasite

20 Phagocytosis in action

21 Blood defenders: make a flipbook

22 CONSIDERATION • Making an ethical decision

• Encouraging blood donation

23 GLOSSARY

24 RESOURCES

Our My Blood, Your Blood Guidefollows current National ScienceEducation Standards:

© 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers 2

Blood is a mixture of constant-

ly circulating red blood cells, white

blood cells, platelets and plasma.

Even though you usually can’t see

your blood, it’s not that hard to find.

It’s carried to every part of your body

by thousands of blood vessels...arter-

ies, veins and capillaries.

“Think of your blood as the trans-

portation system in your body that’s

always on the move, making deliver-

ies and pick-ups day and night.

Pumped by your heart, your blood is

circulated non-stop, carrying oxygen

and nutrients to wherever they’re

needed, and collecting waste products

called carbon dioxide.”—Rory

Circulat ry SystemT H E B O D Y ’ S T R A N S P O R T A T I O N S Y S T E M

A special protein called hemo-globin makes red cells look redand gives them the ability tobind and transport oxygen.

Transportation

Activities In This Section

Make a body-sized poster of the circulatory system . . . . .4

Make a blended image of the circulatory system . . . . . . . .5

Listen to your heartbeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Explore the vessels in a goldfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Make an action picture of the heartbeat cycle . . . . . . . . . .7

Change your heart rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Learn about the heart and blood pressure . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Lungs �

Liver �

Spleen �

Stomach �

Kidney �

�

�

�

�

�

�

Locate your pulse points

Side of Neck�Inner Wrist�

Behind the Knee�Ankle�

Top of Foot�

�

�

�

�

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I N T E R A C T I V I T Y

3© 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers

Heart �

BLOOD TAKES TWO MAIN PATHS in its trip through the body. Blood is pumpedout to the body in vessels called arteries. Arteries carry oxygenated blood to allparts of the body. Once the blood has delivered oxygen and nutrients and

picked up waste products, such as carbon dioxide, it is transported back to the heartthrough vessels called veins. The heart contracts, sending blood into the lungs to bereoxygenated and to rid itself of carbon dioxide. From the lungs, the blood re-entersthe heart and the cycle begins again. There are many organs that are involved in thefiltering and transportation process and that are related to those body systems.Below are other organs that are involved in the transportation of blood throughoutyour body by way of the circulatory system.

ActivitySee where the circulatoryorgans are connected bycreating a body-sized poster(or reproduce the diagramon page 3 as a sketch inyour journal) .

1) Trace your body onto alarge piece of butcher paper(this can be done in groups–choose one student to draw,one to be sketched, etc.).

2) Draw the major veins andarteries into your “body” onthe butcher paper.

3) Draw and cut out the dif-ferent organs that assist inthe cleaning and feeding ofyour blood and glue theseorgans onto your drawing.Label each organ with itsname and function. (Referto page 3.)

In 4000 B.C., an EgyptianPharaoh recorded that the bloodcirculated about the bodythrough the heart and blood ves-sels. In 2500 B.C., the ChineseEmperor, Hwang Ti, recorded anillustration of the circulatory sys-tem with the heart regulating theflow of blood in a never-endingcircle about the body. Yet, intimes past, most people believedthat arteries, found empty atdeath, contained only air. Manysupposed that arteries carried“natural spirits” to all parts ofthe body, while the veins carriedthe food.

Until the 17th century, thedominant theory of the functionof the heart, arteries, and veinswas derived from ClaudiusGalen, a Roman physician whotreated gladiators. He claimedthat the blood sloshed back andforth along the same blood ves-sels, like the rise and fall of thetides, flowing through the bodyas needed to feed the soul. Healso claimed that blood passedfrom the right to the left sides ofthe heart through tiny, invisiblepores.

The 17th-century physicianWilliam Harvey, among oth-ers, challenged Galen’s concept.He gathered evidence to supportthe idea that blood circulates bythe action of the heart throughtwo circulatory pathways, thesystemic loop and the pulmonaryloop, passing from the heart tothe arteries, through the veins,and back to the heart again.

Valves in the veins keep theblood from flowing backward. Itwas Harvey who first pointed outthe significance of the delicatemoon-shaped valvesin the veins. (Youwould find it inter-esting to investigateHarvey’s experimen-tal evidence to sup-port the idea of a cir-culatory pathway.)

Make a body-sized posterof the C rculatory System

Circulation: A ShortHistory Lesson


For a red blood cell like me, onecomplete round-trip through

your body will take, on average...only 30-45 seconds.

Make a Blended Image of the Circulatory SystemDrawn below are the body’s larger blood vessels: the arteries on the left, the veins on the right. Photocopythe drawings onto thick paper. Cut along the lines and glue the two pieces back to back. Color the arter-ies red and the veins blue. Attach two rubber bands to the card. Twist the bands and then pull on them.Watch the images blend together to provide you with an overview of the circulatory system.

Vo c a b u l a r y : H E A R T R A T E • S T E T H O S C O P E • C I R C U L A T O R Y S Y S T E M

More inter ctivities

Build your own stethoscope!

You can make your own stethoscope, too! Allyou need is a cardboard tube from a papertowel roll.

First, you need to know where your heart islocated: 1/3 of it is on the right side of yourchest and 2/3 of it is on your left side. That iswhy your left lung is smaller than your right!

Now, place the tube over a friend’s heart.Listen carefully. Count the number of beatsyou hear over a 30-second period of time andmultiply by two for the number of beats perminute.

Listen to your heartbeat

History: Over 170 years ago, a man namedLaennec invented the first stethoscope that made itpossible to hear the “lubb-dubb” sound of the heartmore effectively. It was a wooden tube about oneinch in diameter and about 10 inches long.

What makes my heartbeat faster?

How big is my heart?

When I sleep does myheart sleep too?

Does my heart everstop working?

If you live to be 80 yearsold, how many times willyour heart have beaten?

V I D E O A L E R T

A mouse has a heart rate of 500 beats per minute, an elephant about 20 and a blue whale, less than 5 beatsper minute! Smaller animals have smaller hearts that beat faster because they use up energy faster.

In the My Blood, Your BloodVideo, watch the blood pulsethrough the artery.

Questions to Ponder

Jerome wants to know...

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Arteries take oxygenated blood fromthe heart out to all areas of the body. Thewalls of the arteries are too thick for oxygen

and nutrients to pass through so arteries lead tosmaller vessels called capillaries. The walls of thecapillaries are thin enough for red and white bloodcells to squeeze through and enter other body tissues.The circulation of blood can easily be observedmoving though arteries, capillaries and veins.

E ploring VesselsV E I N S , A R T E R I E S A N D C A P I L L A R I E S

Vo c a b u l a r y : V E I N S • A R T E R I E S • C A P I L L A R I E S

G O L D F I S H O B S E R V A T I O N A C T I V I T YU S I N G A M I C R O S C O P E

Would you believe that thehuman body has so manyblood vessels inside of it thatthey could encircle the earthonce...twice...and then a littlebit more? It’s true!

