You will learn
- Name respiratory organs.
- Describe air’s path.
- Explain gas exchange.
- Explain breathing.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Air enters through the nose and windpipe.
- Lungs exchange gases with blood.
- The diaphragm moves to breathe.
- We breathe out carbon dioxide.
Words to know
the organs where gases are exchanged
the tube that carries air to the lungs
the muscle under the lungs that helps breathing
swapping oxygen for carbon dioxide
1. Discover: The chest rise
Kojo puts his hands on his ribs and breathes in. His chest rises and widens. When he breathes out it falls. “My diaphragm is moving,” he says.
Think: Why does the chest rise?
2. Understand: Respiration
Idea 1: The path
Air goes in through the nose, down the windpipe, into two bronchi, and into tiny air sacs called alveoli in the lungs.
Idea 2: Gas exchange
In the alveoli, oxygen passes into the blood and carbon dioxide passes out. This is gas exchange.
Idea 3: Breathing
The diaphragm and rib muscles move to draw air in and push it out about 15 to 20 times a minute at rest.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Order
Air path.
- Nose.
- Windpipe.
- Lungs.
Answer: Nose, windpipe, bronchi, lungs.
Example 2 (We do it together): Explain
Gas exchange.
- Oxygen in.
- CO2 out.
- Alveoli.
Answer: Oxygen in, carbon dioxide out.
Example 3 (You try): Explain
Diaphragm.
Show the steps and answer
- Moves down.
- Air in.
- Moves up.
Answer: It draws air in.
Did you know?
If the alveoli of both lungs were spread flat they would cover about half a tennis court.
Why this matters
Oxygen is needed to release energy from food in every cell.
4. Explore: Lung model
Make a balloon and bottle lung model, pulling the balloon at the bottom to show breathing.
- Cut a bottle (adult).
- Place a balloon inside the neck.
- Seal a larger balloon at the base.
- Pull and release.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Pulling down drew air in; releasing pushed it out.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The ___ carry out gas exchange.
- The ___ carries air to the lungs.
- The ___ is a breathing muscle.
- We breathe out ___ dioxide.
Guided practice
Question 1. What are lungs?
Gas organs.
Question 2. What is the windpipe?
Air tube.
Question 3. What is the diaphragm?
Breathing muscle.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What are lungs?
- What is the windpipe?
- What is the diaphragm?
- What goes in?
- What goes out?
Level 2: Grow
- Why alveoli?
- Why diaphragm?
- Why oxygen?
Level 3: Stretch
- Make the model.
- Count breaths.
- Explain.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
Explain what happens in the alveoli.
Show a sample answer
Use gas exchange.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: A mixture.
Fix: They are not.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name respiratory organs.
- I can describe air’s path.
- I can explain gas exchange.
- I can explain breathing.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Air enters through the nose and windpipe.
- Lungs exchange gases with blood.
- The diaphragm moves to breathe.
- We breathe out carbon dioxide.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Circulatory system. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name four respiratory parts. [4 marks]
- Explain gas exchange. [3 marks]
- Explain breathing. [1 mark]
- Safety rule. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- 1 each
- Oxygen in [1]; CO2 out [1]; alveoli [1]
- Diaphragm moves
- Any [1]; reason [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What are lungs?
- What is the windpipe?
- What is the diaphragm?
- What goes in?
- What goes out?
- Why alveoli?
- Why diaphragm?
- Why oxygen?
- Make the model.
- Count breaths.
Homework
Count your breaths in one minute at rest.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What are lungs? | Gas organs. | 1 |
| 2. What is the windpipe? | Air tube. | 1 |
| 3. What is the diaphragm? | Breathing muscle. | 1 |
| 4. What goes in? | Oxygen. | 1 |
| 5. What goes out? | Carbon dioxide. | 1 |
| 6. Why alveoli? | Surface. | 1 |
| 7. Why diaphragm? | Air in. | 1 |
| 8. Why oxygen? | Energy. | 1 |
| 9. Make the model. | Steps. | 1 |
| 10. Count breaths. | Table. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Gas organs.; 2 Air tube.; 3 Breathing muscle.; 4 Oxygen.; 5 Carbon dioxide.. Level 2: 1 Surface.; 2 Air in.; 3 Energy.. Level 3: 1 Steps.; 2 Table.; 3 Sentence..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name respiratory organs | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Describe air’s path | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Explain gas exchange | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain breathing | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “We breathe in only oxygen.” A mixture.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Explain breathing.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns how we breathe. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Feel your chest rise.
- Ask “What moves?”
- Never hold breath.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name respiratory organs; describe air’s path; explain gas exchange; explain breathing.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 4 ideas: the skeleton, muscles, teeth, digestion basics, the heart and healthy habits.
Materials. Bottle, balloons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Cut bottles.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Breathe slowly and ask, “What moves?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach respiration.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners build.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners explain.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What goes in? What goes out?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “We breathe in only oxygen.” A mixture.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Explain breathing. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 5 Unit 2, topic 3; Next Generation Science Standards, structure and function in organisms; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 5, biology: humans and animals; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.