Indiana Science HS-AP8-4

ScienceGrades 9–12Transport, Blood and the Cardiovascular System

The Standard

Create a model of vasoconstriction and vasodilation to demonstrate the structural and functional difference between arteries and veins.

Indiana Academic Standards for Science (2023) · Transport, Blood and the Cardiovascular System

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students build a model with a thick-walled artery and a thinner vein with a valve. They narrow and widen the openings to show how vessel diameter affects resistance to blood flow.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students build and label both vessels. They show that narrowing an opening raises resistance and widening it lowers resistance. They explain why arteries handle higher pressure and veins return blood at lower pressure.
Common Misconceptions: Students may put valves in arteries or draw veins with thicker walls. Some think veins cannot constrict or dilate. Others think a narrower opening offers less resistance to flow.
How to Assess It: Ask students to sketch an artery and a vein, then show the artery constricted and dilated. Have them label wall thickness, a vein valve, and which artery opening offers more resistance.

Lesson moves

Build an artery with thick play dough walls and a vein with thin walls and a paper valve; pinch and widen each opening.
Ask: Why can an artery handle a strong heartbeat, while a vein often needs valves? Use your models to explain.
Give pairs cards showing vessel walls, valves, and pressure; have them sort the cards into artery and vein piles and defend one choice.
Show a photo of someone checking a pulse and another of a blood draw; ask why each uses a different vessel.

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