VEINARTERY

CAPILLARY

� Carefully wrap a live goldfish in water-soaked absorbent cotton and place it in alarge petri dish.

� Place one glass slide under the caudal fin.Make sure there is enough aquaria water inthe petri dish to keep the cotton very wet,yet not so much as to cover the bottom ofthe slide.

� Observe the fin of the goldfish on lowpower under the microscope. (You willprobably need to lower the light by adjust-ing the diaphragm to a smaller setting.)

� Draw what you see and indicate thedirection of blood flow. Locate and label:anartery, a capillary and a vein.

� Safely return your fish to the aquarium.

Further Inquiry: What effect would youexpect epinephrine (adrenaline), nicotine orethanol to have on the circulation of blood inthe fin of a fish?

Add three drops of solution to the fin. Theresponse of the vessels can then be observed.Takenote of the observations and discuss the reaction.Is this what you expected?


Makean action picture of

the eartbeat cycle.Instructions :

Cut out a cardboard disc using the pattern outlined on this page.

Bend the tabs upward. Cut out the two strips of the images of the heart

on the next page. Glue the strips together to make one long strip, then glue

the two ends together into a ring with the images of the heart facing inwards.

Make a tagboard ring of the same pattern as a backing for the strip. Glue the

tabs of the disc to the outside of the tagboard ring. Paint the outside of the

frame (cardboard disc and tagboard ring) black. Slip the ring of hearts inside

the frame. Fix a pin down through the center of the disc into a cork,

with a bead on either side of the disc for smooth spinning. Place

the cork in a bottle. Stand under a light. Look sideways

through the slits. Spin the disc, and watch the

heart beat.

Background information for activity: The heart is a dynamic organ. It is located between the lungs. It is held in place by astructure, the pericardium, designed to keep it in position, yet allow it enough movement so that it can beat hard and fast when youare exercising, stressed or frightened. It beats over 100,000 times a day, pumping 1,835 gallons of blood through over 60,000 milesof vessels. The heart has four chambers: two upper chambers called atria and two thicker-walled lower chambers called ventricles.The atria are basically receiving chambers. The ventricles are pumps. Four valves allow blood to move through the heart in onlyone direction. As your blood circulates, oxygen and nutrients are carried to all parts of your body and harmful wastes are removed.

Viewing information: With your animation of the inside view of the heartbeat cycle, watch the heart relaxing as it refills withblood. Next see both atria contracting, squeezing blood from the atria into the ventricles. Then notice the ventricles start con-tracting as the valves open and blood is forced into the aorta (carrying oxygenated blood to every part of the body) and pulmonaryartery (carrying deoxygenated blood to the lungs). Some other things you might like to try: You hear two sounds (lubb-dubb) when you listen to your heart with a stethoscope. They come from the turbulence in blood flow created by the closingof your heart valves. Mark 1 and 2 on the disc next to the contraction and relaxation phases of the heart cycle, respectively.Borrow, purchase or make a stethoscope, then try spinning the action strip at the same speed as your heart rate. Maybe you’dlike to try making your own action strip. How about making some sequential drawings of the flow of electrical impulsesthrough the heart, which cause its regular, rhythmic beating? Or, how about spinning a strip of a recording of the electricalchanges that accompany the cardiac cycle, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)?

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Change your eart rateH O W T H E P U L S E R A T E C H A N G E S

Instruct students to place one hand (palm-side up) on their desks andask them to count how many times they can open and close their handsfor one minute. Their hands should start getting tired after about 45 sec-

onds. The students might start to wonder what they are doing. Be sure theyrecord how many times they opened and closed their hands. Their handsopening and closing represent their beating hearts.

Your heart rate changes as a response to a change in physical, emotionaland/or chemical conditions. Has anyone told you a scary story or snuck upbehind you and scared the heebie-jeebies out of you? Has too much candy orcaffeine ever affected your heart rate? How about running to catch a bus?Many factors can affect your heart rate. In this activity we’ll explore the rela-tionship between exercise and heart rate. You can check your heart rate bylocating arteries that lie close to the surface. They can be found in your neck,your wrist, behind your knee, along your ankle and on the top of your foot (seephoto on page 3).

Clarify the mean-ing of a pulse:Show students the sitesof pulse points theycan use to measuretheir heart rates andhave them check to seeif they can find theirpulse.

Resting pulse rate.• Have students locate their pulse. (Do not use the thumb.)• Have them count the beat for 6 seconds.• Multiply this count by 10 to find the number of beats per minute.

1) My Resting Heart Rate Beats in 6 Seconds x 10 = Beats per Minute

2) My Active Heart Rate Beats in 6 Seconds x 10 = Beats per Minute

Active pulse rate.• Jog in place for one minute and take another pulse rate.• Place index and middle fingers on your wrist or neck. (Do not use your thumb.)• Hold fingers in place until you feel the steady beating of your pulse.• Say “go” and have the students count the beats for 6 seconds. Multiply this count

by 10 to find the number of beats per minute.• Have students rest 5 minutes after exercising, then record their heartbeat again.

Have students: 1) record their resting heart rate; 2) record their active heart rates afterexercising; 3) record their heart rate five minutes after they stop exercising.Have studentsshare their data on the board, and then transfer the data from the board onto their owndata charts. Each student will create a graph to illustrate averages by age or sex or rates.

AWhy does your heartb e a t f a s t e r w h i l eexercising?

To keep the O2 supplyand CO2 removal equalto the body’s demands.

What other body con-ditions change?

Your body temperatureincreases as your heartrate increases; body sweatincreases in order to regu-late the body temperature.

Questions to ponder

Ellie wants to know...

3) My Resting Heart Rate 5 minutes Beats in 6 Seconds x 10 = Beats per Minuteafter exercising

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The two halves ofthe heart are separated

by a muscular wall calledthe septum. This wall pre-vents the flow of bloodbetween the two atria or thetwo ventricles. The heartpumps blood in two phases.In the systolic phase, theventricles contract, pump-ing blood into the arteries.In the diastolic phase, orsecond phase, the ventri-cles relax, allowingblood to flow into themfrom the atria. These twophases of the heartbeat aremeasured when bloodpressure is taken. Thevalves within the heartare one-way valves. Thismeans that blood can flowinto the heart but not back-

The He rt & Blood PressureE x e r c i s e s i n m e a s u r i n g b l o o d p r e s s u r e

Sphygmomanometer andStethoscope are used tomeasure blood pressure.

