Anatomical Model of the Heart for Educational Usage
Isabella Parker
Abstract
The heart and cardiac system is very complex. It carries blood all
around the body, suppling other systems with oxygen brought in by
the lungs. Cardiothoracic surgeons learn to diagnose and treat
different ailments of these systems. People in these careers must
have an intimate knowledge of the heart’s anatomy. I created a
model of the heart and 2 worksheets to help learn the anatomy of
the heart. Cardiothoracic surgeons also must be able to speak in
public well, so to prepare for this, I taught a class on the anatomy
of the heart. While teaching, I recorded the entire lesson and
uploaded it to YouTube.
Background and Career Connection
Cardiothoracic surgery and heart surgery has always been
interesting to me. I love the way the heart works and how it
connects to other systems of the body. Since being a cardiothoracic
surgeon is my goal, I decided to have my project focus on the
heart. I wanted to learn more about the heart’s anatomy myself and
also gain experience talking in front of a crowd. My dad is a
teacher over at Dowell Elementary School, and one of his friends,
Mrs. Baltes, teaches science and math, and she let me come teach
her class for a short lesson. My goals with this project were:
• To get better at modeling and working with my hands on fine
details
• To learn about the heart’s anatomy
• To plan and follow a templated procedure (lesson plan) when
speaking
• To successfully speak in front of a crowd and deliver my points
effectively
• To make a successful worksheet about the anatomy of the heart
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015
www.PosterPresentations.com
Harrison High School: Bioengineering STEM
Methods
1. I ordered thermoplastics off Amazon (Polly Plastics); they
came in 2 days
2. Each time I molded it, the plastic had to be heated to above 150
degrees Fahrenheit.
3. I boiled water and poured the plastic into a metal bowl with the
water.
4. Once the water cooled a little and the plastic turned clear
(originally white), I could mold it.
5. I molded the main outer pieces of the heart first, trying to get
them as even as possible. After the main parts were molded and
cooled (I ran them under cold water), I started making the
accessory parts.
6. The middle dividers were molded quickly to ensure they’d
stick together. I had to reheat the dividers after they were
molded so that the plastic was clear and sticky again.
7. I started working on the veins and arteries next. I had another
bag of thermoplastics; I melted and rolled pieces out into the
shape I needed and began sticking them together. I reheated the
ends and stuck those to the main body of the heart.
8. Once the plastic model was completely rigid and connected, I
began painting it. Red is for oxygenated, and blue is for
deoxygenated.
9. After my model was done, I began working on my lesson plan.
I found a template and began filling it out.
10. I made a Kahoot for the students to participate in when I taught
my lesson.
11. I also made 2 worksheet (one with heart valves and one with
other parts of the heart)
12. On March 23rd, I taught a 5th grade class at Dowell Elementary.
13. I videoed the entire lesson and uploaded it to YouTube.
Figure 4: Page 1 of worksheet
(valve information)
Pictures and Worksheets
Figure 1: Polly Plastics
(thermoplastics) used in
construction
Figure 3: Finished painted
model ready for classroom use
Reflection and Conclusion
When I started this project, I was focusing on cardiothoracic
surgery. I made my model to help learn more about the anatomy of
the heart. Cardiothoracic surgeons need to know all about the
heart, so I felt this was appropriate for myself. Teaching a class
also helps with my speaking skills. It’s very hard for me to speak
in front of crowds confidently. I’m usually very afraid. If I become
a cardiothoracic surgeon, I will have to speak in front of medical
teams, families, and patients to convey their situations or possibly
relay commands. I know I still need to work on my nerves when
presenting and performing, but this opportunity helped me by
putting me in an uncomfortable situation.
Figure 2: Phase 1 of the
painting of my model
Video Link and Results
I taught a 5th grade class about the anatomy of the heart this year.
There were 27 children (combining in person and online). I gave
them a demonstration with my model, participated in a worksheet
with them, lead an exercise, and played a Kahoot. I was nervous
teaching the class, but it was fun once I got started. I don’t think I
can handle doing this every day, but it was a good learning
opportunity. I think my product worked well, though it is a little bit
fragile. If it gets handled too much, pieces might come off the sides
or the connector pieces might break apart.
Figure 5: Page 2 of worksheet
Special Thanks
(other anatomy)
• David and Karen Parker
• Paulette Allard
• Melissa Baltes