Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Pulse Rate Scoreboard: Free Printable Chart for Year 7
- ForYear 7
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Pulse Rate Scoreboard is a free printable PE chart for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Students test their pulse at rest, after star jumps and again after stopping. They fill in the scoreboard, work out the rise and the drop, then answer questions about what the numbers show. It needs a pencil, a clock or watch, and a little clear space.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Page 2 is for the grown-up and has notes, help, a stretch idea and the answers. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with a checklist to tick off as they go. They sit still and take a resting pulse, count beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Then they do star jumps, count straight away and fill in the table. Numbered questions ask them to compare stages, work out a rise and a drop, and give a reason about recovery.
- Sit still for one minute, then take your resting pulse.
- Count beats for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4.
- Do 1 minute of star jumps, then count straight away.
- Stage
- Beats in 15 seconds
- Beats per minute
- Which stage gave your highest beats per minute?
- Work out the rise: after star jumps minus resting.
- Work out the drop: after star jumps minus 3 minutes after stopping.
- Why might a fitter person recover more quickly?
Worked example: from 15 seconds to a minute
A student counts 18 beats in 15 seconds. What is the pulse in beats per minute?
These numbers are made up for practice and are not the ones children will record on the sheet. The example shows how to turn a short count into beats per minute.
Method 1: multiply by 4- 15 seconds is a quarter of a minute, so there are four lots of 15 seconds in a minute.
- Multiply the count by 4: 18 × 4.
- 10 × 4 = 40 and 8 × 4 = 32. Then 40 + 32 = 72.
- Double 18 to get 36.
- Double 36 to get 72.
- Doubling twice is the same as multiplying by 4.
Setting up the pulse test
Clear a safe space
Make sure there is room to do star jumps without hitting furniture or other people. A flat, non slip floor is best.
Find the pulse
Use two fingers, not the thumb, on the inside of the wrist below the thumb. Press gently. Pressing too hard can hide the beat.
Time and count
One person watches the clock and says start and stop. The other counts beats. Swap roles so both students collect data.
Record straight away
Write each count in the table as soon as it is taken. Pulse changes quickly, so do not leave the counting for later.
Why measure pulse?
Your pulse is the beat you can feel where an artery runs close to the skin, such as the wrist or the side of the neck. Each beat matches a beat of the heart. Counting them gives a number in beats per minute. Measuring pulse needs only a clock or watch and your own fingers, so it is a simple way to collect real data about your body.
Heart rate changes depending on what the body is doing. That makes it a useful measure in PE. By taking readings at different stages, students can compare them, calculate the differences and say what the numbers suggest. This is the same pattern used in science and PE lessons: measure, record, calculate, then evaluate.
Choose a clear space for the star jumps. Anyone who has been told by a doctor to avoid exercise should not do them and can act as timer instead. Stop and sit down if you feel dizzy or unwell. Press gently when finding a pulse, and never press hard on the neck.
Pulse facts
- Your heart is a muscle, and it keeps beating all day and all night.
- You can feel your pulse at your wrist and at the side of your neck.
- Use your fingers, not your thumb, to find a pulse. Your thumb has a small pulse of its own that can confuse the count.
- Pulse is measured in beats per minute.
- A pulse count can be taken over a short time and then scaled up to a full minute.
Skills and curriculum link
- Measuring pulse
- Recording data
- Evaluating fitness
- Multiplying by 4
- Subtracting to find change
Ideas that help with the pulse test
- Pulse and heartbeatYour pulse is the beat you feel in an artery. It happens with each heartbeat, so counting pulse is a way to count heartbeats.
- Beats per minuteThis is the standard unit for heart rate. It lets us compare readings fairly, even when they were counted over different lengths of time.
- Why multiply by 4A minute has four lots of 15 seconds. So a count over 15 seconds, multiplied by 4, estimates the full minute.
- Fair testingCompare like with like. Count for the same length of time, use the same method, and start counting at the same point at each stage.
Key words
- PulseThe beat you can feel in an artery, usually at the wrist or neck.
- Beats per minuteThe number of heartbeats in one minute. It is often shortened to bpm.