�Once you have found the sound, you can pump the cut-off to 160mm of pressure.�Now, open the valve on the bulb just a bit so that thepressure in the cutoff drops SLOWLY. When you begin tohear a faint tapping sound, close the valve and record theamount of pressure on the gauge. This is called systolicpressure.�Again, with the stethoscope in place, open the valveslightly and close it when you can no longer hear anysounds. Record the amount of pressure indicated on thepressure gauge. This is called diastolic pressure.�List some of the factors that might account for varia-tions found among classmates.�Try the same thing when lying down or while your handis submerged in cold water and record the differences.

�Place the cuff of the sphygmomanometer on the barearm, just above the elbow.You should be able to read thepressure gauge.�Inflate the cuff by closing the valve on the rubber bulband squeeze the bulb until the pressure gauge reads90mm.�Using the stethoscope, listen for the tapping sound ofblood flowing through the artery constricted by the cuff.�To do this, you must place the stethoscope in your earsand place the bell (the round, cold, silver part of thestethoscope) over the artery in the crook of the elbow.

Vo c a b u l a r y : ATRIUM • VENTRICLE • SYS T O L I C • D I A S T O L I C • S E P T U M • S P H Y G M O M A N O M E T E R


I N T E R A C T I V I T I E SRegulation


Activity:How does your blood get rid of carbon dioxide? . . . . . . .12

Capillary gas exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

�“Take a real deep breath.Well, whatbetter place to get oxygen than yourlungs, huh? Each time you take abreath, pairs of oxygen atoms calledO2 molecules enter your lungs.

� The faster you move, the faster we redblood cells have to move through thevessels! Your heart pumps faster to pro-vide your body with more oxygen and toget rid of all that carbon dioxide wastefaster! I can prove it to you.”—Rory

� And it’s here that the gas exchangetakes place. The O2 molecules passeasily into the blood vessels and bindor attach to our hemoglobin (a redblood cell protein).

�Now loaded with this cargo of oxy-gen, we red blood cells first travel athigh speed through the heart, thelarge aorta artery and other arter-ies...just like on a freeway.

� Then they pass through smallerand smaller tubes called bronchiuntil reaching air sacs called alveoli.These air sacs are covered by thinblood vessels known as capillaries.

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How does yourblood get rid of carbon dio ide?As your cells use food molecules for energy, they produce carbon

dioxide as a waste product. Your blood helps keep your cells’

environment constant by carrying away this carbon dioxide in the

plasma and hemoglobin. But then what? As you know, the blood

travels to the lungs where the carbon dioxide can be exhaled.

What affects the amount of carbon dioxide you produce?

For this activity, you’ll need a clock with a second hand, a clear

plastic cup or a beaker (an Erlenmeyer flask works well if you

have it), a drinking straw, and limewater.

� Fill the cup half full of limewater.

�With one end of the straw in the solution, breathe out

through the straw, bubbling your exhaled air through

the solution.

� Time how long it takes to make a change in the appearance

of the solution. What happens?

Carbon dioxide combines with water to make carbonic acid.

(The limewater reacts with acids to become cloudy.) Now, do

some mild exercise such as jogging in place. With fresh limewa-

ter, repeat the procedure. How long does it take for the solution

to change? Why is there a difference in the amount of time

required for the change to occur?

To make limewater, add calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide to

water until no more calcium compound dissolves. Let the solution

sit for 24 hours and then pour off the clear solution into a bottle

to keep for this activity. The remaining solid can be discarded.

�

Vo c a b u l a r y : D I F F U S I O N • M E M B R A N E • M O L E C U L E • O S M O S I S

“Only when we get deep inside these tiny capillaries runn


ning through your muscles and tissues and organs, do we finally release our load of oxygen!” —Rory

ActivityHow do substances move in and out of our blood?Our blood helps us to maintain a constant internal environment.It carries necessary substances to our body tissues and carries awaywaste products produced by cells. Most of these substances are dis-solved in the blood plasma. Red blood cells are specialized to carryoxygen to the cells. How can molecules move into and out of theplasma and the red blood cells? This happens through a processcalled diffusion.Diffusion is the movement of small molecules from an area ofhigh concentration to an area of low concentration...in other words,from where they are packed together, to areas where they are fewand far between. Have you ever been in a crowd of people and thenwandered out to where there was some room to stretch? In a way,that’s what happens in diffusion. But in diffusion, small moleculescan pass through the spaces of a cell membrane to get into or out ofa cell. When water is the molecule that is diffusing, the process iscalled osmosis.You can observe the effects of diffusion by doing the activitiesdescibed next.(To make a starch solution, add about one teaspoon of corn starch toone cup of water. Heat this mixture slowly until the starch dissolvesand the solution becomes clear. Let this cool before you use it).

Watching Diffusionthrough a MembraneFor this activity, you’ll need a clear plastic cup or abeaker, 15 cm of dialysis tubing, string, an eyedrop-per, some starch solution (see directions below-left),and some iodine solution.

Twist one end of the dialysis tubing and then tie it offwith some string. Use the eyedropper to fill the tub-ing with the starch solution to about 5 cm from thetop. Twist this end shut and tie it with string as youdid before. Rinse off the tubing with water in caseany of the starch solution spilled onto the outside. Putthe tubing into a clear cup filled with water. Addiodine to the water until it looks yellow. Let the cupsit overnight and observe. Can you explain what hap-pened?

Osmosis in an EggPut a raw egg with its shell intact into a bowl of vine-gar. Let it sit overnight. Gently touch it the next day.What is happening? The vinegar has dissolved theeggshell. When the eggshell has completely dissolved,pour off the vinegar and add water to the bowl. Letthe egg sit for a few hours or overnight. (Keep it in therefrigerator.) How has the egg changed? Do you thinkwater moved into or out of the egg? Why?You can put the egg into other solutions such as cornsyrup or salt water. Predict what you think will hap-pen. Will the water move into or out of the egg?

Higher molecule concentration isoutside of the cell.

Higher molecule concentrationis inside of the cell.

Equal amount of molecules onboth sides of membrane.

MOLECULARMOVEMENT

Capillary Ga Exchange

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I N T E R A C T I V I T YProtection


Activity:Create a model of a blood cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Are you my type? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Mistaken identity? Compatibility testing . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Clotting and diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Phagocytosis in action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Blood defenders: Make a flip-book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Create amodel of ablood cellProject and Presentation

Instruct students to create a cell out of anymedium they like as long as they do not sim-ply draw on a piece of paper. Some may useclay or gel while others will use Legos®,nuts and bolts or even paper maché (theseare just suggestions). Whatever is used,remember to do the following:1) Label the cell type.2) Label all the cell structures discussed in

class.3) Make sure that the material you use to

represent each structure resembles that structure in shape.

4) Write a paper that clearly defines the function of the cell type chosen.

5) Bring the cell to school for presentation on the date indicated below.

Cell Types Circulating in the Blood1) Erythrocytes (red blood cells);2) Leukocytes (white blood cells),which include

Granulocytes: (Neutrophils, Basophils and Eosinophils); Lymphocytes and Monocytes;

3) Platelets.

