This experiment allows kids to have fun competing to see who has the highest peak flow and also acts as a starting point for discussion of lungs, breathing and conditions such as asthma.

ACTIVITIES:
-get kids to use a peak flow meter

THINGS TO TALK ABOUT:
-what is a peak flow meter and what might it be used for?
- basic explanation of how the lungs work
-why do you want to know about your peak flow rate? asthma, fibrosis, COPD etc

TIPS FOR DEMONSTRATING:
It's very important to establish in the beginning how much the kid knows already. Generally, kids either know a lot (i.e. if they are asthmatic) or very little. If they know very little, keep things very basic. If they know a lot, you can go into more detail; i.e. how the lungs work; that lungs are made out of tissue; tissue structure can change (inflammation; fibrosis)- how this affects your breathing

BASIC PROCEDURE AND EXPLANATION

Peak Flow

1. Establish how much the child knows already:

- Ask them if they know what a peak flow is.
- If they do ask them what it's used for. (chances are a good chunk of them have asthma and will have used one).
- If they don't know what it is, ask them what they think it might be used for.
- This should be quite easy to guess from the design, but if they're really think, work them round to it.
- Point out the meter - ie it's for measuring something.
- at the 0 end of the meter there's a wacking great mouth shaped hole, so how do you think you get the meter to move?
- If they say blowing into, then ask them what sort of diseases it might be used for. asthma, emphysema, bronchitis.

2. Then link what it's for to a discussion on asthma.
- So if it's for seeing how well someone with asthma breaths, do you think asthmatics can blow more or less on it?
- Why do they blow less. (see diagram below)
- Lungs = set of bags at end of set of tubes.
- Ref them to lung model for how lungs work, but basically say muscles make air move in and out.
- In asthmatics, the tubes are narrower.
- Tubes are narrower because...
- Need to pitch this depending on age of kid.
- Mention allergy.
- Mention other things that can trigger, eg asthma, cold air.

3. Do only kids have asthma?
No - adults can get it as well. Late in life onset and child onset forms of asthma are common.

4. So do you thinks astmatics blow the same thing on the peak flow all day?
No - they are usually worse in the morning that they are in the evening.

5. Finally, see what the kids can blow and match it Vs the diagram below.

6. For older kids it might be worth going into:

a Why narrower tubes stop you blowing as well.
b. Inflamation.
c. Other things that you use lung function tests for: COPD, Sarcoidosis, Fibrosis etc.