- RestingSitting or lying calmly, not moving around.
- RecoveryThe body returning towards its resting state after exercise.
- DataInformation collected, such as the counts you write in a table.
- EvaluateLook at the evidence and make a judgement, giving a reason.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the student. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Work in pairs. One person times with a clock or watch while the other counts. Swap roles later.
- Follow the checklist in order. Take the resting pulse first, then do the star jumps and count straight away.
- Fill in the scoreboard, then work through the questions. Ask students to explain how they worked out each rise and drop.
- Check against page 2. Come back another day and repeat the test to see whether the numbers change.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Count for a full 60 seconds instead of multiplying, or use a partner to help find the pulse. Practise finding the pulse before the real test. Use two fingers on the wrist and press gently until the beat is clear.
To stretch confident children
Repeat the test after 2 minutes of jogging on the spot. Compare the rise and the recovery with your star jump results. Write one or two sentences saying what is the same, what is different, and why you think that is.
Make it a game
Challenge a partner to see who has the biggest drop in pulse after 3 minutes of rest. Both players must sit still, count the same way and write their numbers down. Check each other's subtraction before naming a winner.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA student counts beats for 15 seconds but forgets to multiply by 4, so the number is far too small.
Try thisRemind them the scoreboard column is beats per minute. Ask, "How many lots of 15 seconds are in a minute?" Then multiply.
Watch forThey wait before counting after the star jumps, so the pulse has already begun to slow.
Try thisCount straight away. The partner should start the timer as soon as the star jumps end, with fingers already in place.
Watch forThey subtract the wrong way round and get a rise or drop that does not make sense.
Try thisRead the question wording. Take the smaller reading away from the larger one, and check the order against what the question says.
Talk about it
- How did you find your pulse? What helped you feel it?
- Why do you think we count for a short time and then multiply?
- What do you notice when you look at your three readings together?
- How could we make this test fairer?
- What might change if we repeated it tomorrow?
- What does a pulse reading tell us, and what does it not tell us?
Take it off the page
Pulse hunt
Try finding a pulse at the wrist and at the side of the neck. Decide which is easier to feel and say why.
Design a fitness diary
Draw a simple table to record a pulse reading on different days. Leave a column for notes on how you felt.
Explain it to someone
Teach a family member how to take a pulse and turn a short count into beats per minute. Use made up numbers to practise.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep the exercise gentle and stop if they feel unwell. Ask them to explain each answer. Praise careful counting and clear thinking.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a lesson on exercise and the body. It works as homework, a cover task or a paired practical. Pairs gather real data, and page 2 gives support, stretch and answers.
Home educators
Print it for a PE or science block. Pair it with a walk, a bike ride or a sport session and repeat the test afterwards. Because it is free, you can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, students will have met the idea that exercise affects the body, and will be able to multiply by 4 and subtract. They may already have taken a pulse in primary school or science lessons.
After it, they can apply the same measure, record, calculate and evaluate pattern to other fitness tests. They can also set simple goals, repeat tests over several weeks and judge for themselves how their own results change.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Pulse Rate Scoreboard for?
It is written for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Older or younger pupils can also use it if the practical task and the subtraction questions suit them.
- What will children practise?
They practise measuring pulse, recording data in a table and evaluating fitness. They also use multiplication by 4 and subtraction to work out beats per minute, a rise and a drop.
- What equipment do we need?
You need a pencil, the printed sheet, and a clock or watch with a second hand or timer. Some clear floor space is needed for the star jumps. No other equipment is required.
- What if my child cannot find their pulse?
Try the other wrist or the side of the neck, using two fingers and gentle pressure. Avoid the thumb. A partner can help. Practise finding it at rest before the star jumps.
- Is it safe to do star jumps?
Yes, for most children, in a clear space. Anyone told by a doctor to avoid exercise should skip them and act as timer. Stop and sit down if anyone feels dizzy or unwell.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, paired practical, early finisher task or homework. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support, stretch and answers.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages, give page 1 to the student and keep page 2 for the grown-up.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.