Presentation date:Cell Structures1) Cell membrane2) Cytoplasm3) Nucleus4) Mitochondria5) Endoplasmic Reticulum6) Ribosome7) Granules8) Golgi Body or Golgi Complex

Red blood cells, Lymphocyte T cell (green), Monocyte (gold) and Platelets. ©Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D.


A

B

AB

O

Donor

Katie

A B AB OI N T E R A C T I V I T Y

Who’s who?This is an activity thatwill illustrate which typesof blood can be mixedsafely, and which can’t. Indoing it, your students willdetermine, “Who is thereal Katie Curtis?”

RECIPIENT

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Here is your set-up:

Five beakers marked and

containing the following:

BLOOD TYPE COLOR

A Red

B Blue

AB purple

O Clear water

Donor (test) —

(Katie is type O. The donor is whatever you like.)

Label 5 test tubes: A, B,

AB, O and Donor. Fill test

tube 1/4 full with labeled

blood type.

You will test each donor.

Start with type A. Add 15

drops of the donor type

to each blood type and

on your data chart, indi-

cate if there is a color

change or not. Any color

change means that the

recipient dies, because

their blood types are not

compatible!

Next, clean out all the

test tubes and begin

again. Test the donor

type B, and then AB, then

O. Record all observa-

tions.

Some questions that studentsshould be able to answer fromtheir data:

� Which blood type is the universal red cell donor (can give to almost anyone safely)?

� Which type is the universal red cell recipient (can receive from almost anyone safely)?

� Can people with AB blood give red cells to patients with type B? Why?

� Can people with type B blood give red cells to patients with type AB? Why?

� What is the blood type of the released hostage?

� Is this person Katie Curtis? Why do you say this?

� Which type of blood do you think is the most sought-after by blood banks?

NOTE: Any color change is an indicator ofincompatibility. Get Katie’s results from thepolice chief.

SCENARIO: Last night, after the school dance,

Katie Curtis, the Homecoming Queen, was discov-

ered to be missing from the premises. The students

and staff were distraught as the local police chief

searched desperately trying to find her whereabouts.

In the wee hours of the morning, a man stepped for-

ward and claimed to have Katie. He demanded a

million dollars in cash for the safe return of the pop-

ular and loved Katie Curtis. The ransom was paid

and the kidnapper brought a young lady looking

very much like Katie to the school. However,

friends, family and staff aren’t so sure that this gal is

who she says she is! Your job, as scientists, is to

determine whether or not this person claiming to be

Katie is the real one or an amazingly good imposter.

How, you ask, are you supposed to determine this?

Clinical tests have proven that only certain types of

blood can be mixed safely with other kinds of

blood. Your first task is to determine these mixtures.

Then you will be given a sample of Katie’s blood,

and a sample of blood from the person who claims

to be Katie. Your only clue about the real Katie is

that she has given red cell transfusions to patients

with types A, B and AB blood. Is this young lady the

real Katie Curtis or an imposter? Good luck!


Mistaken I entity?C O M P A T I B I L I T Y : W H O C A N G I V E R E D C E L L S T O W H O M ?

Role-playing: The Katie Curtis Incident


A

B

AB

O

A B AB O

Cl tting and DiseasesB L O O D C L O T T I N G A N D B L E E D I N G D I S O R D E R S

If a blood vessel is broken, a chain

reaction begins at the site of the

injury. First, the nearest platelets,

tiny disc shaped cells that float by

the billions in the bloodstream,

suddenly enlarge and become

studded with long, spiny filaments

that they use to stick to the site of

the injury. These cells send out

chemical signals that attract more

platelets that join to form a

te m p o ra r y plug. Some of the

chemicals also function as vaso-

constrictors, which decrease the

blood flow to the injured area by

narrowing the blood vessels.

Meanwhile, a series of proteins

floating in the plasma, called clot-

ting factors, start a marvelous cas-

cade of events which cause a

strong netting of fibrin strands to

appear in exactly the right spot and

reinforce the platelet plug. As red

blood cells are caught in the fibrin

net, the plug turns into a solid clot

that stops the bleeding. Most of the

clotting factor is absorbed at the

site and the rest is carried away and

neutralized in the bloodstream so

that clotting does not extend

beyond the site of damage. Scab

tissue comes off the skin surface

when repairs have been made. The

blood contains natural anticoagu-

lants to dissolve the clots after

injuries have healed on the inside.

Vo c a b u l a r y : HEMATOLOGY • P L A T E L E T S • I M M U N I T Y • P A T H O G E N • F I B R I N • T R A N S F U S I O N

white cells often cannot functionproperly. The cancer cells crowdout normal bone marrow cellswhich prevents normal produc-tion of red cells, white cells andplatelets. Anemia, infectionsand b leed ing prob l emsresult. Transfusions, drugtherapy and stem cell trans-plants are treatments forleukemia. Hematocrit testing(see figure at left ) is a simple,accurate way to measure theamount of red blood cells ina sample of blood. This measureis useful in diagnosing diseaseswhere you have increased ordecreased numbers of cells.

Anemia (too few red cells)The production of red cells isnormally balanced with the dailyloss so that the volume of redcells (the hematocrit) staysbetween 40 and 45% of the vol-ume of the blood. Anemia canresult from either large bloodloss due to, for example, injuries,from abnormal breakdown ofred cells in the blood (hemoly-sis), or from decreased pro-duction. • The failure of stemcells causes a rare disease knownas aplastic anemia . In this dis-ease, neither red cells nor whitecells nor platelets are made.Aplastic anemia can be treatedby bone marrow or stem celltransplantation. • Geneticabnormalities causing the abnor-mal production of hemoglobinmolecules are responsible fortwo inherited anemias: tha-lassemia and sickle cell anemia .• Iron (Fe) is a necessary chemi-cal nutrient in the body. Eachday the bone marrow producesabout 20 ml of red cells. In orderto make the hemoglobin in 1 mlof red cells, roughly 1 mg of Feis needed. The bone marrowneeds 20 mg of Fe a day to makered cells. Most of this is recycled

Thrombosis(blood clots) Thebody must maintain a balancebetween too much bleeding andtoo much clotting. If the bloodclots form too easily or land inthe wrong place, the result canbe blockage of blood vessels orthe heart, causing a stroke orheart attack. Every year overhalf a million Americans diebecause of clots that stop theflow of blood to the heart, brainor lungs. Most of these lethalclots form when fatty lumps, orplaques, that build up on theartery walls break open, pro-ducing a jagged surface. Thecrack is patched with aclot which blocks bloodf low to downstream tissues.Anticoagulant medications areused to dissolve the bloodclots to restore circulation.Sometimes surgery is required.Clots can also appear when theblood flows too slowly.

