Our final Her STEM Space event of the month, hosted by the El Dorado Hills Chapter, focused on something we rely on every second of every day: our lungs. During our Lung Health and Air Quality Lab, students discovered how the respiratory system works, why clean air is so important, and how our everyday choices can affect the air we breathe.
The highlight of the event was building a working lung model. Using a plastic bottle to represent the chest cavity, balloons as the lungs, straws as the trachea, and another balloon stretched across the bottom as the diaphragm, students created models that demonstrated how breathing works. When they pulled the diaphragm balloon downward, the lung balloons inflated. Pushing it back up caused the balloons to deflate, showing how the diaphragm helps move air in and out of our lungs.
As they built their models, students learned how each part of the respiratory system plays a role in keeping us alive. They explored how oxygen travels into the lungs and carbon dioxide leaves the body, making connections between the model and what happens inside us every time we take a breath.
The activity also opened the door to conversations about air quality. Students discussed common sources of air pollution, including wildfire smoke, vehicle emissions, and industrial pollution, and learned how poor air quality can impact lung health, especially for children, older adults, and people with asthma. They also talked about simple ways to protect themselves on days when air quality is poor and how communities can work toward cleaner air.
By combining engineering, biology, and environmental science into one hands-on activity, students left with a better understanding of how their lungs work and why protecting the air we breathe matters. Watching their models come to life made the science memorable and showed that even everyday actions, like taking a deep breath, involve an incredible process.
About the Author
Avanti Ramamoorthy is a rising junior at Oak Ridge High School and the chapter head of Her STEM Space in El Dorado Hills. Through Her STEM Space, she organizes hands-on workshops that introduce younger students to topics such as environmental science, engineering, public health, and the human body. Outside of organizing STEM events, Avanti enjoys playing golf, volunteering in her community, and working on new projects that encourage curiosity and learning.
Reach Her:
ramamoorthyavanti@gmail.com
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