Large intestine Soaker hose, vacuum hose, irrigation pipe, nerd rope, dialysis tubing, sausage casing, slinky in panty hose Pancreas Sponges, tubing, utility glove (finger portion), feather, Floam Pancake, open-cell foam gallbladder Green balloon ducts 2-hole rubber stopper, aquarium tubing and old electric mouse cords Each group should be assigned a different of food.” Use foods that are “bite representative of different macromolecules. Possible items include bread, butter, steak or other protein, candy, or celery (to discuss hard to digest foods high in cellulose). As students give their presentations and trace the path of their bite of food, the class should see the fate of all types of macromolecules and begin to appreciate the specificity of enzymes in the digestive tract. Students can take this project as far as they want to go. They can add moveable parts. They can add texture and encourage those who their system to touch and “tour” experience the digestive system. The teacher may want to make the project a contest and bring in other teachers or classes to vote on the most engaging and factual model. If possible, have the students actually present their final products to a middle school class. Students should remember to tailor the presentation to the target audience. To make the project a bit more challenging, consider adding the requirement that a marble has to be able to pass through the mouth and out the other end just like food in real life. As a possible extension, each team could also be given a specific disease or disorder and asked to alter their model to show how this state occurs and can be remedied (if possible). Examples illnesses include ulcers, gallstones, heartburn, dehydration, anorexia, or various types of cancer. If you decide to complete the project in groups of 6, break up the questions for the large and small intestine and give each set to a different student. The same can be done for the stomach and the esophagus or the pancreas and the gallbladder. This may allow the project to be completed a bit faster, but groups of six may be a bit harder to manage effectively. Pictures of completed student projects from Adesha Armstrong and Alexandra Kloepper in Jadee Lauer’s class at Hazelwood Central High School are shown below.
Large intestine Soaker hose, vacuum hose, irrigation pipe, nerd rope, dialysis tubing, sausage casing, slinky in panty hose Pancreas Sponges, tubing, utility glove (finger portion), feather, Floam Pancake, open-cell foam gallbladder Green balloon ducts 2-hole rubber stopper, aquarium tubing and old electric mouse cords Each group should be assigned a different “bite of food.” Use foods that are representative of different macromolecules. Possible items include bread, butter, steak or other protein, candy, or celery (to discuss hard to digest foods high in cellulose). As students give their presentations and trace the path of their bite of food, the class should see the fate of all types of macromolecules and begin to appreciate the specificity of enzymes in the digestive tract. Students can take this project as far as they want to go. They can add moveable parts. They can add texture and encourage those who “tour” their system to touch and experience the digestive system. The teacher may want to make the project a contest and bring in other teachers or classes to vote on the most engaging and factual model. If possible, have the students actually present their final products to a middle school class. Students should remember to tailor the presentation to the target audience. To make the project a bit more challenging, consider adding the requirement that a marble has to be able to pass through the mouth and out the other end just like food in real life. As a possible extension, each team could also be given a specific disease or disorder and asked to alter their model to show how this state occurs and can be remedied (if possible). Examples illnesses include ulcers, gallstones, heartburn, dehydration, anorexia, or various types of cancer. If you decide to complete the project in groups of 6, break up the questions for the large and small intestine and give each set to a different student. The same can be done for the stomach and the esophagus or the pancreas and the gallbladder. This may allow the project to be completed a bit faster, but groups of six may be a bit harder to manage effectively. Pictures of completed student projects from Adesha Armstrong and Alexandra Kloepper in Jadee Lauer’s class at Hazelwood Central High School are shown below.
ua_key.docx