Polycythemia Polycythemiais a disorder in which there arean abnormally large number ofred blood cells. It is a conditionmanifested by over-productionof red cells, platelets, and insome cases, white cells.

Hemophilia (bleeding)People with hemophilia lack aclotting factor. Their blood can-not make a meshwork of fibrinstrands to reinforce clots at thesite of an injury. Treatmentinvolves transfusions of theappropriate clotting protein.Doctors are investigating thepossibility of gene therapy, theinsertion of normal genes intopatients’ cells, to supply theneeded clotting factors.

Leukemia Leukemia is aform of cancer of the bone mar-row cells that produce whitecells. Too many white cells areproduced and the leukemic

When people volunteer to donateblood, their blood is checked forsufficient iron levels.This is knownas hematocrit testing.

Simulated Hematocrit TestingActivity:

Powder = Platelets

Corn syrup and red food color = Red Blood Cells

Vegetable oil = Plasma

1) Draw “blood” into capillary tube.

2) Seal end with plug of clay.

3) Place tubes into a borrowed cen-

trifuge and spin at 10,000 RPM for 5

minutes.

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17© 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

the spleen, the organ in whichmost of the red cells aredestroyed, or by giving anti-inflammatory adrenocorticosteroids, which decrease thehemolytic effect of the auto anti-bodies.

Blood Pathogens Livingconditions in the bloodstream aregreat—plenty to eat, central heat-ing and air conditioning, wasteremoval, water quality controlfacilities, and convenient meansof transportation. It’s worth the

from recently destroyed red cellsbut in order to keep the body'sFe stores adequate, 1-3 mg of Femust be absorbed from foodeach day. If one eats a diet poorin iron or has chronic blood lossover many months, the bonemarrow iron stores can becomedepleted. Too little iron then isavailable to make hemoglobinand anemia results. Iron-defi-ciency is the commonest cause ofanemia worldwide because ofdietary deficiencies and smallchronic blood loss from parasiticinfections. Because of repeatedloss of iron during pregnanciesand menstrual periods, womentend to have lower iron storesthan men and should take morecare to include sources of Fe intheir diet. • Pernicious anemia isa disease caused by a deficiencyof vitamin B12, an essentialchemical for DNA metabolism.A lack of vitamin B12 causesdefective red cells to be madewhich die before they arereleased from the bone marrow.In effect, the production of redcells is too low. • Rarely, anindividual may develop anti-bodies which react with anddestroy his or her own red cells.This rapid destruction can leadto severe autoimmune hemolyticanemia. Sometimes, it may beeffectively treated by removing

trouble to get in and exploit thesystem. Living creatures takeadvantage of an opportunity thatprovides the things they require.They adapt themselves, step bystep, to the environmental condi-tions found in or upon a hostorganism. Microorganisms havedevised every means possible togain entry and evade the body’sprotection systems. But the hostfights back by developing counter-measures just as sophisticated. Thisbiological warfare has had an enor-mous impact on the course ofhumanity.

Bacteria Pathogenic bacteriacan enter the body throughbreaks, cuts and abrasions in theskin and mucus membranes.Some bacteria make a substancethat dissolves the “cement” thatholds the tissue cells together, sothe pathogen can penetrate the tis-sues.

Blood poisoning or septicemiais caused by toxins produced bybacteria in the blood. Pathogenicstaphylococci can cause fatalsepticemia. Some staphylococciproduce a toxin causing the bloodto clot. Others make toxins to poi-son the white cells. Streptococci,causing diseases such as scarletand rheumatic fever, have capsulesto inhibit, or poisons to kill phago-cytes.

Some pneumococci camouflagethemselves in carbohydrate cap-sules to escape detection altogeth-er. If they’re in the same vicinity,pneumococci, without the geneprogram for the cloaking devicetake it and copy it from those thatdo, and use it themselves.

Viruses Viruses are a major cause of dis-ease. Ultra-microscopic virusesprotect themselves by hiding insideliving cells. Viruses cannot func-tion or reproduce outside of livingcells. Viruses are like a set of blue-prints with no factory of their ownwhere their plans can be put intoaction. Within the host cell theviruses steal supplies and duplicatethemselves by using the cells’chemical machinery. HumanImmunodeficiency Virus (HIV),the AIDS virus, attacks lympho-cytes in the white blood cell group.The body has trouble warding offinfection. Sickle cells (stained green) among healthy red blood cells. © Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D.

© 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers

The Case of Sickle Cell AnemiaThe sickling gene is a good example of genetic resistance. Peoplewho inherit a sickling gene have a resistance to malaria, a factorthat has appeared to have had survival value in the malaria beltaround the world, including parts of Mediterranean, Europe, andsubtropical Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, a person who inheritstwo copies of the sickle cell gene develops sickle cell anemia. Thisdisease affects millions of people in Africa and other parts of theglobe. Because of the shape of the sickled cells, they tend to getstuck in blood vessels. This can cut off blood supply to organs ofthe body. Sickled cells also rupture easily. The loss of red bloodcells reduces the amount of oxygen that can be supplied to the tis-sues causing extreme pain and damage. People with sickle cell ane-mia sometimes need transfusions to relieve their symptoms.

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

Blue-stained macrophage and pink-stained monocyte attacking E.coli bacteria. © Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D.

18

Life cycle of a arasiteM A L A R I A A N D M O S Q U I T O E S

Diagram of the life cycle ofPlasmodium as explained by astudent.

Parasites have developed bor-ing, biting, piercing and suckingstructures to gather the infinite sup-ply of rich, red blood, often spread-ing disease in the process. TheBlack Death, or bubonic plague,spread by fleabites, is one of themajor calamities of history.Historians say that the plagueundoubtedly contributed to thedestruction of classical civilization.In the 14th century epidemic, onefourth of the population of Europewas struck down by the plaguewhen rats infested with fleas carry-ing the plague bacillus swarmedover the continents of the world.

Mosquitoes have developed tinyhypodermic needles to pierce theskin and sip the blood. They eveninject an anticoagulant to keep theblood from clotting as they sup.Sometimes when mosquitoes"bite" they spread disease. Theparasitic protozoan which causesmalaria lives part of its life cycle inthe Anopheles mosquito and partof its life cycle in people.

The body has developed a defensestrategy for all types of invasions.White cells such as Neutrophils arealways on patrol in the circulatorysystem. When our body detects tox-ins produced by bacteria, it producesantitoxins, which neutralize the poi-sons. Lymphocyte T cells provide anearly warning detection system. Thewarning is sent to a central codingfacility (the immune system) by wayof T helper cells. T helper cells warnthe B cells by providing the structureof the intruders. B cells making theright antibody for use against theinvader are then selected. Oncethe immune ce l l s havefought off a specif ic microbe,some defender cells called “memorycells” remain on alert just in case theinvader tries again. Antibodies andcomplement proteins work togetherto tear holes in bacteria, causingthem to explode. Cells produceinterferons in response to virus infec-tions. Interferons spread to neigh-boring uninfected cells and makethem unusually resistant to virusinfections. Interferon stops the

Fighting BloodPathogens

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virus from hooking up to thecell machinery in the first place.Dying cells signal killer T cellswith viral antigens to show theyare already infected with virus.Killer T cells then inject a poi-son destroying the infected cellbefore fresh viruses can be made.

