Digestion Model

Today 5th Graders Digested Food 

Before Lunch!

First,   we explored what spit does to starch.  It has an amazing power to break starch into sugar!   Starch is actually chains of sugar linked, and salvia has the power to break those connections.   We tested our spit in a test tubes of starch.  Initially the iodine turns the solution black (indicating starch is present.)  By the end, the iodine is brown!  That means our very own saliva broke down all of the starch into sugar!  Sweet!

Starch mixed with saliva over time.   The black color indicates starch.  Notice by #6 all the starch has been turned into sugar (evidenced by the brown color.)

After exploring the incredible super power of our saliva to make sugar from starch, we built an active model of the digestion system.

First we cut food with our "teeth"- knife.  We found that teeth really have to work hard to get food into tiny pieces!

After we thoroughly chewed our food, down the "esophagus" it went to our "stomach" jar.

"Stomach Acid" started breaking down the food into a "slushy" scientists like to call chyme.

Our filter paper acted as the small intestine's villi and absorbed the "nutrients" from the food.  

All that was left is a bunch of waste, and we all know what happens to that!

You can sing along with Body Machine by School House Rock or check out a digestive system game.

Check out this game designed by Kino Creative for "Love your Gut" week!  You are a sandwich and must get through the digestive system.  Be sure to read the directions carefully and use the arrow keys to play.  I can make it all the way through, can you?

http://www.loveyourgut.com/games/gut_week_game.php