Station D: Metabolic
STATION D: THE METABOLIC STATION (Optional)
Mission: Measure how your body manages energy (Glucose) before and after stress.
⚠️ SAFETY PROTOCOL: READ FIRST
This activity involves real needles (lancets) and real blood. Participation is VOLUNTARY.
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS: Treat all blood as if it is infectious. Do not touch another student’s blood or used supplies.
SELF-TEST ONLY: You will perform the finger prick on yourself. Do not prick your friends.
SHARPS DISPOSAL: The needle (lancet) goes IMMEDIATELY into the Red Sharps Container. Never put a used needle on the table or in the trash.
CLEANUP: All bloody tissues and strips go in the Biohazard Bag. Bandage your finger immediately.
PART 1: THE EXPERIMENT
We want to see how food and movement change your blood sugar levels. Choose your test condition:
Test A: The Baseline (Fasting): You haven’t eaten in at least 2 hours.
Test B: The Spike (Fed): You just ate a snack/candy 15–30 minutes ago.
Test C: The Burn (Exercise): You just did intense exercise (jumping jacks) for 5 minutes.
PART 2: THE PROCEDURE (How to Test)
Follow the steps carefully. If you feel faint, sit down and stop.
1. Prepare the Finger:
Wash hands or scrub the side of your fingertip with an Alcohol Prep Pad. Let it dry.
2. Prepare the Device:
Insert a fresh Test Strip into the Glucometer Silver side pointing down. Wait for the “Drop” icon to appear.
Load a clean Lancet (needle) into the lancing device and pull back the spring.
3. The Prick:
Place the device firmly against the side of your fingertip.
Press the clear button.
Squeeze your finger gently from the base to form a small, round drop of blood.
- Dispose of the first drop of blood on a cotton round.
4. The Reading:
Touch the edge of the test strip to your 2nd blood drop. The strip will sip up the blood like a straw.
Wait 5 seconds for the number.
5. Immediate Cleanup:
STOP! Before writing your number, eject the needle into the Sharps Container.
Wipe your finger and apply a Band-Aid.
PART 3: DATA LOG
Record your number below.
PART 4: THE SCIENCE (What does it mean?)
1. The Fuel:
Glucose is sugar in your blood. It is the gas for your car (body).
Insulin is the key that opens the door to let the gas into the engine (cells).
2. The Numbers:
Normal: 70–100 mg/dL (Fasting).
Hyperglycemia (High): >140 mg/dL. This happens after eating or if you have Diabetes (your body lacks insulin).
Hypoglycemia (Low): <70 mg/dL. This happens if you skip meals or exercise too hard without fuel. You might feel shaky, sweaty, or “hangry.”
3. The Exercise Effect:
Exercise acts like insulin—it opens your cells to burn sugar fast.
Hypothesis: After exercise, your blood sugar might actually drop because your muscles used it up for energy!