If our immune system doesn’talready know how to fight ablood disease, our m indswi l l search for a way.Understanding the history andnature of diseases often leads toeradication or cures. Sanitarypractices, antibiotics, and vac-

cines have been developed tocontrol bacterial, viral, and pro-tozoan infections. To safeguard against con-tamination through transfu-sions, people with blood diseasescannot donate blood.

T he parasitic protozoan, Plasmodium, causes malaria. The organismhas a complex life cycle involving man and the Anopheles mosquito.The malaria organism enters the human bloodstream when the mos-

quito bites the person and attacks and enters the red blood cells. Within thered cell, each Plasmodium divides into twelve to twenty-four spores and eachof these is released when the red blood cell bursts later on. The releasedspores infect new red cells and the process is repeated. The simultaneousbursting of billions of red cells causes the malarial chill, followed by a fever asthe toxic substances released penetrate to the other organs of the body. If asecond, uninfected mosquito bites the person, it will suck up somePlasmodium along with its drink of blood. A complicated process of sexualreproduction ensues within the mosquito’s stomach and new spores areformed, some of which migrate into the mosquito’s salivary glands and areready to infect the next person bitten.

© 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers

FO R A B E T T E R V I E W of

amoeba in action, you can

add fast-moving, single-celled

organisms to the amoeba and

watch them eat. To do this, add

a drop of amoeba to a culture

dish. Then add one drop of

“amoeba food.” If you like, add

one drop of 1-% neutral red.

(This is a pH indicator that will

change color as the food is

digested inside the amoeba.

Neutral red is yellow-red in a

base, bright red in a mild acid,

and blue in a strong acid.) Wait

15 minutes and then transfer

one drop of the mixture to a

depression slide. Add a cover-

slip and focus carefully as

described earlier. If you’re lucky,

you may see an amoeba engulf

and digest its prey. Watch the

food vacuole form and note

the color changes if you

have added neutra l red.

Macrophages digest foreign

microbes in a similar way, using

enzymes to chop up invaders

into smaller pieces.

While there areat least six main

types of white blood cells,each with a specialized jobin maintaining our defenseagainst intruders, two typesof white blood cells, the

neutrophils and macrophages(a type of monocyte), havethe job of engulfing invaderswhole—a process known asphagocytosis. Neutrophilsare first at the scene,chomping down on any-thing that’s foreign to ourbodies, be it a bacterium ora fragment of a wood splin-ter. These cells also send outa chemical signal that tellsother immune cells there’s aproblem. The macrophagesare “big eaters” just as their

name says. They respond tothe neutrophils’ call forhelp and swallow microbessuch as yeast or bacterialcells. Macrophages contin-ue the immune response intwo ways. First, they release

chemicals called cytokinesthat tell the body the inva-sion is still underway andmore defenses are needed.Second, they digest t h emicrobe they’ve engulfedinto smaller pieces and dis-play some of these pieceson their own cell surface.It’s as if the macrophagesare flashing a big sign thattells other immune cells (thelymphocytes) the identity ofthe enemy so they can pre-pare an attack.

Phagocyto is in actionW H I T E B L O O D C E L L S D E F E N D A G A I N S T I N V A D E R S

Vocabular y : MACROPHAGE • P H A G O C Y T O S I S • LY M P H O C Y T E • W H I T E B L O O D C E L L • C H E M O T A X I S

V I D E O A L E R T

You can observephagocytosis in a sin-

gle-celled organism calledAmoeba proteus. You’llneed a culture of Amoebaproteus obtained from acommercial supplier, amicroscope, a glass slide, acoverslip, fine beach sand,and an eyedropper. Take adrop of liquid from the bot-tom of the culture jar andput it on a microscope slide.Place a few grains of sandin the drop and add thecoverslip. (The sand willkeep the coverslip fromcrushing the amoeba. Youcould also use a few cottonfibers from a cottonballinstead of the sand.) Adjustthe light on the microscopeto a low level using the irisdiaphragm and view theslide under low power.After you have focused themicroscope, slowly movethe slide so that you canbegin your search for theamoeba. Be patient. Theamoeba will be a grayishcolor. Other debris from theculture will be brown. Ifyou see slow movement,you’ve found an amoeba!Adjust the microscope tomedium and then to highpower, focusing on theamoeba at each step. Underh i g h p o w e r, y o u c a nwatch the Amoeba formpseudopods (“false feet”)which can reach out to sur-round an object, just asmacrophages do. The Invader is Defeated

I N T E R A C T I V I T I E S

Two macrophages engulfing E.coli bacteria (stained green) in the lungs. Notice thesmooth type with filopodia, and the ruffled type. ©Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D.



Blood Defe dersM A K E A P H A G O C Y T O S I S F L I P B O O K

Neutrophils are onetype of phagocytethat are constantly

on patrol in the bloodstream. Neutrophils kill anddigest microorganisms ina process called phagocyto-sis. Neutrophils have chemi-cal detectors to sense andlead them to the invaders .This chemical attractionis called chemotaxis. Whenthey make contact with

their target, they attack ortrap the invader against arough surface like a bloodclot where it can’t escape.Next, the neutrophils sur-round the invaders with theirpseudopods until they areentirely engulfed in little sacscalled vesicles. Digestive flu-ids flow into the vesicles andthe invaders are usuallydestroyed. Vesicles contain-ing undigested material

travel to the rim of the cellwhere they pop and releasetheir contents.

Instructions for flip book:1) Photocopy the flip bookpictures onto thick, whitepaper. 2) Color the framesboldly using the samecolor scheme throughout.3 ) Cut out the rectangles.4) Punch holes through themarked dots. 5) Stack the

pictures together in num-bered order. 6) Bind the pic-tures together by threadinga string through the holesand tying it tightly. 7) Wrapthe left hand edge of thebook with strapping tape tokeep the pages in place.8) Fl ick the edges of theframes with your thumb tosee the action picture.

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Consi erationT H E I M P O R T A N C E o f B L O O D D O N A T I O N

A Role-playing Activity

How Can We Encourage MorePeople to Donate Blood?After viewing My Blood, Your Blood, your students may enjoyexploring the importance of blood donation from a public policy per-spective. In this activity, students role-play different individualsattending a town meeting. The goal of this meeting is to encourageblood donation in the community.

You can expand this scenario and the scope of this activity based onyour students’ abilities and interests. They may wish to give the towna name, invite parents and administrators to be present, and evenvideotape the meeting. Advanced students may develop a publichealth policy to present, in which they outline a plan to promote edu-cation of the community and awareness of the critical need for blood.

