Section G — Coach Breath — Why You Breathe
This section covers Chapter 1, Lessons 1.1 through 1.4.
Part A — Vocabulary (20 points, 2 points each)
Select the best answer for each question.
1. The diaphragm is:
A) A muscle in your arm B) A dome-shaped muscle below your lungs — when it contracts and flattens, your lungs expand and air comes in C) A type of lung D) A bone in the chest
2. A lung is:
A) A bone B) One of two organs in your chest where air enters and gas exchange happens with the blood C) A muscle D) A type of artery
3. An alveolus is:
A) A type of tooth B) One of millions of tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange between air and blood actually happens C) A bone in the foot D) A skin cell
4. Gas exchange is:
A) When you trade air with a friend B) The trade at the alveoli: oxygen passes from air into blood; carbon dioxide passes from blood into air C) A type of cooking D) Something only fish do
5. Oxygen (O₂) is:
A) A gas your body needs to do nearly all of its chemistry, taken in with every breath B) A waste gas you exhale C) The same as water D) A type of food
6. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is:
A) Something your body needs to take in B) A waste gas your body produces from cellular respiration and exhales out C) The same as oxygen D) A type of vitamin
7. Autonomic (in this chapter) means:
A) Something you must always think about B) Something your body does automatically without conscious control C) Something only adults do D) The same as autograph
8. Voluntary (in this chapter) means:
A) Something you can choose to do B) Something that happens by chance C) The same thing as automatic D) Only related to charity work
9. Nasal breathing is:
A) Breathing through your mouth B) Breathing in and out through your nose C) A type of singing D) Something only birds do
10. Shallow water blackout (mentioned for setup in Grade 7) is:
A) Just diving safely B) A dangerous loss of consciousness underwater that can happen from holding your breath after deep breathing — never to be practiced C) A swim trick D) Something to try at pool parties
Part B — Concept Comprehension (20 points, 2 points each)
Select the best answer for each question.
11. When you inhale:
A) Your diaphragm relaxes upward B) Your diaphragm contracts and flattens, your chest expands, and air flows in C) Your lungs collapse D) Nothing physical happens
12. When you exhale:
A) The diaphragm relaxes back up, the chest contracts, and air flows out B) Your diaphragm contracts more strongly C) Your heart stops D) The lungs make new oxygen
13. Gas exchange happens in the lungs at:
A) The throat B) The alveoli — tiny air sacs surrounded by tiny blood vessels C) The mouth only D) The diaphragm
14. A typical 12-year-old breathes roughly:
A) 5 times a minute B) About 12-20 breaths per minute at rest C) 100 breaths per minute at rest D) 1 breath per minute
15. Across a whole day, a typical human moves approximately:
A) A teaspoon of air B) Thousands of liters of air through the lungs C) A swimming pool of air D) No air
16. Breath is unusual among automatic body functions because:
A) It is the only one that always stops B) You can ignore it (it runs automatically) AND you can take it over (you can hold, slow, speed, or shape it) C) It does not really exist D) Only animals can breathe
17. A dolphin's breath is unusual because:
A) Dolphins do not breathe B) Every breath is a conscious decision — dolphins must surface, choose to breathe, and dive again C) Dolphins breathe through gills D) Dolphins breathe underwater
18. Nasal breathing tends to be:
A) Worse for the body in every way B) Slightly slower, deeper, and warmer/moister-air than mouth breathing — with some research-supported benefits for filtering and air conditioning C) Impossible D) Only useful in cold weather
19. Holding your breath for a long time underwater (especially after deep breathing first):
A) Is a safe, fun pool game B) Is genuinely dangerous and can cause shallow water blackout — Coach Breath is direct that you should not practice breath-holds underwater C) Is recommended by the chapter D) Has no risk
20. Coach Breath's main message at Grade 6 is:
A) Breath is unimportant B) Breath is the bridge between automatic and voluntary in your body, and the first job at your age is to notice it — protocols come later C) Breathe as deeply as possible all the time D) Hold your breath whenever you can
Part C — Application (30 points, 6 points each)
Write 2-3 complete sentences for each question.
21. Describe what your diaphragm does when you inhale and when you exhale. Why is the diaphragm called a muscle of breath?
22. Gas exchange trades oxygen and carbon dioxide at the alveoli. Why does your body bring in oxygen and let out carbon dioxide? (Hint: cells using oxygen for energy produce carbon dioxide as a waste gas.)
23. Safety recognition. A classmate proposes a "who can hold their breath underwater the longest" challenge at the pool, with deep breathing first. Based on the warning Coach Breath gave about shallow water blackout, explain why you should refuse to play this game and what you would say.
24. Breath is one of the only body functions that is both automatic and voluntary. Give one example of automatic breathing and one example of voluntary breathing. Why might this dual nature matter?
25. A friend with asthma feels embarrassed about using their inhaler. Based on the chapter's note about asthma and other respiratory conditions, what would you say to them? Use language from the chapter introduction.
Continue to Section H — Coach Light.