cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.
Lesson Overview
Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Learning Objectives
- Explain the key ideas of cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
- Apply cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate to exam-style questions
- Develop independent study skills
- Build cross-topic connections
Prerequisites
- Read the revision notes for cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate first (GCSE Revise summary)
- Key vocab to pre-teach: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO)
- Basic skills: reading the summary notes and answering the practice questions there
Materials & Equipment
- Exercise book, coloured pens
- Ruler
- Printed revision notes (link below)
- Internet for videos (see Resources)
Lesson 1: Introduction: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Write down everything you already know about cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate. Then check against the key terms: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO). Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO).
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO).
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Physical Education because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look
Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: State the equation linking cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Check Out
Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate.
Lesson 2: Core Concepts: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Review Previous Lesson
Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate. Check them against the notes below.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Heart Rate (HR): The number of times the heart beats per minute. Measured in beats per minute (bpm).
Stroke Volume (SV): The volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle per heartbeat. Measured in millilitres per beat (ml/beat).
Cardiac Output (CO): The total volume of blood pumped out of the left ventricle per minute. Measured in litres per minute (l/min).
Definition: An anticipatory rise is an increase in heart rate before exercise begins. It is caused by the release of the hormone adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands in response to the excitement or stress of the upcoming activity.
During exercise: Heart rate increases rapidly at the start (due to anticipatory rise and the immediate demand for oxygen). It then increases more gradually until it reaches a steady state - the point where the heart rate meets the demands of the exercise. If exercise intensity increases further, heart rate continues to rise.
During recovery: After exercise stops, heart rate decreases. Initially, there is a rapid decrease in heart rate (the first 1-3 minutes) as the parasympathetic nervous system reduces the heart rate. This is followed by a gradual decrease back towards resting levels. Full recovery may take 30-60 minutes depending on fitness level and exercise intensity.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate | 60-72 bpm | Up to 200+ bpm (max HR ≈ 220 - age) |
| Stroke Volume | 60-80 ml/beat | 120-160 ml/beat (untrained); up to 200 ml/beat (elite endurance athlete) |
| Cardiac Output | 5 l/min | 20-30 l/min (untrained); up to 40 l/min (elite endurance athlete) |
| Resting HR | 60-72 bpm | 40-50 bpm |
| Resting SV | 70 ml/beat | 100-120 ml/beat |
| Resting CO | ~5 l/min | ~5 l/min |
| Max CO | 20-25 l/min | 35-40 l/min |
Practice (10 minutes)
Q: State the equation linking cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate.
Answer: Cardiac Output = Stroke Volume × Heart Rate (CO = SV × HR).
Plenary (5 minutes)
Explain Back
Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.
Lesson 3: Application: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Recall the key terms: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO). Define each in one sentence.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
Q1: State the equation linking cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate.
Answer: Cardiac Output = Stroke Volume × Heart Rate (CO = SV × HR).
Q2: Calculate the cardiac output of an athlete with a stroke volume of 120 ml/beat and a heart rate of 170 bpm during exercise.
Answer: CO = 120 ml/beat × 170 bpm = 20,400 ml/min = 20.4 l/min.
Q3: Explain what is meant by an anticipatory rise and why it occurs.
Answer: An anticipatory rise is an increase in heart rate before exercise begins, caused by the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands. It is an emotional/psychological response to the anticipation of exercise, preparing the body by increasing blood flow to working muscles before activity starts.
Q4: Explain why a trained endurance athlete has a lower resting heart rate than an untrained person, despite having the same cardiac output at rest.
Answer: Regular aerobic training causes cardiac hypertrophy - the left ventricle becomes larger and stronger. This increases stroke volume, so the heart can pump the same cardiac output with fewer beats per minute. The athlete maintains the same resting cardiac output (~5 l/min) but with a higher SV and lower HR.
Q5: Describe the heart rate response during recovery from exercise.
Answer: After exercise stops, heart rate decreases rapidly in the first 1-3 minutes (parasympathetic nervous system activation). Then it decreases gradually back towards resting levels over 30-60 minutes. A fitter person recovers faster than an untrained person.
Q6: A marathon runner has a resting HR of 42 bpm and a resting SV of 115 ml/beat. Calculate their resting cardiac output.
Answer: CO = 115 × 42 = 4,830 ml/min ≈ 4.8 l/min.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Error Review
Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.
Lesson 4: Exam Practice: cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Command Words
Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).
Main Content (35 minutes)
Exam-Style Question
Attempt a past-paper style question on cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate from the exam board past paper finder (see Resources), then mark it against the scheme.
Exam Tips: The equation CO = SV × HR is guaranteed to appear - memorise it and practise calculations | Always show your working in calculation questions | Convert ml to litres by dividing by 1000 when giving cardiac output in l/min | Use the term "anticipatory rise" and "adrenaline" specifically - don't just say "heart rate goes up before exercise" | When describing recovery, mention both the rapid and gradual phases | Bradycardia in athletes is a positive adaptation, not a medical problem
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often forget to convert units in calculations. Wrong: "CO = 70 × 72 = 5040 litres/min." Correct: "CO = 70 × 72 = 5,040 ml/min = 5.04 l/min." Students often think bradycardia is always a medical condition. Wrong: "Bradycardia is a heart problem." Correct: "In trained athletes, bradycardia (resting HR below 60 bpm) is a positive adaptation resulting from increased stroke volume."
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
- Synoptic links: explain how cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate connects to another Physical Education topic you have studied
- Real-world: research one real-world use or example of cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate
- Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate?"
Plenary (5 minutes)
Assessment Criteria
- Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
- Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
- Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2
Homework & Consolidation
- Consolidation: Re-answer any Lesson 3 practice questions answered incorrectly (20 mins)
- Retrieval: Write flashcards for the key terms: Heart Rate (HR), Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO) (10 mins)
- Exam practice: One past-paper question on cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate from the board websites (15 mins)
- Extension: Explain cardiac output, stroke volume & heart rate to someone else in your own words (10 mins)