RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

PURPOSE
People have to breathe to stay alive. Many body parts
work together to help people breathe in the respiratory
system. It is made up of the nose, throat, voice box,
windpipe, and lungs. Many other parts and muscles help
support the respiratory system. Its main job is to
breathe, but it also helps people speak. Air contains
oxygen, which the body’s cells need to work.
BRAIN AND MUSCLES
People do not have to think about breathing because the
respiratory system works on its own. The process
begins with the brain sending signals to the diaphragm and
other muscles telling them to tighten. This tightening
makes a person breathe in. The brain tells the muscles
to relax to exhale.
LUNGS
The lungs are the central organs of this body system. They
are two large, spongy organs that sit in a person’s chest.
Strong bones, called ribs, cover the lungs to keep these soft
organs safe. The rib cage is made up if 12 sets of ribs.
Each lung has sections known as lobes
that grow and shrink with each breath,
similar to balloons. The right lung has
three lobes, while the left lung only has two. They are
different because they are not the same size. The right lung
is a little bigger than the left lung. This extra space allows
room inside the rib cage for the heart. The diaphragm, a
muscle that tightens and drops down, allows the lungs to fill
with air. The lungs have more space to grow so people can inhale.
INHALING
Air is brought into the body by inhaling. Most air comes in the nose through
the nasal passages. Tiny hairs, called cilia, and sticky mucus trap dirt and
germs, making the air clean, warm, and moist when it enters the nasal
cavity. The air moves into a tube known as the windpipe, or trachea. The
tube splits into bronchi that goes into each lung. The tubes get smaller and
©Teaching to the Middle

smaller inside each lung. These bronchioles look like branches on a tree. At
the end of each tube are tiny sacs fill with air called alveoli. Veins run
through the lungs and become small capillaries and connect with the alveoli.
The alveoli have very thin walls that oxygen in the sacs can pass through.
It moves into the capillaries that have a steady stream of blood.
SPEAKING
The voice box, or larynx, is located at the top of
the trachea. Two bands of stretchy material,
known as vocal cords, are across the top of the
larynx. When people breathe out, the air moves up the
trachea and flows past the vocal cords. The moving air
causes the vocal cords to vibrate back and forth. As
they vibrate, they make the sound people hear when
others speak or sing, known as a voice.
EXHALING
Blood picks up oxygen in the alveoli, but it also drops off carbon dioxide.
This gas is made when people use oxygen. It passes into the alveoli where
one gas is exchanged for another. The air in the lungs runs out of oxygen
and is filled with waste. People exhale to make space for fresh, clean air.
When people exhale, the diaphragm relaxes, pushing the muscle up. The
lungs have less space, causing air to rush out of the body.
CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
The respiratory system works with the circulatory system to get oxygen
through the body. The heart pumps blood through the veins to send
oxygen to every cell in the body. People continue to breathe in and out,
giving the body the oxygen it needs. People can survive without food for
days, but can only live a few minutes without breathing.
PROTECTIONS
Dirt, dust, and germs sometimes make their way into the body, but the
body fights back. Sneezing is one protection that occurs when dust
tickles nose hair and causes the brain to respond. It tells the muscles to
squeeze and push the dust out with a sneeze. Air is sent out of the nose
at about 100 miles per hour! Another protection is coughing to get rid of
things that do not belong in the body. Chest and abdomen muscles force
air and germs out very quickly.
STAYING HEALTHY
It is important to keep the respiratory system healthy. Being able to
breathe in a lot of oxygen makes it easier to do activities. Exercising is
key and not putting things into the lungs that is bad for them. Aerobic
exercises make the lungs strong and allows more oxygen into the body.
There are some things that are harmful to the lungs such as things you
are allergic to, pollution, and cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke severely
damages the lungs and kills thousands of people each year. 87% of lung
cancer in the United States is caused by smoking. Emphysema and
bronchitis are other diseases caused by smoking. It also increases a
person’s risk of having a stroke, heart attack, and mouth cancer.
©Teaching to the Middle
Name_________________________________________

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
MATCHING: Match each term with its description.
1. ____ bronchi A. Tiny sacs at the end of the bronchioles filled with air
2. ____ trachea B. People breathe this out
3. ____ diaphragm C. Large, spongy organs in a person’s chest
4. ____ larynx D. Hairs in the nose that clean the air coming in
5. ____ lungs E. Tubes that go into each lung
6. ____ oxygen F. Also known as the windpipe
7. ____ ribs G. The voice box
8. ____ cilia H. Muscle that helps people breathe
9. ____ alveoli I. People breathe this in
10. ____ carbon dioxide J. Bones that protect a person’s lungs

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer.

11. What relationship does the circulatory system have with the respiratory
system?
A. It helps protect the lungs.
B. It helps spread oxygen throughout the body.
C. It provides muscles to help a person breathe.
D. It helps the body get rid of carbon dioxide.

12. Which sentence most contributes the central idea of the paragraph titled
“Protections?”
A. Chest and abdomen muscles force air and germs out very quickly.
B. Sneezing is one protection that occurs when dust tickles nose hair and causes
the brain to respond.
C. Dirt, dust, and germs sometimes make their way into the body,
but the body fights back.
D. Air is sent out of the nose at about 100 miles per hour!

13. Which best completes the analogy?

Bronchioles : Trees :: Lungs : ___________________
A. Balloons
B. Water
C. Air
D. Bowls

©Teaching to the Middle

14. With which statement would the author mostly agree?
A. Smoking is okay when done in moderation.
B. Lung cancer is rarely caused by smoking.
C. It is important to take care of your respiratory system.
D. Pollution does not typically impact the respiratory system.

15. Which part is number one on the diagram?

A. Lobe
1 B. Trachea
C. Bronchi
D. Bronchioles

2 16. Which part is number two on the diagram?

3 A. Lobe
B. Trachea
C. Bronchi
4 D. Bronchioles

17. Which part is number three on the diagram?

A. Lobe B. Trachea
C. Bronchi D. Bronchioles

18. Which part is number four on the diagram?

A. Lobe B. Trachea
C. Bronchi D. Bronchioles

19. Why do the number of lobes vary between the lungs?

A. One lung is smaller to make room for the heart.
B. One lung is smaller to make room for the stomach.
C. The lungs work individually.
D. The lungs need protection.

20. What is the main purpose of the larynx?

A. To carry air into the lungs.
B. To spread oxygen throughout the body.
C. To help people be heard with their voice.
D. To clean the nasal cavity.

21. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this selection?

A. To persuade the reader to take care of his or her respiratory system.
B. To explain how oxygen changes into carbon dioxide.
C. To entertain the reader with an interesting story about breathing.
D. To inform the reader with facts about the respiratory system.

©Teaching to the Middle