To prepare your class for the activity, assign each of the students arole. If you have many students participating, you can assign a rolemore than once, using different names for different students. Theywill undoubtedly develop the character in a variety of ways. You maywant to ask students to keep their identity a secret. Each studentshould make a name card with their character’s name and place it infront of them during the town meeting.

Each student should prepare a short speech for the meeting. Inthis speech, students will describe their character’s knowledge, pointof view, and concerns about blood donation. They will state whatthey think should be done to solve the shortage of blood. They mayneed to do research to make a convincing proposition.

On the day of the meeting, review the rules for the proceedings. At aminimum, you should ask students to raise their hands when they wishto speak and to respect the teacher as the moderator of the meeting. Attimes, you may need to call for order. Remind the students that, eventhough they disagree with someone, they need to remain courteous.

Open the meeting and call on students to deliver their speeches. Aftereveryone has had a turn to speak, each character is free to ask ques-tions of other characters. As moderator you may need to begin thisprocess. When it’s time to draw the meeting to a close, you should askthe class to summarize the suggestions for encouraging blood donation.

After the meeting, allow the students time to de-brief. What did theylearn from the simulation? What surprised them about the role-play?Should other characters be heard from? What issues were raised?

Possible Role Descriptions(Ask students to make up names for their characters, or provide your own.)• The town mayor• High school students who have organized a blood drive• A person with hemophilia• A parent whose child has sickle cell anemia• A person who has leukemia• A representative from the local blood bank• A person who has heard it’s possible to become infected through

blood donations• A person who has been donating blood regularly for the past 30

years• A person who required blood transfusions after being in a severe

car accident • The doctor who is director of the blood bank• A person who had hepatitis when he/she was younger and now

volunteers to help at blood drives• A person who dislikes needles and is afraid of the process of donat-

ing blood• A person who has received an organ transplant• A person who is very busy with work and family and doesn’t have

time to donate

“Do you realize that for every 100 people who could give blood, only 5 peopleactually do?” —The Sticklers

“Did you know that someone needs a blood transfusion every three sec-onds?” —Alice

Making an Ethical Decision: Becoming a Blood DonorThrough viewing the My Blood, Your Blood Video and incorporating elementsof this Teacher’s Guide into your course curriculum, your students have had theopportunity to learn about the vital importance of blood in maintaining life.Unfortunately, due to cancer, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, emergencies,such as car accidents and burns, and other reasons, some people find themselvesin a situation where they need and receive blood transfusions. It’s easy to see whydonating blood is so essential when the critical importance of blood is understood.

For the sake of their own health and that of others, some people can’t donateblood. If they have been exposed to certain diseases, are in ill health, or don’t haveenough blood volume of their own, donating blood isn’t an option. However,many people who could donate blood choose not to. Their reasons include beingscared of the donation process, being too busy, and being afraid they will becomeinfected with HIV or hepatitis if they donate. People who donate blood cannotbecome infected while donating. Donating blood is a safe, sterile procedure.

Increasingly, we have choices to make involving life-sustaining technologies,and the choices we make affect others. It’s natural that after viewing My Blood,Your Blood, your students will have questions about donating blood. Many ofthem will know people who have needed blood, as well as people who donateblood. This is an opportune time for a class discussion. To have a meaningful dis-cussion, it’s essential that students have some knowledge of blood biology. Thepurpose of My Blood, Your Blood and this Teacher’s Guide is to help you in pro-viding that information. But, as difficult questions arise and students present con-flicting views, it’s helpful to have a process for discussing and examining an ethi-cal issue.

The Hastings Center has developed one model for ethical decision-makingwhich involves six steps: (1) To begin, the ethical problem for discussion is clear-ly identified. For example, “Should people donate blood?” (2) Relevant facts aregathered. Students might ask, “What are the consequences of giving blood?” and“What happens if people don’t donate blood?” (3) Then, those who will be affect-ed by the decision, the stakeholders, are identified. Depending on the type of deci-sion, these could be individuals (the donor); groups of people, such as those withblood diseases or society in general; and even non-human beings or entities,such as the environment. (4) Also, the values at stake are identified. These couldinclude justice, independence, doing good, and other social principles. (5) Next,students consider and evaluate all the options available to the decision-maker, eventhose obviously unacceptable. Once this list is constructed, students consider whatshould be done, evaluating options in terms of the values each option supports.(6) Finally, students reflect upon the decision-making process examining, amongother issues, whether the process was fair and whether all those involved were con-sidered (Campbell, 1990).

Depending on the maturity, abilities, and interests of your students, theHastings Model can be adapted to many age levels and many types of decisions—you know your students best. It may also be valuable to have access to expertswho can answer students’ questions about donating blood. Your local blood cen-ter and the My Blood, Your Blood web site (www.mybloodyourblood.org) canprovide helpful information.

References:Campbell C, Donnelly S, Jennings B, and Nolan K. New Choices, NewResponsibilities: Ethical Issues in the Life Sciences. Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.Hastings Center, 1990.

22 © 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers

Alveoli� Air cells of the lungs, formed by theterminal dilation of tiny air passageways.Antibody� A protein that is made by certainwhite blood cells (lymphocytes), in the body, inresponse to the invasion of a foreign substance.Antigen � A substance that when introducedinto the body stimulates an immune response.Aorta� The main trunk of the arterial system,carrying blood from the left ventricle of theheart to all of the body except the lungs.Arteries� Blood vessels that carry blood fromthe heart to any part of the body.Bacteria� One-celled organisms, spherical, spi-ral, or rod-shaped and appearing singly, inchains, or in clusters.Blood� The fluid that circulates in the princi-pal vascular system of human beings and othervertebrates; in humans consisting of plasma inwhich the red blood cells, white blood cells, andplatelets are suspended.Bronchi� The main branches of the trachea.Capillaries� The tiny blood vessels between theterminations of the arteries and the beginningsof the veins.Chemotaxis� Movement of a cell toward oraway from a chemical stimulus.Cytoplasm� A jellylike material that surroundsthe nucleus of a cell and contains most of thecell’s organelles.Differentiation� (of cells or tissues) to changefrom relatively generalized to specialized kinds,during development.

Erythrocyte� A red blood cell.

Fibrin� The insoluble protein end product ofblood coagulation.

Germs�Any microorganisms that cause disease.

Granulocyte� A circulating white blood cellhaving prominent granules in the cytoplasm anda nucleus of two or more lobes.Hemoglobin� The oxygen-carrying protein ofred blood cells that gives them their red colorand serves to carry oxygen to the tissues.

Immunity� The condition that permits eithernatural or acquired resistance to disease.

Leukocyte� A white blood cell.

Lymphocyte� A type of white blood cell hav-ing a spherical nucleus surrounded by a thinlayer of nongranular cytoplasm.

