Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week in a public Spanish-immersion elementary school in Kentucky.

Abstract

The purpose of this outreach program was to promote elementary school students' understanding of human physiology and exercise science. I conducted this outreach event for 421 pre-kindergarten through grade 5 students attending a Spanish-immersion elementary school within a large, urban public school district in Kentucky. To meet the needs of the school's minority students, I delivered the Physiology Understanding (PhUn) program bilingually in both English and Spanish. The University of Louisville's PhUn team was composed of 14 undergraduate students, 5 graduate students, and 3 other faculty scientists who participated and supported me throughout the delivery of this outreach program. Elementary school students were taught about science, learned how to make scientific discoveries, and made predictions to test the hypothesis that heart rate increases with exercise. Hands-on activities and demonstrations included use of oxymeters, heart rate monitors, spirometry, blood pressure at rest and during exercise, and electromyography. We invited grade 4 and 5 students to participate in a science fair in which 32 students designed their own research projects and presented their findings during the science fair in three categories: English, Spanish, and bilingual.