Minds On

Heart rates

The heart rate is the number of times the heart beats during a time period, usually how many times in a minute.

Checking the heart rate

Brainstorm

What do you think?

Brainstorm about the following question:

  • When might the heart rate change in a person's day?
  • What might cause a heart rate to change?

Record your ideas in a notebook or another method of your choice.

When you're ready press ‘Let's Check!' to access possible responses.

A person's heart rate might change during or after a workout, a physical activity, while moving up or down stairs, or a game.

The heart rate might also change if the person is nervous, excited, or scared.

Rate change

Explore the following activities and decide whether they increase or decrease a person's heart rate.

For each activity, select the corresponding heart rate type.

Action

Beats per minute

A person's pulse, or heart rate, is the number of times the heart beats per minute or bpm. It will change depending on things like activity, stress, body temperature, medicines, and illness.

Normal heart rates vary from person to person.

During a resting period, the heartbeat will slow down, and with intense exercise, it will beat faster.

When it comes to a resting heart rate, a lower heart rate is better. In other words, the means heart muscle is in better condition and doesn't have to work as hard to maintain a steady beat.

Try it

Your turn!

Let's find our resting heart rate!

  1. Find the pulse using the index and middle finger; do not use the thumb.

Press ‘Pulse' to access where we can find the pulse.

There are 2 places we can find our pulse.

Child using index and middle finger to check their pulse on their neck.

On the neck

The carotid artery is located on the neck, just off either side of our midline.

Child using index and middle finger to check their pulse on their wrist.

On the wrist

The radial artery is located on your wrist just below your palm on the side of your thumb.

  1. Count the number of beats during a 15-second countdown, then multiply that number by 4 to find the resting heart rate.

Press ‘Let's Check!' to access where we can find the pulse.

Note: You may use a calculator to calculate the heart rate.

# of Heart Beats in 15 seconds

Multiply by 4

Resting Heart Rate

12

12×4

48

13

13×4

52

14

14×4

56

15

15×4

60

16

16×4

64

17

17×4

68

18

18×4

72

19

19×4

76

20

20×4

80

21

21×4

84
  1. Complete the following statement:

My resting heart rate is (Blank) beats per minute (bpm).

Active heart rate

Now that we have calculated our resting heart, it is time for us to get moving, and calculating.

Always be sure to do your safety checks before you do an activity.

Safety

Before you begin, consider these safety precautions:

Perform one of the following activities. Then, repeat the same activity for a total of three trials.

Be sure to take a 2-minute rest in between each trial.

As you perform the activity, you may record your calculations for the Active Heart Rate Activity in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.

Active Heart Rate Activity

My Chosen Activity:

Trials

Heart Rate Calculations

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Press the ‘Activity' button to access the Active Heart Rate Activity.

Activity (Open PDF in a new window)

Press the following tabs to explore the various activities.

Steps:

  1. Move around the area at an easy pace.
  2. Stop after 1 minute.
  3. Check the pulse for 15 seconds, then multiply by four.
  4. Record the heart rate.

My heart rate is (Blank) bpm.

Note: You may use a calculator to calculate the heart rate.

Steps:

  1. Move around the area at a moderate pace.
  2. Stop after 1 minute.
  3. Check the pulse for 15 seconds, then multiply by four.
  4. Record the heart rate.

My heart rate is (Blank) bpm.

Note: You may use a calculator to calculate the heart rate.

Steps:

  1. Move around the area as quickly and as safely as you can.
  2. Stop after 1 minute.
  3. Check the pulse for 15 seconds, then multiply by four.
  4. Record the heart rate.

My heart rate is (Blank) bpm.

Note: You may use a calculator to calculate the heart rate.

Did You Know?

Did you know?

If someone continues to perform the same activity over time and their fitness levels increase, they will notice that their heart rate will not increase as much, which is known as the average heart rate.

So, during the activity, the heart rate will begin to decrease more quickly.

Finding the average heart rate

  1. To find the average heart rate, add all three trials together.
    • Trial 1 + Trial 2 + Trial 3 = sum
  2. Then, take the sum and divide it by three.
    • sum ÷ 3 = average heart rate

Try It

Your turn!

  1. Try and calculate your average heart rate.
    • Note: You may use a calculator to calculate.
  2. Then, reflect on the following question:

Why would it be a good idea for someone to keep track of their heart rate during an activity and their resting heart rate over time?

Record your ideas in a notebook or another method of your choice.

Consolidation

Learning check!

Reflect on the following statements and what we have learned throughout this learning activity.

Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer' to see how you did. 

Heart rate instructions

Create an instruction card, a video, a written or an oral instruction to teach someone how to find their heart rate and their resting heart rate.

In the instructions, be sure to include:

Reflection

As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

Press ‘Discover More’ to extend your skills.

Air has oxygen in it. When we breathe and expand our lungs, the oxygen goes into the lungs. After that, it makes its way into the bloodstream, where the heart then pumps it to every part of our body.

When we become physically active, our muscles call for more oxygen, so we start to breathe faster, and the heart rate increases to meet the demand of oxygen that our muscles need.

The more oxygen our body gets, the more energy we will have. Also, the more physically active, the stronger our heart will be.

Maximum heart rate

The maximum heart rate is the maximum number of beats made by the heart in 1 minute of exercise.

When we are physically active, we will be using 50% - 85% of our maximum heart rate.

Calculate the maximum heart rate

The maximum heart rate is determined by subtracting our age from 220.

So, 220 - age = maximum heart rate

For example, Student A is 12 years old.

So, Student A's maximum heart rate would be: 220 - 12 = 208

Therefore, the Student A's heart can beat a maximum of 208 beats in one minute.

Find your maximum heart rate

  1. Safely perform a physical activity for 1 minute (run, jog, wheel, skip, walk, and etc.).
  2. Find your pulse and count the number of beats during a 15-second countdown.
  3. Then, multiply the number of beats by 4. This is your maximum heart rate.

When you are ready, check out the Maximum Heart Rate Chart with the percentage of your maximum heart rate.

Check out the following table with the percentage of your maximum heart rate.

Locate your heart rate (bpm) number to determine your percentage of your maximum heart rate.

For example: Student A is 12 years old and has a maximum percentage of 135 bpm. Therefore, Student A's maximum heart rate is at 65%.

Maximum Heart Rate Chart
Age 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85%

10

115

126

137

147

157

168

179

11

115

125

136

146

157

167

178

12

114

125

135

145

155

165

175

15

113

123

133

144

154

164

174

16

112

122

133

143

153

163

173

17

112

122

132

142

152

162

173

18

111

121

131

141

152

162

172

19

111

121

131

141

151

161

171

Press the ‘Activity' button to access the Maximum Heart Rate Chart.

Activity (Open PDF in a new window)

After exploring the maximum heart rate, choose three of the following questions to reflect on:

  • What activity where you doing when your heart beat the fastest?
  • During the recovery time after an activity, what happened to your heart rate?
  • Could you tell when your heart rate was increasing or decreasing? Describe how you felt physically.
  • Could you tell when your heart rate was within your target heart rate zone? What activity were you doing?
  • Could you tell when your heart rate was at or close to your maximum heart rate? What activity were you doing?