This document describes an activity to simulate the human digestive system. Students will mash bread, banana, oats and coffee to represent food in the mouth and stomach. They will then transfer the mixture to a plastic bag with vinegar to represent the small intestine, where vinegar helps break down the food. Next, squeezing the mixture through a stocking represents the large intestine and the output is collected in a plastic bag, representing the rectum and feces. The activity aims to help students understand the organs and functions of digestion by simulating the path of food through the digestive system.
1. Activity 1: Poop in the making
Name: _____________________________________ Score: _________________
Grade & Section: __________________________ Date:__________________
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the activity, the students
are expected to:
1. Identify and describe the functions of the
organs of the digestive system.
2. Trace the path of the food as it is being
digested.
Manila paper, plastic
container, fork, water, bread,
banana, oats, coffee, vinegar,
old stockings, old socks, plastic
bag
1. Imagine that you will have a bread, banana, oats and coffee for break-
fast. Put a small amount of water in the container. Using your hands or fork,
cut the bread and the banana into smaller pieces and put it in the con-
tainer. Add the oats and the coffee then mash the combined materials to
form a mixture.
Q1. What part of the body does the scissor and the plastic container
represent?
Q2. Does digestion occur in that process? How?
2. Using the plastic with an open end, transfer the mixture to the plastic with
vinegar and then secure it. Shake and slightly press the mixture in the plastic
and observe what happens to the mixture.
Q3. What does the plastic with an open end and plastic with vinegar
represent in the digestive tract?
Q4. How does the vinegar affect the digestion of food?
3. Put the stocking in the container. Transfer the mixture into the stocking.
Hold the open end of the stocking and then press the mixture in the stocking
gently. Be careful in doing this procedure to avoid spilling the mixture. The as-
signed student may use the gloves provided.
Q5. In what part of our digestive tract can you compare the stocking?
Q6. What does the liquid material squeezed from the stocking stands
for?
4. Transfer the mixture inside an old sock. Gently squeeze it. Then, transfer the
mixture in a plastic bag.
2. Activity 1: Poop in the making
5. Transfer the mixture in a plastic bag. Tie the open end of the plastic. After that,
cut a small hole in either of the bottom corners of the plastic. Then squeeze out
the mixture on the container.
Q8. What does the plastic bag represent?
Q9. Describe the output of your activity. Does it look like the expected
output you are imagining? What do you think is the reason behind it?
Q10. How this activity can be compared with the digestive tract?