Dinner is Over, Now What?

Topic: human digestive system Overview

Activities presented in this lesson will enable students to trace food through the digestive system and to become more familiar with how food is broken down chemically and mechanically. This lesson is intended to be a supportive activity for a nutrition unit. Grades 7-10

Time Allotment
Two 45-minute periods

Learning Objectives
On completion of this lesson students will be able to: Trace food through the digestive system Discuss the importance of food for human survival and health Identify the nutrient groups essential to humans Identify the organs of the digestive system and explain their functions Differentiate between mechanical and chemical digestion This lesson addresses Va. SOLs Science LS.3, BIO.3 National Science Education Standards Life Science (grades 7-10): Standard C, Standard F

Media Components
Video Projector Computer Websites: http://vilenski.org/science/humanbody/hb_html/digestivesystem.html This site presents the teacher with a basic diagram and explanation of the digestive system. http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/digestive_facts.html This site provides the Amazing Facts information needed for the lesson opening. http://www.unitedstreaming.com/ (video) - Food Into Fuel: Our Digestive System. Rainbow Educational Media, 1992. United Learning. 15 Dec. 2003. http://www.unitedstreaming.com/. Segments: An Introduction to the Human Digestive System: Food is Our Fuel (1:17), Digestion and Nutrients: What Our Bodies Need to Stay Healthy (2:55),The Process of Digestion (13:00)

Materials and Student Handouts

Materials for Day 2 Activity Yarn: 1 skein each of purple, yellow, red, orange 2 skeins of blue Meter sticks- 1 per pair of students Scissors- 1 per pair of students Masking tape- several rolls to be shared by groups Student Handouts: 1 copy of lab instructions to each student- Attached 1 Digestive System Graphic organizer handout for each student- Attached

Teacher Preparations
Prior to teaching, download Food into Fuel: Our Digestive System video from http://www.unitedstreaming.com/website in three segments. Download the videos in their separated forms and not as a whole. It will make it easier and cueing the video will not be necessary. Suggested: 1. An Introduction to the Human Digestive System: Food is Our Fuel (1:17) 2. Digestion and Nutrients: What Our Bodies Need to Stay Healthy (2:55) 3. The Process of Digestion (13:00) Print a copy of Amazing Facts from www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/digestive_facts.html for teacher use. Prepare 2 handouts for students (attached). Organize lab supplies as indicated above.

Introductory Activity
Day 1 Start class by saying, What would your favorite dinner consist of? Listen and generate discussion about the variety that is available to consumers. FOCUS: State the lesson title, Dinners over, now what? What happens to the food weve eaten for dinner? Let students respond. They will at some point use the word digestion. If not, provide the word for them. Use this opportunity to focus their thoughts on the definition for digestion. Say: Digestion is the process of breaking food down to be used by the body. (You will want to also have this in a written form such as on the board or overhead.) Next generate more interest by giving the students a quiz using the Amazing Facts on the digestive system. These are the facts printed out from the www4.tpgi.com.au/users/amcgann/body/digestive_facts.html website. This information can be reviewed in a game format such as creating an air of Ripleys Believe It or Not! Use this discussion as an opening to introduce students to the first video segment, An Introduction to the Human Digestive System: Food is Our Fuel (1:17). 1. FOCUS: Say: How do we get the energy we need to function? Watch this video segment and be ready to tell me when its over. PLAY the entire video clip. STOP when finished. FOLLOW-UP: Say: How do we get the energy we need to function? (We eat food.) 2. FOCUS: Say: What is it in the food that is so valuable to the human body? Discuss. Say: Now you will make a list of the nutrients as you watch the video. PLAY Digestion and Nutrients: What Our Bodies Need to Stay Healthy (2:55). STOP when finished. Review the nutrients and their purpose. FOLLOW- UP: Present questions to the students such as Where and how does digestion start? What do the words mechanical and chemical bring to mind? How might these two words apply to digestion? 3. FOCUS: Say: We will now see if your ideas are correct.

START the first two-minute segment of The Process of Digestion. STOP at the segment with the picture of the girl eating and the statement, journey through the rest of the digestive system.) Discuss what the students observed. FOLLOW-UP. Students should now be able to verbally describe the difference between mechanical and chemical digestion. Ask questions such as, Describe the difference between mechanical and chemical breakdown of food.

Learning Activities
Day 2 Start todays lesson with a review of mechanical and chemical digestion. Next, ASK: What organs are part of the digestive process? In which order would you place them? Focus for Media Interaction: Hand out graphic organizer of the digestive system (attached). FOCUS. SAY: Now lets see if were correct. START the video segment, The Process of Digestion, at the two-minute mark. (You should see a girl eating at a table.) Have the students complete their worksheets as the video plays. PAUSE the video as needed for discussion or to enable students to complete their organizer. Review the basic system and what each organ does in the process. Activity: Once you feel that the students have a thorough understanding of the organs and their function, have the students measure their digestive tracts using the following activity. (You may want to check the following web site for additional information: http://www.scetv.org/ntti/lessons/2001lessons/fromoneendtotheother.html ) 1. Students will take a piece of purple yarn and measure from the corner of their mouths to their ears to get the length of their mouth, and cut. 2. Students will use red yarn to measure from the bottom of their chins to where their ribcages separate to get the lengths of their esophagi, and cut. 3. Students will use a piece of yellow yarn to measure from their thumbs to their pinkies to get the length of their stomach, and cut. 4. Students will use blue yarn to measure from their heads to their feet and multiply that by four to get the length of their small intestines, and cut. 5. Students will use orange yarn to measure from their heads to their feet once to get the length of their large intestines, and cut. 6. Once these measurements have been made and the yarn cut, students will connect the pieces of yarn using masking tape. 7. Students will then measure the lengths of these organs using centimeters to get the lengths of their digestive tracts. 8. Review the parts of the digestive system and discuss size differences of the organs. Have the students compare their tracts to others in the class.

Cross-Curricular Extensions
Math Measure the digestive tract. Conversion of standard measurements to metric. Writing Write a story about a journey through the digestive system Write a short review paper on vitamin/mineral deficiency diseases such as scurvy, rickets, goiter, or osteoporosis.

Community Connections
Have a local dietician talk with students about proper nutrition