Background/Purpose The implementation of a constructive curriculum can enhance students' cognitive knowledge and understanding of the scientific movement and fitness concepts in physical education (NASPE, 2004; Standard 2). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine third, fourth, and fifth grade students' perceptions of blood circulation related to exercise.
Method Interview data were collected midway through a 10 lesson health-related, science-based, physical education curriculum. One hundred and seven students were interviewed to ascertain their level of understanding about blood circulation concepts related to exercise. Interviews were analyzed using open- and axial- coding to identify emerging categories and themes.
Analysis/Results Data revealed four levels of progressive understanding about blood circulation regardless of students' grade level. For example, when students were asked, “What happens when your heart beats fast,” one third grader at a level four understanding replied, “[Your heart is] pumping blood… [that is] going throughout body. [It is] going into your muscles, which helps us to do many things we need to do. The student continued to explain”…when it reaches your muscles, it gives [them] oxygen and goes back to your heart…so it will start overall again.”
Conclusions This study demonstrated that students' scientific understanding developed as they progressed through the physical education fitness curriculum. Data were discussed in relation to the cumulative nature of students' multi-part explanations, their general to specific knowledge growth, and the metaphors of the cyclic nature of blood flow they used in describing blood circulation.
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