B Lymphocyte � A lymphocyte that is involvedin the production of antibodies.

T Lymphocyte � A lymphocyte that helps in thepriming of B lymphocytes to make antibody oris directly involved in attacking foreign cells,such as tumor cells.Marrow� A soft, fatty, vascular tissue in theinterior cavities of bones that is a major site of

blood cell production.Megakaryocyte� A large bone marrow cellhaving a lobulate nucleus (one with lobes); thesource of blood platelets.Mitosis� The usual method of cell division.

Monocyte� A large, circulating white bloodcell, formed in bone marrow and in thespleen, that ingests large foreign particles andcell debris.

Nucleus� The part of the cell that holdsgenetic information as DNA. Bacterial cellshave no nucleus.

Nutrients� Substances that give sustenance toan organism.

Organelle� A specialized part of a cell hav-ing some specific function.

Phagocyte� Any cell that ingests anddestroys foreign particles.

Phagocytosis� The ingestion of a smaller cellor a fragment.

Plasma� The liquid part of blood or lymph,as distinguished from the suspended elements.

Platelets� Small non-nucleated (having nonucleus) cells which form the first plug to stopbleeding.

Red Blood Cells� One of the cells of theblood, which, in mammals, are non-nucleateddisks concave on both sides, containing hemo-globin and carrying oxygen to the cells and tis-sues and carbon dioxide back to the respiratoryorgans.

Spleen� A highly vascular, glandular, ductlessorgan, situated in humans at the cardiac end ofthe stomach, serving chiefly in the formation ofmature lymphocytes, in the destruction ofworn-out red cells, and as a reservoir for blood.

Transfusion� The direct transferring ofblood, plasma, or the like into a blood vessel.

Virus� A tiny object that is composed ofRNA or DNA and is surrounded by a proteincap or capsid.

Stem Cells� Cells that upon division replacetheir own numbers and give rise to cells thatdifferentiate further into one or more special-ized types, such as various B cells and T lym-phocytes.

Veins� Branching vessels or tubes carryingblood from various parts of the body to theheart.

Vessel� A tube or duct such as an artery orvein, which contains or conveys blood orsome other body fluid.

White Blood Cells� Any of various nearlycolorless cells of the immune system that cir-culate mainly in the blood and lymph.

Video QuestionsQ U E S T I O N S & A N S W E R SF R O M T H E V I D E O

Two factors saved Ellie. What were they?1. Excellent medical care2. The gift of blood

Blood circulates throughout the body within three types of vessels. Name them.Arteries, veins and capillaries

Blood is a transportation system, makingdeliveries and collecting.What does it deliver? What does it collect?Delivers O2 (oxygen) and nutrientsCollects CO2 (carbon dioxide) wastes

What is the main function of red bloodcells?To transport O2 and CO2

Describe the shape of a red blood cell.Small doughnut-like red disc without the hole in the middle

What is the main function of platelets?Plugging holes or tears in small blood ves-sels

Blood is a mixture of...?Red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma

Where are all blood cells produced?Inside the bone marrow

What type of cell is called the parent celland can turn into all other types of cells?A stem cell

The nucleus of a red blood cell containsprotein called hemoglobin. What is thejob of this protein?To bind and transport O2 to tissues

How long do red blood cells live?About 120 days

Which organ filters out dead red bloodcells?The spleen

How many red blood cells does your body produce in an hour?4 to 5 billion

� Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, 1998 ed.� D. Michael Strong, Ph.D. Interview � Dorling Kindersley Ultimate Visual Dictionary of Science� Richard Counts, M.D. ReviewS o u r c e s

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Recommended Reading

A.D.A.M. The Inside Story. (CD-ROM 611) A.D.A.M. 1997 Kittredge, Mary. Organ Transplants. Chelsea House, 2000 Llewellyn, Claire. The Big Book of Bones. Peter Bedrick Books, 1998 Parker, Steve. Fitness, Health, Hygiene and Relaxation Tonic. Copper Beech Books, 1996 Parker, Steve. How the Body Really Works. Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1994 Parker, Steve. Human Body. Doring Kindersley, 1994 Parramon, Mercé. How Our Blood Circulates. Chelsea House, 1994 Simon, Seymour. The Heart. Morrow Junior Books, 1996 Recommended Web Sites America’s Blood Centers www.AmericasBlood.org My Blood,Your Blood www.MyBloodYourBlood.org American Library Association’s Great Web Sites for Kids www.ala.org/greatsites Cells Alive www.cellsalive.com Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. www.denniskunkel.com Human Anatomy Online www.innerbody.com Nobel e-Museum: Play the Blood Typing Game! www.nobel.se/medicine/educational/index.html Puget Sound Blood Center’s High School Partnership Program www.psbchighschool.org UK’s National Blood Service “Fun Zone” www.blood.co.uk/pages/bzone.html My Blood, Your Blood® © 2000 All rights reserved. America’s Blood Centers.

Special thanks to the following for their generous contributions and efforts: Abbott Laboratories; Baxter Healthcare – Fenwal; Blood Systems Foundation; Central Florida Blood Bank; Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center; Lifeline/West Tennessee Blood Center; Membership of the Blood Bank of Delaware/Eastern Shore; Michigan Community Blood Centers; Miller Memorial Blood Center; Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center; Ortho Clinical Diagnostic; Puget Sound Blood Center; Roche Diagnostics; United Blood Services. My Blood, Your Blood® is endorsed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, the American Hospital Association and the Pan-American Health Organization. Elementary Teacher’s Guide Credits America’s Blood Centers Program Director: Matt Granato, LL.M., MBA The Foundation for America’s Blood Centers Project Team: David Fortenberry, Barbara Kain, Keith Warnack, La Shondá Steward-Tavares, Linda Yriondo Teacher Writer-Consultants: Kathleen Buckley, E.D.D. Evergreen School; Connie Kelly, M.A.T. Biology, Shorewood High School; Susan Songstad, B.A. Biology, Kellogg Middle School; Sunny A. Strong, M.L.S. Sno-Isle Regional Library Medical Advisors and Editors: Richard B. Counts, M.D. Thomas H. Price, M.D. D. Michael Strong, Ph.D., BCLD (ABB) MBYB Elementary School Video Producer and Guide Senior Editor: Joan Raider Rawlings TELIKOS Screen Communications MBYB Logo Graphic Design: Palazzo Intercreative Illustrations: Jeff Mihalyo, John Silver, Les Currie Scanning Electron Microscopy: Dennis Kunkel, Ph.D. Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii Animation Images: Paula Conn, Erik Johnson, Todd Kesterson, Julia O’Reilly, David Lang, Legerdemain, LLC

America’s Blood Centers 725 15th St., NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20005 www.AmericasBlood.org

1-888-USBLOOD

elementary school teacher's guide - america's blood centers

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